Concrete steps construction in Lafayette LA - a sturdy entry with sure footing
If your front steps have cracked, settled or started to tip, we build new concrete steps that sit level and give you good grip.
What goes into building new concrete steps in Lafayette?
Concrete steps construction in Lafayette means building a new set of entry steps, either poured in place or set from precast pieces, so you have a solid, even way in and out of your house. Each set rests on the ground, ties into a landing or the foundation, or spans like a stair, and that decides what goes under it and what steel goes inside it.
Most people call us because their old steps have cracked, sunk at one end or pulled away from the door, and they want to know what a new set will take. At B&R Lafayette Concrete Construction, I'm the one who comes out to look, and we're fully licensed and insured, based in Lafayette and working in the cities around it. The price mostly turns on whether you choose precast or poured, how tall and wide the steps are and whether they tie into a landing or your house. The schedule turns on whether your address needs a permit and on the curing days, the wait while new concrete gains strength, before the steps take foot traffic. Your written estimate spells out each of those for your entry.
What happens after you call us about new steps
Call or send the form
When you call (337) 216-1997 or send the form, we set a time for me to come out to your house. It helps to tell us how many steps you have now and how high your door sits above the ground.
I look over your entry
I see the spot, ask how you use the entry and look at where water runs, because water that sits on steps makes them slick. I also measure the height and width the new steps need to cover.
You get a written estimate
Your estimate lists what's included and what isn't, so you can see exactly what the price covers before you decide. Before anything is scheduled, we check with the permit office for your address.
Our crew builds your steps
On the work days our crew lead runs the job with our finishers, and I come by to check the work and answer your questions. When we're done, we clean up and go over how to treat the steps while they cure.
How we build concrete steps, and the slab and foundation work around them
Before anything is built, I talk through precast and poured steps with you, so the choice fits your entry and your budget. Then we lay out the full height of the steps, from the ground to your door, before any forms go up, because a small error there can leave the top or bottom step out of code. Our crew digs out and packs the subgrade, the ground the steps sit on, since steps set on loose fill settle right along with the dirt. Where the steps tie into a landing or the house, or span like a stair, we set rebar, the steel bars that hold the concrete together, to suit how the steps are carried. On hot days we plan the pour outside the hottest hours, because concrete placed and finished in the worst heat can end up with a weak, dusty top. We finish the treads with a broom finish, a light ridged texture that gives your shoe something to grip, rather than a smooth, slick surface. If a budget gets tight, I'd rather keep the base right and go simpler on the finish, because a surface can be redone later, but you can't fix what's under the steps without tearing them out.
New steps often go in alongside other work. When the steps land on a new porch or a new house, we can plan them with our slab foundation building work so the slab and the steps share a well-prepared base. When the steps tie into the house itself, that connection touches foundation installation, so we make sure what the steps bear on is sound before we join them to it.
Get a written estimate for your new entry steps
We reply to every message within one business day, and then we set a time for me to come out, look at your entry and write up your estimate. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
Questions about concrete steps in Lafayette
How do I choose between precast and poured concrete steps?
Choose precast if a lower price matters most and a standard size fits your door, and choose poured if your entry needs steps sized to fit, since poured steps cost more but come in a larger range of sizes. Precast steps are hollow, so they go together more easily. I'll walk through both with you at the estimate and tell you which one I'd pick for your entry.
How much do concrete steps cost in Lafayette?
Across the US, concrete steps, poured or precast, usually cost about $100 to $500 per step. That's the general market range, not our price, and where your job lands depends on which kind you choose, how tall and wide the steps are and whether they tie into a landing. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own entry.
How long do concrete steps last?
Concrete steps last 30 to 40 years with proper care and upkeep. The upkeep that matters most is watching for settling, because when one side sinks even a little, the change in height can catch a toe. If your steps start to sit unevenly, it's worth having them looked at promptly.
Who can build concrete steps in Louisiana?
A home improvement job over $7,500 and up to $50,000 has to be bid or done by a registered home improvement contractor or a licensed contractor, under the state contractor licensing board's rules. Residential jobs of $50,000 or more, or any structural work, call for a licensed Residential Building Contractor. We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask us about it at the estimate.
Do I need a permit for new concrete steps in Lafayette?
You may, so we check with the permit office for your address before anything is scheduled. Lafayette Consolidated Government issues permits for almost any structure tied to a home and says most construction needs a permit before it starts, though its list names carports, sheds and gazebos rather than steps. When a permit is needed, we take care of the application and keep you informed.
How long does new concrete need to cure in hot weather?
In hot weather, new concrete should keep curing for at least 3 days, covered so its water doesn't evaporate or kept moist with water or a curing compound. That wait is what lets the steps gain strength instead of drying out at the surface. At the end of the work I'll tell you when the steps are ready for foot traffic and what to avoid until then.
Work that often goes with new steps
Slab foundation building
If you're adding a porch, a room or a new home, the slab and the steps leading up to it are best planned together on one packed base.
Foundation installation
When new steps join the house, the foundation they connect to has to be sound and built right, so it carries the steps without shifting later.
Call us about your new concrete steps
Have the height and width of your entry handy when you call (337) 216-1997 or send the form, since precast prices depend on those two measurements, and thank you for considering us.