When guardrails are removed they should be put back!
Barriers and restrictions are there to avoid consequence.
Many people regard laws to be restrictive and to prevent us from "having fun." Take the speed limit, for example. Nobody has ever gotten a ticket for staying within the speed limit. The speed limit is just that - a limit! Its intention is to aid safety when driving, and avoid the consequence(s) of going too fast.
The same kind of laws, called codes, govern safety in our homes and buildings. Consider the guardrails on decks, balconies and stairs. They are to aid safety, and to prevent the consequence(s) from falling.
It's common sense. Guardrails are there for a good reason.
There are all sorts of contexts requiring guardrails.
In the photo the guardrail that used to be at the bottom of these stairs was there for important reasons.
When getting this house ready for sale the sellers decided to sand and refinish the floors.
They did a great job!
But someone thought it was a good idea to remove the guardrail!
It was intentional too. The holes where it was attached to the floor, and the stairs, and the wall were carefully puttied or spackled over.
It seems there was no intention to put it back.
But that was a problem for my client, who will be moving into the house with two small children!
This would be a dangerous fall for children especially, and adults!
A proper guardrail here would also serve as the handrail on the lower section of the staircase. And my clients knew that. During the contract negotiations, the buyers asked for a credit toward the installation of a new guardrail.
Smart! When the home inspector mentioned that a guardrail would need to be there and showed them the holes, they only smiled. And then they explained the short history of the credit toward a new one.
My recommendation: little things sometimes become big things. A loose guardrail can become a BIG thing! A missing guardrail can become a BIG thing! Of course it's best to pay attention to the little things before they grow in potential to become problems. In this case the buyers are looking to have beautiful hardwood floors and a safe staircase to go up and down. I expect they will.
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