A permit check before we build
Marshalltown's Building Division requires a permit to build or replace any structure, though its list doesn't name steps. We check with them before setting your date and handle the paperwork when a permit is needed.
Concrete steps construction in Marshalltown IA - even steps, top to bottom
Front steps cracked, crumbling or pulling away from the house? We build new precast or poured concrete steps that fit your entry and climb evenly.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
New concrete steps for your front or side door
Concrete steps construction in Marshalltown means building a new outdoor stair up to your front or side door, either precast or poured on site, that rests on the ground or ties to a landing or your foundation, so you get a solid, even way in and out of the house.
Most calls about steps start with a crack, a chipped edge or a set that has settled and pulled away from the door. Replacing them is a bigger job than it looks, because new steps have to meet your door height exactly and sit on something solid. The price moves with how many steps you need, how wide they run, whether there's a landing or a railing, and whether precast fits your entry or the steps have to be poured. The schedule turns on what the city asks for, the inspections that come with it and the weather on pour day. I come out, look at your entry and write the estimate with your figure, and I'll tell you then what your date depends on.
The owner measures and builds
I come out to look at your entry and write the estimate myself, and I lead the small crew that builds your steps, so the person who measured the rise is there for the pour.
Moving a pour before rushing it
Concrete doesn't forgive a step done late. If the weather or an inspection says wait, I'll move the pour and tell you the day I know, not the morning of.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
Iowa requires contractors who earn $2,000 or more a year from construction to register with the state. We're fully licensed and insured, and satisfaction is guaranteed on every job.
How we build your concrete steps
I start by measuring the full rise from the ground to your door, because that number decides how many steps you get and how tall each one is. Next comes precast or poured, and the size of your entry often makes that choice for you. Then we settle how the steps are supported, whether they rest on the ground, tie to a landing or your foundation, or span as a stair, since everything after that follows from it. For a pour, we dig out and pack the base, the ground the steps sit on, instead of raking loose dirt level, so the steps don't sink with it. Before we build the forms that shape the concrete, we lay out the whole rise so the steps come out even top to bottom, because a small miss on one riser repeats on every step and piles up at the top or bottom. We set rebar, the steel that holds the concrete together, where the design calls for it, pour in the cooler part of the day so the top doesn't come out weak and dusty, and give the treads a broom finish, a light texture that gives your shoes some grip. Then the steps cure, the wait while the concrete gains strength, and I'll tell you when they're ready to walk on. If the budget gets tight, I'd keep the money in the base and the layout over a fancier finish, since nobody can fix what's underneath once it's poured.
Steps often go in alongside bigger work. On a new house, we plan the stoop and landing with the slab foundation building so the door height is set before the steps are laid out. When the steps tie into basement or crawl space walls, we schedule them with the foundation installation, so both go in the right order.
Building steps in Marshalltown
Inspection before anything is covered
Under a city permit, all the work gets inspected and nothing is covered until the inspector approves it. The permit holder calls for those inspections, so we plan the pour around them.
Steps that reach the street
If your new steps reach into the public strip along the street, the city requires anyone working there to have a bond and insurance on file with the City Clerk. Confirm that before work starts.
New steps follow today's sizes
Riser height, tread depth, landing size, width and railings may be set by the building code, so replacement front or side steps usually follow those rules instead of copying the old set.
Get a written price for your steps
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at your entry and write a free estimate on site, with no pressure and no obligation.
Count your steps and the rise
Tell us how many steps you have now and roughly how high your door sits above the ground, so I show up knowing what kind of job we're looking at.
Send a few photos
Photos of the current steps from the front and the side show the cracks, the settling and how they meet the house, which helps me plan the visit.
Note railings and the sidewalk
Mention any railing you want and whether the steps run close to the public sidewalk, since both can change the layout and what the city asks for.
Concrete steps, landings and entry examples
These photos show step shapes, landings, broom and decorative finishes, and railing layouts you can point to when we talk about your entry.
Questions about concrete steps in Marshalltown
Straight answers to what homeowners ask most about the cost, precast versus poured, upkeep and how long new concrete steps last.
How much do concrete steps cost in Marshalltown?
Across the US, concrete steps usually cost about $100 to $500 per step, poured or precast and installed. That's the national going rate, not our price. Where your job falls depends mostly on how many steps you need, how wide they are and whether your entry calls for a pour. I measure the entry and put your figure on the written estimate.
Should I get precast or poured concrete steps?
Precast is the cheaper pick when it fits, because the steps are hollow and easier to set, while poured steps cost more but come in a larger range of sizes. If your entry needs a size outside what precast comes in, poured is the answer and the budget goes up with it. I'll tell you which one fits when I measure.
How long do concrete steps last?
Concrete steps usually last 30 to 40 years with proper care and upkeep, so the care matters about as much as the build. Iowa winters are the hard part. Air-entrained concrete holds tiny air cells that give freezing water room to expand, which takes pressure off the inside of the steps.
How do I take care of new concrete steps in winter?
Skip the salt at first. Guidance on new concrete says to hold off soon after the pour, then use magnesium chloride or calcium chloride deicers only when you need them for safety. One concrete supplier's guide says to seal no sooner than 28 days after installation, in dry weather, and to reseal following the sealer maker's instructions, since sealer wears down.
What should I ask a contractor about building concrete steps?
Ask how the steps will be supported, because resting on the ground, tying to a landing or your foundation, or spanning as a stair sets the rest of the design, including the steel inside. Decorative steps also need more under them than loose fill dirt. A contractor who answers that clearly has thought past the price.
Call about your new entry steps
We take calls until 10 PM on weeknights and 9 PM on weekends, so call (641) 354-2469 after work or send the form.