I’m a HO planning on doing a bit of renovation of the area leading up to a door to my house. Some drainage work, some landscaping. Mostly, however, I have a desire to replace a step leading into the house that was constructed by a prior HO.
I might need up to 2 steps and would prefer a landing immediately outside the door and railings on both sides.
I’m thinking of buying a pre-formed concrete step/railing combo. But, I am at a loss to find out where to obtain it. Due to what I suspect will be its weight, it’ll be beyond my capability to install. So, what type of contractor am I looking for?
Thanks.
Replies
Griff
Here, I call my lumberyard. They deliver with a small boom truck and can place within 10/12 feet of the bed. Something like that could come one pc or two.
Can also get from another supplier that has 3 tired a fork lift that rides on the back of the truck. That can drive it right up to where you want it. Has wide tires, does little damage to hard ground. Wet soupy shit, good luck.
You need to shim it up so they can get the forks out. Then, lower it down into position.
I place these myself if there's sidewalk to it. Get some 1" pipe as wide as the stair-you'll need 3 pcs. Get it up on two of those and roll, placing the next pc ahead of it and pulling the one it rolls off of and continue the proceedure.
Some might come with the rails, don't know that-you might have to do that separately.
Thanks for the reply Calvin. I did try my local lumberyard and they didn't seem interested in helping. Guess I'll try another till I find one who'll offer to help.
Access is fairly easy. Full driveway runs about 10' away from where it'll finally sit. Hadn't thought of rolling it on pipes - should have paid more attention to my high school history lesson about building the pyramids I guess.
Thanks.
Griff
I've been working alone for so long I don't think I could work with or vice versa, anyone except the occasional homowner helper.
Good hard pipe works well for moving most anything of tonnage and a flat or consistant bottom. A good spud bar and wedges fill out the tools.
Best of luck.
Try concrete / masonry suppliers as well.
Around here these are made by small precast suppliers -- the same guys who make septic tanks and the like. Usually they have a truck that can deliver and place the things, if access is reasonable and you've prepped the location.
(Though I've never seen a precast "step/railing combo". Generally the steel railings are installed separately.)
Thanks for the reply Dan. I'll check out those suppliers. I suppose they would have a lead on a supplier for the railings as well.
Concrete block suppliers around here. They will ahve them in 1,2 , 3 or more steps sets. they will alos have a precast stoop or landing of appropriate height for the steps. They will set them with a boom truck or fork lift like Calvin mentioned.
One caution. You already know they are heavey, so unless you set them on a well prepared spot, either concrete or compacted crushed stone, they will settle a lot over time.
Another thing to do is immediately seal them with a concrete sealer. They are cast with a very rich mix of portland cement and fine sand to get that smoooth finish. That combination make weak but smooth finish that is suceptable to splalling of after sevral freeze thaw cycles. Keep it sealed and ice melt salts off of them and they will last for years.