Hey everyone! We're currently having some renovations done on our front porch and walkway, and I'd love to get your feedback on the quality of the work so far. Here's a link to some photos: [https://imgur.com/a/69N68TZ](https://imgur.com/a/69N68TZ). We have a few specific concerns: 1. The steps are inconsistent in terms of 'going' and 'rise.' The second step has a 'going' of ~16", while the first is only ~9.5". The contractor insists this is how it should be. 2. The coping blocks on the steps aren't symmetrical—one step has blocks laid along their width, while the other has them along their length, which seems odd to us. The contractor assures us it won't be noticeable once the sand is poured. 3. Lastly, some of the cut blocks don't fit perfectly, and although they say the sand will fix the appearance, we're wondering if we should just wait for them to finish the job before we worry any further. Thanks in advance for your input!
2 Answers
Just a quick tip—make sure there's a slope away from your house on all surfaces. The rise and run should be uniform for each step according to building codes, and you can easily check those guidelines online.
I think those design choices are definitely worth discussing. The 'going' should ideally match, so I'd keep that in mind. Overall, it looks okay—could be better, but it’s not terrible. I'm curious, was this the lowest bid you received? How did you pick this crew?
This was actually the third-lowest bid! We chose them because a family friend recommended them; they did a similar project and it turned out great. As for the stone, we picked it out from a display, but it does look different now that it's installed. Here’s a link to check it out: https://imgur.com/a/8WVGYKE. The contractor confirmed it's the stone we chose and mentioned it will look better after a wash.