Martinez Stair Company Inc. designs and installs custom wood stairs and staircases, railings, and stair parts and accessories for residential and commercial clients in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties.
President Taro Martinez says Martinez Stair Company has been able to build a loyal clientele base because its technicians treat every home as if it was their own. “We’re very conscientious about staying clean while we’re working—we’ll do one small section of a staircase at a time to avoid making a mess or creating an unsafe environment. We want our customers to trust us completely, so we focus on being respectful and courteous throughout their projects.”
Martinez Stair Company prioritizes quality control in every aspect of its work, from the initial estimates to the finishing touches. “When we take on a job, we don’t leave in the middle to start another—we stay onsite until it’s finished,” says Mr. Martinez. “We pride ourselves on working closely with our clients to achieve their utmost satisfaction from beginning to end.”
“Our goal has always been complete customer satisfaction, and we accomplish that by emphasizing promptness, cleanliness, open communication, and beautiful craftsmanship on each project. We like to say ‘perfect is good enough,’ which means we do the absolute best job we can do, regardless of the size or scope of the work.”
Staircase safety is a key component to keeping your family safe in your home.
Whether your stairs are an architectural focal point in your home or simply a way to access all of your rooms, safety should be paramount when hiring a contractor to replace, refinish or upgrade your stairs. “The methods and processes contractors use to put together staircases should have safety and strength as the main concerns,” affirms Taro Martinez, president of Martinez Stair Company Inc. in Concord. “Even beyond the aesthetics of the project, you have to factor in safety. The first step is to work with a company that uses the strongest possible construction techniques.” Here are some more tips for ensuring staircase safety:
Consider the rise-to-run ratio.
In order for stairs to feel comfortable and be safer, the total distance from the front to the back of the step and the vertical distance between steps should equal about 17 inches. If step treads are narrower, the distance between the steps should be greater, and as stair treads get longer, the distance between steps should be shorter. However, the rise-to-run ratio should stay consistent from top to bottom no matter what. Uneven stairs can cause slips, trips and falls.
Revisit the banisters and balusters.
Banisters are the handrails on the sides of staircases, and balusters are the short columns that support the handrails and may add architectural detail to staircases. Depending on your home or business, your staircase may have one or two sides enclosed with a banister and may or may not have balusters. All banisters and handrails should meet building code requirements for height, distance between the wall and the rail, and distance between the baluster posts. Loose, weak or missing banisters and balusters can be disasters waiting to happen and should be repaired or replaced immediately. Individual baluster posts may vary in design (decorative or plain) and composition (wood or metal), but all of them should be safely anchored, and the space between them shouldn’t allow for children to get through the gaps.
Spring for a new newel post.
If your newel post (the anchored post at the top, bottom and possibly critical junctures of your stair rail) is wobbly or insecure, your entire handrail will be less safe. If your current newel post can’t be securely anchored to the floor or wall, get a new one that will prevent wobbling and movement.
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for stair contractors that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Martinez Stair Company Inc., the most effective ways to keep clients happy are to treat their homes with respect and prioritize their needs throughout every step of their projects. “Making and keeping clients happy is our primary goal, so we’re very conscious about staying clean, keeping houses safe while we work, and being courteous and trustworthy,” says President Taro Martinez. “Our clients trust that we’ll do the absolute best job every time, and that’s exactly what we strive for.”
Martinez Stair Company has been designing and installing wood stairs and staircases, railings, and stair parts and accessories for residential and commercial clients in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties since 2004. In addition to its wide-ranging stair services, the company is qualified to handle interior trim work like crown moulding, baseboard installations, door hanging and more.
Unlike some stair contractors that take an “assembly line” approach to every project because they expect it to be a one-time job due to the enduring nature of stair products, Martinez Stair Company treats each job like an interview for future work. “We want to bring smiles to our clients’ faces and know that they’ll spend many years admiring what we’ve done,” says Mr. Martinez. “Our motto is, ‘Perfect is good enough,’ which means we always do the best job we can do, regardless of the size.”
To further differentiate itself from its competition, Martinez Stair Company provides every job with the hands-on estimating, planning and construction expertise of Mr. Martinez himself. “I was taught very well when I started my carpentry career, but I’m always looking to improve my skills,” he says. “Having my hands and eyes on everything gives me control over the quality of each product, which allows us to guarantee the best outcome for the client.”
