I've been living in my house for five years, and the concrete steps are starting to crumble. It seems like someone tried to patch them with silicone, but now I'm left wondering whether I can fix them myself or if I should get a professional involved. I have some DIY experience with concrete repairs, but this situation looks more complicated. Am I in over my head? Here's a link to photos of the steps: https://imgur.com/a/NlwAAgL
3 Answers
From what I see, those steps might be past the point of repair. If they’re pulling away from the house, that’s a concern for your foundation, especially with moisture getting in. You might want to consider replacing them outright instead of trying to patch them up.
You could tackle this as a DIY project, but it's not a small job. If you're new to this sort of thing, it could be a steep learning curve. You'll need to gather some specialized tools, like a hammer drill for epoxying rebar into the existing steps. I managed to do something similar with my steps but had prior experience—it was a big project.
If you’re handy and have some concrete repair experience, you might be able to pull it off! However, some folks in the thread are suggesting that it might be worth considering a wooden porch instead. It could save you money in the long run and give you more flexibility with design. Just take into account how extensive the current damage is before diving in.