The part you needhasn't been in a catalogsince 1910.

Restoration is quoted by project, not by a sticker price — every original is a different wear pattern, species, and amount of carving. On a 5–10 minute call we'll put you in a range: matching a single turned newel typically starts in the low four figures; a full run of matched balusters or a carved-finial match runs higher because of the sourcing, fitting, and finishing hours. That's a ballpark to plan around, not a bid — and we'll tell you straight if a piece can be repaired instead of remade, so you only spend where it counts.

Most restoration projects come together in 6–10 weeks depending on complexity, plus about a week up front for the estimate and to confirm the match. On-site install of the finished parts is usually 1–2 days. If a historic-preservation board is involved, add 1–2 weeks at the front for review — but that pulls install forward since we're not redesigning after approval. We schedule to your date and work ahead in the Whitehall shop.

Very little. Documenting the original takes 15–30 minutes on site, and we don't take the original with us. All the sourcing, fitting, and finishing happens at our shop, not on your floors. The only on-site days are the install, usually 1–2 days, and you stay in the house the whole time. We protect the surrounding finishes, vacuum up after ourselves, and document the work for your records.

Sometimes. A clear in-focus photo with a reference scale (a ruler or coin in frame) gives us enough to identify basic profiles — turned newels, simple balusters. Carved finials and irregular wear patterns need an in-person visit and careful measurement to match properly. Send photos first; we'll tell you within 48 hours whether photos are enough or if we need a site visit.

Two ways. If a matching period part still exists from a supplier, we track it down and source it. If it doesn't, we have it turned and carved to match by our specialist suppliers, working from the measurements and photos of your surviving piece. Either way we fit and finish it in our Whitehall shop so it sits right in the run — and we confirm the match with you before anything is installed.

Common in 100+ year old homes. We work from what's there and rebuild the missing detail from period precedent (similar homes, era-appropriate catalogs, the surviving balusters in the same run). We confirm the design with you before anything is made. For preservation-board projects, we submit a CAD drawing with the rationale — boards typically approve our matches because they're documented and dimensionally accurate.

Yes — and the boards usually like working with us because we bring documented CAD drawings and period-accurate matches. Tell us upfront which board has jurisdiction (Bethlehem Historic, Easton Heritage, etc.) and we'll format the submission to their standards. Adds 1-2 weeks at the front of the project for review, but pulls forward installation since we're not redesigning post-approval.

Whatever the original was. Most period work in the Lehigh Valley is cherry, walnut, white oak, or mahogany. We can identify the species from a sample (sometimes from the photo). For matched-grain replacements, we source from American suppliers; for fully period-accurate matches (e.g., 1880s old-growth pine), we work with reclaimed-wood specialists. Either way, the species call goes in the project proposal.

Yes. Restoration carries a higher hand-labor share — documenting the original, confirming the match, sourcing or having parts made, and hand-finishing — so it runs above a catalog parts order. We share the breakdown in the proposal. For projects in our 50-mile core service area, site visits are included; outside that radius, we charge mileage at IRS rates. Builders and restoration contractors get trade pricing — call us.