Concrete steps construction in Watertown SD - a sturdy entry on a solid base
Front steps cracked, crumbling or sinking? We build precast or poured concrete steps on a solid base, so getting in the door feels safe again.
What goes into new concrete steps in Watertown?
Watertown Concrete handles concrete steps construction in Watertown, SD. We build either precast steps set at your door or poured steps formed on site over a footing, the concrete base that carries their weight, so you get a solid, level way into the house.
If your steps are chipping, cracking or leaning away from the door, the trouble usually started underneath or with water, so I look at the ground before we talk about finishes. The price turns on how many steps you need, how tall and wide they are, and whether we set precast or pour in place, while the schedule turns on the weather, permits and the cure. Your written estimate lays out what's included for your entry.
Why Watertown chooses us for concrete steps
You deal with the same person from the first look to the last pour, and you get plain reasons for every choice we suggest for your steps.
I come out myself
I'm the one who looks at your entry and writes the estimate, and I'm on site with our crew for the pour.
In business since 2013
I learned concrete fixing steps and walks at rental properties, then started this business to build them the way they should be.
Licensed and fully insured
South Dakota requires a contractor's tax license from anyone contracting for construction work, and we're licensed and fully insured.
Base before finish
If the budget's tight, I'd cut a fancy finish before the base, because the ground underneath decides whether steps settle.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
You'll come away knowing how your steps were built and how to look after them through a South Dakota winter.
Precast or poured concrete steps
Your budget and the size of your entry decide which kind of steps fits, so I walk you through both before you choose.
What happens when you call about new concrete steps?
We plan the job around your entry, the weather and the cure, so you know before we start how long you'll be using another door.
Call or send the form
Call (605) 954-0565 or send the form with a bit about your steps, and we'll set a time for me to come out.
I look at the site
I come out, look at your entry and how water runs off it, and talk through what you want and the options that fit.
Written estimate and permits
You get a written estimate that says what's included, and we sort out permits with the right office before we set a date.
Forming, pouring, finishing
I keep you posted and show you the base and forms before we pour, and on public sidewalk work the city inspects the forms and the finished pour.
Questions about a step? Call and talk it through.
(605) 954-0565Questions about concrete steps in Watertown
How much do concrete steps cost in Watertown?
Installed concrete steps usually run about $100 to $500 per step across the US, which is a national figure rather than a Watertown price or ours. Where yours land depends on the method and size covered above, and your estimate puts a figure on your own entry.
What causes concrete steps to crack and crumble?
Most worn-out steps either settled because the ground under them was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or crumbled from scaling, which is damage from water freezing and thawing inside the concrete again and again. Steps that tip toward the house make it worse by holding water by the door, which is why we start with the ground and the drainage.
How do I protect new concrete steps from winter damage?
Start with a mix that has entrained air, tiny bubbles that give freezing water room, because it helps concrete hold up to freezing and thawing while wet and limits scaling from ice melt. Ask us what's in the mix we order for your steps. After that, go easy on deicing chemicals, since they keep the surface wetter and add more freeze-thaw cycles.
How long before I can use new concrete steps?
As general guidance, curing for most concrete should last at least 7 days above 40°F, or until it reaches 70% of its specified strength. Curing is the wait while the concrete hardens and gains strength, so we keep heavy use off the steps until then. The wait is simplest to plan when the weather stays above 40°F.
How do I check if a concrete contractor is licensed in Watertown?
Call the city at (605) 882-6201, because Watertown issues a yearly Contractor's License and posts a list of licensed, active contractors. That's on top of the state contractor's tax license mentioned above, and you're welcome to check us.
Who is responsible for the sidewalk in front of my house in Watertown?
You are, because each Watertown property owner is responsible for the public sidewalk bordering their property. The City Engineer's Office regulates sidewalks, approaches and curb cuts, so tell us when you call if your new steps tie into that sidewalk.
Building concrete steps in Watertown and Codington County
Inside Watertown, the city's Building Services office issues building permits, and any work in the public right-of-way, such as the public sidewalk, needs a permit before it starts. Whether steps on your own lot need one is a question for that office, so we check with them before we set a date and can handle the paperwork for you. Out in unincorporated Codington County, the county requires a building permit before digging for construction begins, and starting without one can bring an added fee of up to 200 percent of the permit fee, so we check with the county the same way.
We're based in Watertown and work in the cities around it, and on concrete steps across Watertown the old ones we tear out have usually chipped from ice melt or settled away from the door. That's why we look at how water leaves your entry before we form anything.
Talk to Watertown Concrete about your steps
Call (605) 954-0565 or send the form early in the season, so there's time to set a date while the weather still suits a pour.