Contractor for building stoop replacement?
S emails:
I'm looking to have my stoop replaced, and I was wondering if I could summon the AOA crowd to find a good contractor.
There are a bunch of neighborhoods in the Capital Region where the buildings have stoops. And while it's a feature that no doubt lasts decades (or should), at some point things do crumble. So presumably there are contractors with expertise in rebuilding them.
Also: We wonder if there are contractors that specialize in building/replacing stoops in historic districts?
Got a suggestion for S? Please share! And a sentence or two about why you're recommending a contractor can be very helpful.
photo: Casey Normile
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Comments
Austen Reed of Set in Stone Creations & Restorations did our stoop last year and it looks amazing. He was extremely reasonably priced, very friendly, and very neat in his workmanship.
... said Dev on Jun 13, 2016 at 4:43 PM | link
Concrete steps take a beating here in the northeast. Sun, rain, snow, salt, shoveling, expansion and contraction all eventually leads to crumbling steps.
The options most times are to re-cap, cover (with wood or Trex) or replace. The latter is super costly, covering works for a more contemporary (think an arts and crafts bungalow) and the former is a lot of times the way to go (they can build fancier molds to suit the style and shape of the original steps..
Once you find a contractor, ask to see references (even if referred) and to see their handy work in person.
This time of year a lot of the good contractors are booked, but you may get lucky. I'll point a few guys here that may comment to help.
Good luck!
... said J on Jun 13, 2016 at 4:47 PM | link
If you are dealing with historic buildings, contacting your local historical society should always be a first stop. Many historical societies keep a list of contractors in the Capital Region who have experience in working on historic homes because they deal with a lot of questions from homeowners regarding just that, and the societies want to be helpful to people in the interest of historic preservation.
... said Bonny on Jun 13, 2016 at 5:41 PM | link
Word of mouth in your neighborhood will be the best referral / recommendation you'll get. Go to some of your neighbors who seem to have had theirs done recently and knock on their door or leave them a note in their mailbox explaining the situation. You'll get instant great feedback on the contractor, the process with the city (permit, historic review board if applicable, etc) and ballpark cost comparison.
... said Sean on Jun 14, 2016 at 10:48 AM | link