I have a cousin who's supposedly a real whiz when it comes to carpentry, so I had him build some stairs for me. I was unhappy with the job he did, unfortunately. I really didn't want to say something that would make him feel bad or embarrassed, but really! In the end I had to take down what he made and learn the art of building stairs myself.

I didn't have the means to hire a professional, since I'd already paid my cousin. Here are my tips based on what I learned.

- Always check with local codes and requirements before building stairs or anything else in your home. This was something my cousin didn't do. Fortunately, there doesn't appear to be any problems here.

It was probably the only area, but that could be because the code inspector didn't see the stairs. Had he seen them, a whole new section may have been written!

- I may not be the world's expert on stairs, but I firmly believe in using quality materials. My cousin used the cheapest material he could find. He simply reasoned that since the stairs would be covered with carpet, there was no need to 'go all out.'

But cheap wood, especially if it has knots and other imperfections, has a greater likelihood of cracking sooner than other kinds of wood. I have kids, and that's a risk I can't afford to take.

- Drawing up a blue print is one thing that can really help you focus and get organized. That was one of the best things I learned about building stairs. Making sure you know how everything adds up, and how you want the finished product to look.

I hope these tips help you finish your stairs the correct way, and without any glitches. You won't need to spend more money than necessary this way. By the way, don't hire family to build them for you!