Rowhouse Front Steps, Torn Out and Rebuilt

Steps that were past patching

The front steps on this brick rowhouse had broken down: the concrete was crumbling and the brick facing was coming apart under the iron railings. Patching steps in that condition only buys a season or two, and on a rowhouse the front steps get used every day and are the first thing anyone sees. So we took them out.

Down to the base

The crew broke the old steps out down to the block base. With the old steps gone, we could see what the new ones had to sit on and work out how high each riser needed to be to meet the door.

Framing and treads

We framed new pressure-treated stringers and posts against the block, cutting every piece on site at a saw station set up on the sidewalk. Treads went on once the framing was square and solid. Every tread has to sit level and at the same rise as the one below it, because people trip on the one step that is off.

Railings and skirting

The railings were built on site with a miter saw set up out front. The posts got the most attention: a railing only feels solid in your hand when its posts are fastened right. With the steps and railings done, we closed in the open space under the steps with lattice skirting, which finishes the look and keeps leaves and debris from piling up underneath.

The finished entry

Handrails run up both sides to the white storm door, lattice closes in the base, and the steps meet the concrete walkway cleanly. From the street, the new wood steps sit neatly against the brick and look in proportion with the house.

If your front steps are crumbling, loose or worn, this is the kind of rebuild we can quote; more on our exterior stairs and front steps page. We also build rear stairs and decks; see our decks and porches page.