Concrete steps construction in Solon OH - a front entrance that fits your budget
Steps crumbling, sinking or tipping toward the house? We price precast and poured side by side, so you get the size you need at a price that works.
What goes into building new concrete steps?
Concrete steps construction in Solon means tearing out your worn or settled steps and putting in a new set. That's either precast steps, made in a factory and set in place at your house, or steps our crew forms and pours right there.
Most people call when the steps have started to flake, pull away from the door or rock underfoot. They want to know what it costs and how long they'll be without that door. The price turns on the method you pick, how many steps you need, how tall and wide they are, and the tear-out of the old set. The schedule turns on whether the city wants a permit and on curing, the days fresh concrete needs to gain strength before it takes weight, so poured steps keep you off them longer than precast. I come out, measure and give you a written estimate that lists what's included, tear-out and base work too.
How we handle concrete steps construction
Before anything comes out, I lay out precast and poured side by side with the price and size of each, and you pick. If those steps are your main way in, we work out another way in and out with you before we tear anything out. Then our crew removes the old steps and digs out and packs the base, because steps set on loose dirt settle with it. Precast steps get set on that base. For poured steps we build the forms, set the rebar, the steel that holds the concrete together if it cracks, and pour. We give the treads a broom finish, a light texture that gives your feet grip when they're wet, and we pitch them so water runs off instead of sitting. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather you save on the finish than on the base. Nobody sees the base on day one, but it's what keeps the steps from tipping toward your house a few winters later.
Steps often meet bigger work. If you're putting on an addition or building new, we plan the steps with the slab foundation building or the foundation installation. That way the landing height and the door line up the first time.
Precast steps
Precast steps are made in a factory and set in place, and they cost less because they're hollow and easier to assemble, so they suit an entrance where a stock height and width fit your door. They still need a dug-out, packed base under them, or they settle and tip like any other set.
Poured-in-place steps
Poured steps are formed and poured at your house, and they cost more but come in a wider range of sizes, so they suit a tall rise, a wide door or a layout precast won't fit. You stay off them while they cure, so plan on using another door for a while.
Building concrete steps in Solon: permits and winter
Whether your new steps need a permit is up to the Solon Building Department, and I check with them before we start instead of guessing. When the city wants a permit, we file it and schedule the inspections. Review generally takes 7 to 10 business days depending on the project, so we build that wait into your start date.
The other local factor is winter. Steps here freeze, thaw and get salted for months, and we see the same settled, flaking front steps on jobs in Twinsburg and Bedford Heights. Before we set anything, I look at where the downspouts and the yard send water, because water sitting at the bottom of steps is what freezes and lifts them.
Concrete steps and entrances
Why call us for concrete steps
I write every estimate myself
I come out, measure and put the tear-out, the base and the steps in writing on one estimate. What I sold you is what you get, and nothing gets added back halfway through.
Our crew pours, we run it
Our own crew does the forming, pouring and finishing, with me or our foreman running the job. Someone who knows what's on your estimate is there when the concrete goes in.
Building concrete since 2013
I priced concrete jobs for another company, then learned forming and finishing on a crew before I started this business in 2013. That's why I can tell you plainly what each choice costs you in money and time.
Licensed and insured on your job
We're licensed and insured. Solon also requires every contractor to get a certificate of registration from the city, renewed each calendar year, before doing any work there, so it's fair to ask any crew you're comparing to show theirs.
On steps, what's underneath matters more than the top. When you're ready, request your estimate or call (440) 560-8533. Have the number of steps, a photo of the ones you have now and whether they're your main entrance.
(440) 560-8533Get a written estimate for new concrete steps
We get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out. I measure and leave you a free written estimate that lists what's included, with no obligation.
Concrete steps questions from Solon homeowners
How much do concrete steps cost in Solon, OH?
Installed concrete steps across the US usually cost about $500 to $5,000 for a set of 5 to 10 steps. That's a national range, not a Solon quote. Precast prices follow the height and width of the set, and poured prices usually include the forms and the rebar or mesh, so I measure and give you a written estimate for yours.
Should I pick precast or poured concrete steps for my house?
Choose on price and on the size your entrance needs, because neither precast nor poured steps can be expected to last longer just by how they're made. Precast needs proper support under it and poured needs protecting while it cures, so either one comes down to how it's put in.
How long do new concrete steps last?
Concrete steps last 30 to 40 years with proper care and upkeep. Most of that care is keeping water from pooling at the bottom and treating them right in their first winter, which is where trouble usually starts.
What does a contractor's $25,000 bond in Solon actually cover?
It only assures the city that the contractor's work meets Solon's building codes, standards and ordinances. Contractors submit that $25,000 bond to register with the city. It's there for the city's codes, so your written estimate is where you see what you're actually getting.
How do I take care of new concrete steps in their first winter?
Keep deicing salt off them until your installer says they're ready. Fresh concrete needs to cure and gain strength before hard freezing or salt, and a surface that looks hard isn't proof it's ready. Before we leave, I tell you when you can use the steps and when salt is fine, so everyone in the house knows when to go back to that door.
What causes concrete steps to flake and crumble after a few winters?
Water soaks into the concrete, freezes and pushes outward, and salt makes it worse, so the top starts to flake. Air entrainment, tiny well-spread bubbles in the concrete, gives that freezing water room to relieve the pressure. It's a key defense wherever steps see freezing and salt, as outdoor steps here do every winter.
Plan your new steps and entrance with Bedrock Solon Concrete
Call (440) 560-8533 before the cold sets in, so there's room for any permit review and a full cure before the first hard freeze.
