Concrete steps construction in Hoover AL - built on firm ground so they stay put
Front steps sinking, cracking or pulling away from the house? We build new concrete steps on a packed base so they sit level and stay put.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What goes into building new concrete steps in Hoover?
Concrete steps construction in Hoover, AL means building a new set of steps from the ground up. They can rest on the ground, tie into a landing or tie into your house foundation, and they sit on a packed base with a footing under them, so you get steps that stay level and feel solid underfoot.
Most folks call us when the old steps have dropped, cracked or started pulling away from the door, or when a new porch, walk or patio needs steps to reach it. The price mostly turns on how many steps you need, whether the old ones come out first, how much digging the base takes, and whether the new steps have to meet an old slab or the house. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather on pour day and the curing time, which is the wait while fresh concrete hardens before you put weight on it. When I come out, your estimate spells out what's in the job, so you know what you're paying for.
How do you know your concrete steps need replacing?
One side sits lower
If a step rocks, tilts or sits lower on one end, the ground under it has usually settled or washed out. Even a small change in height is enough to catch a toe, so it's a repair to schedule soon rather than live with.
A gap at the house
A crack or gap where the steps meet the house usually means they were poured tight against the wall, so when the steps settled they pulled on the house slab too. Waiting lets water run into that gap and the cracks keep spreading into both.
Crumbling edges and treads
Chipped edges and a dusty, flaking top often come from a pour done in the midday heat or concrete that dried out too fast. Once the edges start breaking off, the steps get harder to walk on and the damage only grows.
How we build concrete steps that stay put
First I look at how the steps will be held up, because steps that rest on the ground, tie into a landing or span between supports each need different steel and a different footing. I also watch where water runs off the roof and yard, so the new treads shed water away from your door. Then our crew takes out the old steps and the loose dirt, packs the base down hard and forms a proper footing, so the steps sit on ground that won't sink under them. We set rebar, the steel bars that hold the concrete together when it wants to crack, and leave a break where the steps meet your house wall so the two can settle on their own. If your step height is unusual or the steps have to meet an old slab, we pour them in place instead of setting precast, and we pour early enough to finish before the heat gets to the top. Last comes a broom finish, a brushed texture that gives your shoes some grip when it's wet. If you ask me where to trim the budget, I'll tell you it isn't the base, because nobody sees it on day one and it's the part that decides whether the steps are still level later on.
Steps are often the last piece of a bigger job. If you're putting up a new house or an addition, we can build the steps along with the slab foundation building or the foundation installation, so the steps and the house are planned as one job and the break at the wall is in from the start.
Get an estimate for new concrete steps
We'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done at your property, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
- estimates@concretehoover.com
- Based in
- Hoover, AL 35216
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
What happens after you call about new steps
Here's how a steps job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll be dealing with along the way.
Call or send the form
Call (205) 325-9006 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come see your steps. Tell us roughly how many steps you have and what they connect to.
Walk the site together
I look at the ground, where the water runs and how the steps meet the house or an old slab. Your estimate spells out what's in the job, so you can see what you're paying for before you decide.
Permit, pour and cure
Once you're ready, we sort out the permit with the building office, then our crew preps the base, pours and finishes. The schedule leaves room for the inspections and for the cure before you put weight on the steps.
Walk the finished steps
Before we pack up, we walk the finished steps with you and clean up the site. I'll tell you when they're ready for foot traffic and what to keep an eye on.
Why Hoover homeowners call A&B Hoover Concrete Construction for steps
The owner comes out himself
I opened this business here in Hoover in 2020, and I still come out to look at every job myself. Our own crew does the work and I'm on site with them, so the person who quoted your steps is there when they're built.
Fully licensed and insured here
Hoover requires every contractor and subcontractor on a job to hold a city license and the state licenses the work calls for. We're fully licensed and insured, so you aren't the one carrying the risk if something goes wrong on site.
Every step of the job explained
I learned this trade as a helper raking and hauling on a small crew, so I can tell you why the base, the steel and the joint at the wall each matter. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
On steps, what lasts is what's under them, so that's where I'll start when I come out. Reach out through our contact page or call (205) 325-9006 to set a time.
Building steps and foundations in Hoover
Building new concrete steps in Hoover starts with a permit. The City of Hoover requires a building permit before any construction work begins, whether a homeowner or a contractor is doing it, and a permit isn't finished until the work passes every required inspection, which the permit price already covers. Before we schedule anything, we check with the building office for your address, handle the paperwork and leave room in the plan for the inspectors.
Hoover sits in both Jefferson and Shelby counties, and a lot of the front steps we see here come off an older porch slab or walk, which is where poured steps make sense. We see plenty of the same setups on jobs in Birmingham and Pelham.
Questions about concrete steps in Hoover
How much do new concrete steps cost in Hoover, AL?
The cost depends mostly on how many steps you need and how they're built, and poured steps cost more than precast because forming them takes more labor. Poured steps are still the better buy when your rise is unusual or the steps have to meet an old slab, since precast only comes in standard sizes. Your estimate spells out what's in your job so you can compare it fairly.
How long do concrete steps last?
Properly reinforced concrete steps with an adequate footing typically last 30 to 50 years. That range depends on the steel and the footing being done right, and past resealing now and then, they need very little upkeep.
How long does concrete need to cure before I can use new steps?
A stair-building guide calls for curing stair concrete at least 7 days so it reaches the strength and durability it needs. During that time the concrete is kept damp so it hardens slowly, using wet burlap under plastic, a steady water mist or a liquid curing compound. I'll tell you when your steps are ready for light foot traffic.
Do I need a permit to replace concrete steps in Hoover?
Yes, Hoover wants a building permit in place before any construction work starts, and that covers homeowners as well as contractors. We handle the paperwork and plan around the inspections, as covered in the section on building in Hoover.
Who is allowed to build concrete steps in Hoover?
In Hoover, the builder needs the city license and state licenses mentioned above, and on larger jobs the state home builders board comes in too. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board covers building, repairing or improving a home when the job costs more than $10,000 in labor and materials, for work that falls under the board. It's fair to ask any contractor which licenses they carry.
Can new concrete steps just sit on the dirt where the old ones were?
No, and a stair-building guide warns against assuming even decorative steps can rest on uncompacted fill, the loose soil that was never packed down. Loose fill settles under the weight, and that's how one end of a set of steps ends up lower than the other. That's why the base comes first on every set of steps we build.
Related services for steps on a new build
Slab foundation building
Building a new house or addition on a slab? The steps have to land at the finished floor height, so planning both together keeps the rise right.
See the service Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
New construction or a major addition needs a foundation before anything else, and the entry steps meet that foundation wall, so it pays to plan them with it.
See the service Foundation installation
Service areas for concrete steps near Hoover
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction is based in Hoover, AL, and builds concrete steps in Birmingham and many of the cities around it. Twelve of them have their own page below, including Vestavia Hills and Homewood, so you can read about the work near you.
Hoover, AL
Get a price on your new steps
Have a few photos of your current steps ready and note whether they meet a slab or the house foundation, so I know what to look at before I get there.