🚑The Basement Stairs That Sent Her to the ER

The Inspection Insider

The Inside Scoop for Buyers, Sellers, and Realtors

This Week's Inspector Spotlight: The stairs looked like a DIY project gone sideways—and they were. One misstep turned a casual home tour into an unexpected trip to the ER.

These ‘Improved’ Stairs Nearly Broke Her Ankle

You never really think about stairs until you're falling down them. In this case, it was Kelly—my client’s sister—who found out the hard way. One second she was heading down to “check out the basement,” and the next she was lying on the landing, clutching her ankle.

I've seen some questionable DIY jobs in my 16+ years as a home inspector, but these stairs were something else. They weren’t just unsafe—they were confusing. One wrong step, and it was game over. Literally.

It was a quiet weekday inspection at a modest home in an older neighborhood. The buyers were a young couple, Josh and Tara, looking for their first place. Josh’s sister Kelly came along for a second opinion—and maybe to test how steep the basement stairs were using her own body.

The main floor looked decent. Some updates, a few red flags, but nothing major. Then I opened the door to the basement.

That’s when I saw it. And backed away instinctively.

The homeowner had taken it upon themselves to "improve" the original staircase. Instead of replacing it or following code-compliant guidelines, they had added an extension to every other tread. But here’s the kicker: those extensions only covered half the step width.

So what you had was this alternating pattern—one step sticking out on the left, the next one on the right, back and forth like some twisted funhouse. It looked like it was designed by someone who had only heard about stairs in theory but had never actually used them.

It violated nearly every stair safety code in the book.

I went down first and called back to Josh to warn him and the others about the steps. I was down the stairs and half way across the basement when I heard a loud thud, followed by a loud, “Owww, crap!”

Kelly had missed one of the alternating half-steps—her right foot landed where there was no step at all. She fell forward, twisting her ankle and landing hard on the step below. Not a broken bone, thank goodness, but she couldn’t stand on it without help.

We got her onto a kitchen chair with an ice pack, and Tara drove her to the hospital. Later, we found out she had just sprained it (nothing broken) but the pain, swelling, and unexpected trip to the hospital were very real.

Josh summed it up pretty well when he said, “Yeah… we’re not buying a house that sends my sister to the ER.”

🔧 The Real Risk

Beyond Kelly’s sprain, these stairs were a serious liability. Here’s what made them so unsafe:

• Uneven Treads: Stair treads must be consistent in size and height. These alternated in both.

• Trip Hazards: The half-step extensions encourage missteps, especially if someone expects a full-width landing.

• No Proper Railing: One side had a makeshift rail, the other had a wall. Good luck grabbing anything in a fall.

• Unpermitted Modifications: This kind of amateur fix never passes code and likely voids any insurance claim related to injury.

These weren’t stairs—they were a liability.

After the fall, the rest of the inspection took a backseat. I still completed it, but Josh and Tara had made up their minds.

They used the inspection report—and Kelly’s accident—as leverage. Their realtor negotiated with the seller, who agreed to have the staircase professionally repaired to code.

A licensed contractor was brought in for the repairs, and a proper handrail. Kelly didn’t return for the follow-up, though. She said she’d “seen enough of that basement for one lifetime.”

There’s a reason stairs are regulated. When someone messes with the basics—height, depth, rhythm—it throws off your balance and puts people at risk. Never underestimate how dangerous “just stairs” can be.

Pro Tip of the Week

Stair safety isn’t optional. All treads should be the same depth, all risers the same height. Anything outside that range is not only out of code—it’s an injury waiting to happen. And if you ever see stairs that look homemade? Treat them with extreme caution.

What’s Coming Next Week?

What do you get when you combine a blue tarp, car floor mats, and an exposed electrical outlet? A homemade basement shower that’s one bad idea away from a Darwin Award.

Ron Henderson, CMI
Certified Master Inspector

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