Steps Repair in Jamaica, Queens

Which Step Problems Turn Up in Jamaica?

The steps we see in Jamaica fail from water in the joints, freeze and thaw cycles, rusted railing posts and years of salt. Treads crack across the middle, risers pull away from the landing and brick sides lose mortar. Any of these can make a front entrance unsafe for family and visitors.

Jamaica mixes detached and attached one and two family homes with pre war apartment buildings. Each has its own kind of entry. Houses have a short run of concrete or brick steps up to a porch or door. Apartment buildings often have wider stoops with a landing, a railing on both sides and a basement entry below.

• Cracked or scaling concrete treads
• Loose or rusted railing posts
• Brick sides with missing mortar
• Risers pulling away from the landing
• Steps that pitch toward the house
• Worn edges where feet land first

Apartment Building Stoops

Older multi family buildings near downtown Jamaica see far more traffic on their steps than a private house does. Tenants, delivery drivers and visitors use the same few treads all day, so edges wear round and slick. A worn stoop at a building like that is a trip and fall risk the owner carries.

Winter does most of the harm. Water gets into hairline cracks, freezes, expands and pries the concrete apart. Salt spread to melt ice speeds up the damage and eats into the surface.

What Does Step Repair Depend On?

Price depends on the number of steps, the material, how deep the damage goes, whether railings need to be set and how the entrance can be reached. A two step concrete stoop costs a different amount than a wide brick stoop with side walls, so we price after a free visit.

Material is the biggest variable. Concrete is straightforward to pour. Brick means matching color and bond. Stone treads, where they exist, need careful setting. We tell you what the material will mean for the schedule before you approve anything.

Finish is a safety choice too. A broom finish on new concrete gives wet shoes something to grip, and a rounded nosing resists chipping. A smooth, polished tread looks neat on the day it is finished and becomes dangerous the first time it rains.

Salt is hard on new concrete in its first winter. We suggest a gentler way to melt ice on fresh steps and tell you when the surface is mature enough for normal use.

Safety and Access During Work

While the steps are out of service, you need another way into the building. For a house with a rear door, that is simple. For an apartment building, we plan the work in stages and mark the route so residents can keep coming and going.

New concrete needs time to cure before people climb it. We put up barriers and tell you when the steps are ready for use, which is usually a matter of days for a small stoop.