Front steps take a beating that no other part of the masonry has to deal with. They are horizontal, so they hold water rather than shedding it. They get salted all winter. They carry foot traffic. And they are frequently built on fill that was never properly compacted.
Repair or rebuild
If the structure underneath is solid and the damage is limited to the surface, a resurface can be the right answer and it costs considerably less. What makes a rebuild the honest recommendation is any of the following: the steps have settled or separated from the house, the risers are uneven, there are voids underneath, or the concrete has deteriorated through its full depth rather than just at the face.
We will tell you which situation you have, and we would rather resurface a sound set of steps than sell you a rebuild you do not need.
Getting the foundation right
The reason steps settle is almost always underneath them. Either the footing does not reach below the frost line, which is around 42 inches here, or the fill under the slab was never compacted and has continued to consolidate for years.
A rebuild that does not address that is a rebuild you do again in eight years. New footings go to depth, and fill gets compacted in lifts.
Details that matter
Uniform riser heights, because uneven risers are the single most common cause of trip-and-fall on a residential entry, and they are a code issue. Adequate tread depth. A slight pitch away from the door so water and melting snow run off rather than pooling against the threshold. And solid masonry where the railing anchors go, so the railing stays tight.
Signs you need this work
- Treads that are cracked, spalling or crumbling at the edges
- Steps that have settled away from the house
- A stoop that pitches back toward the door
- Loose or wobbling railings
- Risers of uneven height, which is both a trip hazard and a code issue
- Hollow sounds underfoot or visible voids beneath the slab
What's included
- Demolition and removal of the failed steps
- Proper footing depth for our frost line
- Rebuild in brick, block and concrete, or natural stone to match the house
- Uniform riser heights and correct tread depth
- Positive pitch away from the entry
- Railing anchoring set into solid masonry
- Cleanup and full debris removal
How we do it
- 1
Assess the foundation
Settled steps usually mean a footing problem or washed-out fill underneath. We find out before quoting a rebuild.
- 2
Demolition
The old steps come out and the debris is hauled away the same day where possible.
- 3
Footing and structure
New footings go below frost depth, and the structure is built up in block and concrete.
- 4
Finish to match
The visible surface is finished in brick, stone or concrete to match the house, with even risers and a pitch that sheds water.
Common questions
Can my steps be resurfaced instead of rebuilt?
Sometimes. If the structure underneath is sound and only the surface has spalled, a proper resurface can work. If the steps have settled or there are voids underneath, resurfacing just hides the problem.
Why did my steps settle?
Usually the fill underneath was never properly compacted, or the footing does not go below frost depth. In Chicago that means about 42 inches. Steps built on shallow footings heave every winter.
Can you match the brick on my house?
Generally yes. We source matching or salvage brick, and on many homes the steps look better with a complementary stone cap rather than an exact match.
Do you handle railings?
We set the masonry so railings can be anchored into solid material, and we can coordinate with a railing fabricator. Crumbling steps and loose railings usually go together.