Additional costs for oak stair covering instead of beech – usury?

Normal beech stair treads, color galvanized, are currently available for about 50 euros, so my calculation is already correct if I calculate 50-100 euros additional costs per step when assuming 2.5-3 times the price.

In this case, it is also engineered oak wood, so not solid wood; the color adjustment is done through surface treatment. If he had calculated 150 euros more per step, that is 3 times the material cost plus 50 euros for the surface treatment, I could have lived with that. But 290 euros more???

We are talking here about the stair tread for the 1st floor of a completely ordinary concrete staircase with only straight steps, if you add the costs for the standard staircase, it costs about 13,000 euros.

For us, it would be a 3k surcharge from beech to oak with the general contractor.

However, we are now contracting the staircase regionally ourselves and are getting an even better overall price. We didn't even inquire about beech there.

Our general contractor only uses regional companies. The staircase manufacturer has been around as long as I can remember in my original hometown. I'm sure I went to school with him, and I often played with his wife as a child. So I even know them personally.

We had a budget of 4500€ for stair treads on a steel staircase per floor including the landing.

With that, we went to the stair builder and ended up with oiled oak and didn't have to pay anything extra.

We had a budget of €4500 for stair treads on a steel staircase per floor including landing. That’s why we went to the stair builder and ended up with oiled oak and didn’t have to pay anything more.

So only treads including installation? Or the entire staircase? Or additional costs compared to the original covering?

We paid an additional €800 net for beech to wild oak on a steel stringer staircase.

Almost usury.

Of course, this is not usury (Criminal Code).

In this case, it is also engineered oak wood, so not solid wood,

That would have been my thought, that in addition to oak, solid wood would also be selected.
I wonder if it is even possible to tell whether it is beech or oak if he gives you a color guarantee.
Does everything really have to look the same?
We upgraded from engineered wood to solid wood, but kept beech, staining it in nougat. That matches well in our kitchen with the countertop, which is quite close to the staircase.

I just fear it will be hard to find another stair builder.

Claddings and coverings on concrete stairs can still be done later quite well?! Have that item credited to you and have it done later without a general contractor.