they didn't have a landing at the door with the original steps. They also park their cars right there(carport) and when I laid these steps out I came up with 6 steps, the original wood had 5. I could not figure out how that was done until I measured and found out the wood guy's rise was not equal. Something like 6, 6, 6, 6, 4 or 3. Don't even remember if the sixes were all sixes. My steps actually came out about a foot longer and adding a landing would have put that out into the fender of the clients car. Unless the stairs were turned sideways which would not have worked out either due to the layout of the land sort of speak. They've been in this house for 20 years using those old rickity wood steps that looked like a machine gun was shot at it from the boring bee's. Their back door was only a 30" door as well and these stairs were 36" between the railings at least.

Besides that we live out in the sticks so somebody "making" us do something is few and far between. Railings are up to codes with height, baluster spacing, side loading. Steps are all within 1/4" of each other....actually they are all plus or minus whatever the trex variation would be. These folks were in their early 60's and planning on finishing off their days in this house so these give a nice gradual rise whereas if I went with a landing and steps they would need rock climbing gear to get up and down the steps in order to keep the steps short enough for them to still park their car where they do. I did think about a landing though, but sometimes your just limited by your surroundings.

Talked to codes guy about my house, he said, "you in the city limits?", told him nope. He said, "well just make sure your balusters are less than 4" and the height is between 34" and 36". No permits, no inspections....that's how I like it. Built a barn, no permits, no inspections, bought the wood and built it. In Nashville when I lived there you couldn't fart without a hazardous gas permit!!

Shawn