Signs your steps need replacing
- Leaning or pulling away: a gap is opening between the steps and the house or the steps tilt to one side.
- Widespread spalling: the surface is flaking or crumbling across many treads, not in one small spot.
- Deep or moving cracks: cracks that run through the steps or get wider each winter.
- Uneven risers: settling has left steps at different heights, which is a trip hazard.
- Hollow or undermined: soil has washed out underneath or the steps sound hollow.
See repair or replace? for more detail.
Fix the cause, not just the steps
Steps usually fail for a reason: water draining toward the house, a shallow or missing footing, poorly compacted fill or years of salt. A good replacement estimate explains what went wrong and how the new steps will avoid it, such as better drainage, a deeper base or a different landing slope.
Choosing a contractor
Ask any contractor for proof of insurance and, where the work requires it, a Michigan residential builder or maintenance and alteration contractor license through LARA. Get a written estimate that spells out demolition, haul-away, base work, the new steps, railings, finish, permit responsibility and cleanup so you can compare bids line for line.