Ask the Architect

Our steps are wrong

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Q. We just had our driveway and front steps redone. The contractor took us to a mason supply to look at different choices, and we’re happy with the color, etc. We noticed, after they left, that the bottom step is about 6 inches tall and the other steps (4 of them) are 8 inches. This seems awkward, and I’m concerned someone could trip. We called the contractor, who even stopped by, and he said it’s normal and they see it all the time. He even suggested that we’ll get “used to it.” I don’t want to get used to it, but how do we fix it without taking everything apart and maybe ruining the driveway? Is there a way to get it done over without too much damage, and is the contractor wrong, as we think he is?

A. Yes, he’s wrong. Yes, it can be fixed. No, there’s no simple fix. The steps must be taken apart, and some paving blocks may need replacing. The longer you wait, the harder it is to dispute and the more difficult it will be to match the paving blocks, since the color lots can change during production runs at the factory.

During any paver block installation, it’s best to store 10 to 12 extra blocks and a few extra step blocks, or “nosings.” The nosing blocks can be chipped by heavy items like appliances being run up and down the stairs. The driveway blocks may disintegrate from chemicals and overzealous power-washing. The contractor realized how difficult it would be to fix, and offered up the quick reply about “getting used to it.” Why it happens is lack of coordination when the concrete step foundation was formed.

Occasionally, I see a mason who isn’t setting up properly. In one case, I asked the mason to pound a stick into the ground next to the steps, as I was taught during a high school summer job, when a mason showed me to mark the stick, using a water level on a string, extending from the door sill. (Today I carry a laser level in my car for checking.) I had the guy mark the stick by dividing the height from the proposed top of the platform (which should be a small 1- to 2-inch drop from the door sill, to avoid rain and ice buildup), to the proposed top of the driveway.

The mistake most people make is taking the heights from the driveway base before the paving block thickness is figured in, so that when the driveway paving blocks are set, the bottom step is short. You’d be amazed how common this is. The code says no more than a quarter-inch height difference from step to step. In the dark, the mind assumes uniform rises. As you descend a non-uniform stairway, an injury is more possible, so address the problem immediately to avoid “getting used to it,” and don’t give in.

© 2016 Monte Leeper. Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.