Stairs for Your Tiny Home
What to Know and What They Cost
Having safe, solid stairs is one of those things that feels small until it matters. Most homes need three or four steps, depending on how high the door or porch sits off the ground.
In most cases, the stairs should be built as free-standing and not attached directly to the home. This helps avoid permitting issues and keeps the setup simple.
Below are three common approaches with realistic price ranges so you can plan right.
Option 1: Pre-Made Stairs
Quick, Easy, Budget Friendly
Price: About $100 to $300
These are ready-to-go stairs you can order online. They’re usually metal, designed for RVs and tiny homes, and often show up with non-slip treads included. They’re not going to win any design awards, but they work really well and install fast.
Why people go this route:
Works right out of the box
No cutting or building needed
Great for temporary sites or rentals
Easy to move later
Good choice if you want something functional today without worrying about building it yourself.
Tap here to see the style of stairs we use for our temporary homes on our lot, starting at $139.99
Option 2: DIY Wood Stairs
Affordable, Customizable
Price: About $250 to $600 for materials, $750-$1000 to be built for you
This is a practical build-it-yourself option using lumber and pre-cut stair stringers from Home Depot or similar. You pick the size, shape, and materials, and you end up with something that looks a lot more intentional than a generic product.
What you need:
Pre-cut stringers or custom cut if you’re confident
Pressure-treated lumber or decking boards
Screws, treads, and a simple handrail if desired
Why this option makes sense:
Still cheap once materials are counted
You control width, depth, and look
Easy for anyone with basic tools
This is a great middle ground if you want something sturdy that feels a bit more like part of the home.
Option 3: Premium Stairs
Polished Look, Built to Last
Price: $600-$1200+
Here we’re talking stairs built with quality wood, composite decking, or paired with custom metal railings. These have a more finished look that matches the porch or exterior of the home, and feel more like a permanent part of the property.
This option usually involves:
Better wood species or composite decking
Metal or higher-end railing systems (Higher price point)
A contractor or skilled builder to install
This isn’t cheap, but if you want something that feels intentional and adds value, this is it.
Local Help in Portland
Most homes require a set of stairs at the entry or to the covered porch. Because many homeowners prefer to keep costs lower and build their own stairs, stair construction is not included in the base home price.
However, we know that not everyone wants to tackle that project themselves. To make things easier, our team is happy to build stairs during the warranty visit if scheduled in advance.
Stairs take several hours to construct properly and require additional materials, tools, and labor. In many cases, building stairs can also extend what would normally be a one-day warranty visit into a two-day visit.
If you would like our team to handle this for you, we are happy to coordinate it while we are already on site so everything can be completed at the same time.
The pricing below reflects the materials and time required to build safe, properly supported stairs.
Basic Wood Stairs with Railing
$800 - One set of stairs
$1,400 - Two sets of stairs
Composite / Trex Style Stairs with Railing
$1,200 - One set of stairs
$2,200 - Two sets of stairs
Scheduling stair construction during the warranty visit allows our team to complete everything at once, which is typically more convenient than coordinating a separate contractor after delivery.
If you are interested in having stairs built, please let us know ahead of time so we can schedule the visit appropriately.
Quick Comparison
Pre-made: least expensive, fastest, decent function
Wood: midrange price point, flexible, looks nicer
Premium: a little bit more of an investment, built to last, great aesthetics
