Concrete steps construction in Newton MA - a front entry that stays solid and level
If your front steps have cracked, tipped or pulled away from the house, we build new ones on a base that holds them in place.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Do my front steps need replacing, and what goes into new ones?
Concrete steps construction in Newton means we take out your old steps and build new outdoor steps, either poured in place or set as a precast unit. The new steps rest on solid support and have a textured surface that gives you grip on wet and icy days.
Most calls start with steps that rock underfoot or have pulled away from the house, and often the walkway at the bottom has dropped along with them. The price depends on how many steps you need, whether you pick precast or poured, and how much work the support underneath takes. The schedule depends mostly on the weather, because we plan pours around cold nights. I'd rather explain all of that standing at your door than guess at it here, and your written estimate gives you your own figure.
How do you know your concrete steps need replacing?
Steps that rock or tip
If the steps shift when you stand on them or lean away from the door, the fill underneath has usually settled or washed out. Each winter of freezing and thawing usually makes it worse, and a tread that moves is easy to trip on.
A gap at the house
A crack opening between the top step and your foundation usually means the steps are sinking while the house stays put. Water runs into that gap, freezes and pushes it wider, and it can soak the wall behind it.
Puddles and flaking treads
Treads that hold water after rain usually tilt the wrong way or have sunk in the middle. That water turns to ice in winter, and over a few seasons the top starts to flake and chip at the edges.
How we handle concrete steps construction
I start by showing you precast and poured steps side by side, with what each gives you in price and in size choices. Then we settle what the new steps will rest on, because steps sitting on loose fill are the ones that tip and crack. Once that's decided, our crew breaks out the old steps, digs out the soft soil and packs a firm base, and precast units go onto that same packed base. For poured steps we build forms and set rebar, the steel bars that hold the concrete together if it cracks. We pour early in the day so the top doesn't dry out in the heat, and we give the treads a broom finish, a light ridged texture that gives your feet grip when it's wet. Then we keep every face covered and damp while the concrete cures, the wait while it hardens and gains strength before you use it, and we guard the front edges from knocks. If the budget gets tight, I'd tell you to save on the finish before the base, because you can redo a surface later but you can't fix what's under the steps once they're poured.
Steps often connect to bigger work. If they lead to a new addition, mudroom or porch, we can plan them with the slab foundation building or the foundation installation for that space, so the steps and what they attach to are built to work together.
Precast steps
Precast steps cost less than poured steps because they're hollow and quicker to set in place. They suit a standard entry where a stock size fits the door and the height.
Poured steps
Poured steps cost more, but you get a much wider range of sizes and shapes. They suit wide entries, odd heights or a flight that has to match an existing landing.
Steps tied to a landing or the house
Some steps sit on the ground, and others connect to a landing or the house foundation. How the steps are supported sets the steel inside them and what goes underneath, so we decide this before anything else.
Get a written price for your new front steps
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at your entry and give you a free written estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
Call (617) 644-7325What happens after you call about new steps in Newton?
Here's how a steps job runs, from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll deal with at each stage.
Call or send the form
Call (617) 644-7325 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come see your entry. It helps to know roughly how many steps you have and how often you use that door.
Walk the entry and price
I look at the spot, ask how you use it and go over your choices right there. Then you get a written estimate that spells out the mix, the prep, the cleanup and who handles any permits, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
Build within Newton's hours
Our crew works within the city's construction hours, which are generally 7 AM to 7 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 7 PM on Saturdays, and we protect your yard and house as we go. Sunday and holiday work in Newton needs a permit approved by the Mayor, so we schedule the pour for a regular workday.
Walk the finished steps together
When the work is done, I walk the steps with you and show you how to care for them. We haul away the forms and debris and leave you a clean way in and out of the house.
Why Newton homeowners call Excel Newton Concrete for steps
*The part of your steps that matters most is the part you won't see once they're poured, so ask me about it when I come out. Request your estimate or call (617) 644-7325.*
I see every job myself
I come out to your Newton house to look at the steps myself, and my crew does the work with me on site. The person who explained your estimate is there when the base goes in, so nothing gets lost between the visit and the pour.
In business since 2017
We've been building driveways, patios, steps and foundations for homeowners for nine years. We've seen plenty of failed steps, and we know why they failed.
Licensed and insured at your door
We're fully licensed and insured. That matters at your front door, because we're working right in the path your family and visitors use every day.
Building concrete steps and foundations in Newton
Newton's Inspectional Services Department issues permits for building, repairing and altering structures, and you apply through its online portal. The city's pages don't say whether new steps need a permit of their own or which inspections follow, so we don't assume either way. If we aren't sure about your steps, we check with the city office before we start.
Many houses we work on here are older, and their entry steps were set on fill against the foundation long ago and have been settling ever since. Hard freezes and winter salt wear down any tread that holds water, so before we decide how the new steps will sit, we look at where your roof and yard send the water. We see the same tired entries on jobs in Brookline and Watertown, and we fix them the same way.
Questions about concrete steps in Newton
How much do concrete steps cost in Newton, and is precast cheaper?
Concrete step installation in the Boston area usually costs about $650 to $5,400 per project, and precast usually costs less than poured because the units are hollow and easier to set. Steps are priced per step, so the number in your flight changes the total, and poured steps cost more but come in more sizes. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own entry.
Who handles the permit for my concrete steps in Newton?
When your steps need a permit, we pull it in our name and set up the inspections. Massachusetts consumer guidance tells homeowners to have the registered contractor pull the building permit, because an owner who applies for it may no longer qualify for compensation from the state's Guaranty Fund.
When is the best time to pour new concrete steps?
The best time is a stretch of weather with mild nights, because fresh concrete can be damaged if it freezes. A cold weather guide from a Michigan concrete trade group counts conditions as cold once the air falls to, or may fall below, 40°F while the new concrete is still being protected. Late spring and early fall nights can drop that low, so we check the overnight forecast before we set a pour date.
What should I check before hiring a contractor for concrete steps in Massachusetts?
Check that the contractor is registered as a Home Improvement Contractor, which Massachusetts requires for work on an existing, owner-occupied home with one to four units. For most of those homes, the state also requires a licensed construction supervisor or a registered design professional to oversee the work, though there is a homeowner exemption. You can find the details on the state's home improvement contractor page.
How do I keep new concrete steps from flaking in the winter?
Keep deicing salt off new steps during their first winter, then use it in moderate amounts, as one concrete industry guide advises. Dense concrete with entrained air, which means tiny air bubbles mixed in to give freezing water room to expand, also lowers the risk of flaking when it's placed and cured well. Ask any contractor whether their mix includes entrained air.
What causes new concrete steps to crack, and will mine crack like the old ones?
New steps usually crack for the same reasons old ones did, which are weak support underneath and water that sits on the treads. Once the base is dealt with, as we covered above, the next thing is drainage. In a freezing climate like ours, treads should shed water instead of letting it pond, so we give them a slight fall away from the door.
Other concrete work that ties into your steps
- Slab foundation building
If your steps lead to a new addition, porch or shed, the slab underneath it needs the same packed base and planning as the steps that reach it.
- Foundation installation
Putting in a foundation for an addition is the right moment to plan the entry steps too, since they often tie straight into that new wall.
Cities where we build concrete steps
Excel Newton Concrete is based in Newton, Massachusetts, and we build steps in Newton and the cities around it, including Wellesley and Needham. The 12 cities below each have their own page, and they aren't the only places we work.
Newton, MA
Book a visit to look at your steps
Have your Newton address, a count of your steps and a few photos of the entry ready when you call or fill out the form, so the visit can go straight to your choices.