Concrete steps construction in Kirkland WA - a solid, sturdy way up to your door
Cracked, flaking or sinking front steps? We break out the old ones and pour solid new steps on a packed base.
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What goes into building new concrete steps in Kirkland?
Concrete steps construction in Kirkland means either pouring solid steps in place at your house or setting hollow precast steps that come ready-made from a plant. Either way, you end up with an even, safe way up to your door.
Most calls start with front steps that have cracked, started flaking or sunk and tipped back toward the house, so water sits right at the door. The price moves with how much old concrete we break out and haul off, how many steps you need, whether you go poured or precast, and how easy it is to get a crew and a mixer up to the entry. The schedule turns on the weather around pour day, the curing wait before the steps take heavy use, and whether the city wants a permit, which I'll tell you at the estimate. You'll get your own number once I've walked the site.
How we handle concrete steps construction
It starts at the estimate, where we talk through poured versus precast, the mix and how to treat new steps their first winter, all of which the questions below cover. On the job, we break out the old steps and haul them off, then dig down to the subgrade, the soil the steps sit on, and pack a gravel base in layers, because steps on raked-in dirt settle with the dirt and pull away from the house. We build the forms so the landing falls slightly away from your door, set rebar, the steel inside that keeps any crack from spreading apart, and pour early in the day, since midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top. The treads get a broom finish, a light texture that gives your shoes grip when it's wet, and then the steps cure, the slow wait while concrete gains strength, before anyone loads them up. If the budget gets tight, I'd trim the finish before I'd trim the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it decides whether the steps stay put.
Steps usually tie into the house, so on new construction we plan them with the rest of the concrete. If you're building on a slab, our slab foundation building work sets the floor height your steps have to meet, and with foundation installation we can plan the steps and the wall they butt against together.
Concrete steps construction in Kirkland and the city's permit rules
The City of Kirkland requires a permit before building or repairing a building, and its list of permit-free work names sidewalks, decks and driveways but not concrete steps, so that list doesn't settle your job and the city is the place to ask. Those exemptions also apply only outside critical areas such as flood hazard, wetland, steep slope and shoreline areas, and you can pull a Parcel Report with the city's Property Search Tool to see whether any of them touch your address. Digging out an old stoop disturbs the ground, and the city issues Clearing and Grading permits, also called LSM permits, for that kind of work, so that's worth asking about too. You can start on the city's permit page, and applications go in online through MyBuildingPermit.com, where city staff review them. When a job needs a permit, I'll tell you at the estimate and either take care of the application or walk you through it, so you know where it stands.
We're based in Kirkland and work across the cities around it, inside city limits and out in the county areas. A lot of what we replace is an older stoop that's settled and tipped back toward the house so water runs to the door, and we see the same thing on jobs in Bellevue and Redmond.
Concrete steps and entries
Get a price on your new concrete steps
Tell us your address, how many steps you have and whether you lean toward poured or precast, and mention a Parcel Report if you've pulled one. We'll reply within one business day to set a time, and I'll come out, look at the site and give you a free on-site estimate with no pressure to book.
(425) 285-8643Questions about concrete steps in Kirkland
Are poured concrete steps stronger than precast steps?
Yes, solid steps poured in place are the stronger and more durable choice. Precast steps that come solid are rarely available, so if you go precast, expect hollow steps, and if you want the sturdiest steps, plan on a poured job.
How much do concrete steps cost near Kirkland?
Installing concrete steps in the Seattle area usually costs about $700 to $5,500 per job. Where yours lands depends mostly on how much old concrete comes out, how many steps you need, poured or precast, and whether a permit is involved. I'll give you your own number once I've seen the site.
What is the best concrete mix for steps that see frost and deicers?
Air-entrained concrete, which has tiny air bubbles mixed in, holds up better to freezing, thawing and deicing chemicals. It also lowers strength, so it's fair to ask any contractor whether their mix uses it, and I'll tell you what we're ordering for your steps and why.
How do I take care of new concrete steps the first winter?
Keep deicing chemicals off them through the first winter, then use them in moderate amounts after that, which is what one concrete trade group advises along with curing the concrete properly. The same group suggests considering a commercial breathable sealer on the surface, and I'll go over that with you when the steps are done.
Should I repair or replace flaking concrete steps in Kirkland?
If the steps are solid and level, a repair can work, but repair material won't match the color and character of the original concrete, so expect the patch to show. If the steps have settled, tipped toward the house or cracked through, replacing them is usually the better use of your money.
What causes concrete steps to crack, and will new ones crack too?
Most cracks on old steps come from a base that settled, water running where it shouldn't, or joints that were never cut. Nobody can honestly promise concrete won't crack, so besides the packed base described above, we cut control joints on a wide landing, shallow grooves that give a crack a place to go, so if it cracks it's along a line we chose.
Get new steps built in Kirkland
Call (425) 285-8643 any day of the week, since our hours run into the evening, or send the form whenever it suits you.