If it were my stairs, I would have regular oak treads put down and then have an inexpensive runner tacked into place to protect the treads and provide better footing. 

Maybe they should stop the build out and and sure up the footing?

They're valuing your property based on a price per square foot that you or your 16 year-old nephew could do just by doing a free search on LoopNet.

You could always house hack to get your financial base off on the right foot.

The asking price for the home is 132k.OPTION 1 – Cash After Repair Value = $132,000 (estimate)Discount 80% of ARV = $ -26,400Repairs (Price per square foot) 1,190 x $5 = $ - 5,950Cash Price (seller pays closing cost) = $99,650OPTION 2 – Sandwich Lease Option – “Perfect Tenant Program” Term: Minimum 5 yearsOption Price (buyer pays closing cost): 125,500Option Consideration (non-refundable fee we pay you): + $500Monthly Rent: $950 (profit + $100 cash flow per month)Total profit (If completed full term): $132,000Note: We are the tenant-buyer, but we will sub-lease the house to another tenant-buyer.

Put the shoe on the other foot, you worked hard to own property that you care for and a renter is now subleasing without your permission. 

20 foot used container is around $1800 which is over $100 per square foot!

Everything is already so expensive I can't seem to see how to get our foot in the door here.

I could buy a fully occupied quad in my area that makes 2,000 month cashflow for under a 100k today . we have to take into account this is NEW construction.. not old construction that is selling for 25 to 30% of replacement value apples and oranges.some markets like texas you can still build pretty cheap  in the 60 to 70 bucks a foot range maybe for rental grade.we are hitting 100 to 110 in pdx and 120 to 130 a foot in for really nice in Charleston.so if this quad is about 4k sq ft with 4 kitchens  8 baths I can see just build cost being close to 400k for something new.. 

A small house just came on the market that sold 2 MONTHS ago for 120k less, they now put it back on the market after what looks like a coat of paint, no major repairs and are asking double the price per square foot (or more) over anything comparable.