Not every failing step flight needs to be torn out and rebuilt. One tread has sunk, an edge has chipped from winter salt, a riser shows a hairline crack. We assess the damage tread by tread, lift what can be raised, patch what can be bonded, and replace only the treads that are truly beyond repair. The result is a safe, usable flight at a fraction of the cost of a full pour. Every assessment is free and the quote is written.
Replacing an entire step flight is expensive and disruptive. Repairing only the treads that are actually failing is smart economics. A single tread that has cracked through gets cut out and re-poured to match the rest of the flight. A settled tread gets lifted back to grade using slab-jacking. A spalled nose gets patched with bonded repair mortar. The flight stays functional, the cost stays low, and the work is done in days, not weeks.
We do not recommend repair when it will not work. If the entire flight has heaved off its footing, if the original rise and run were never correct, or if concrete is failing across most treads, then a new concrete staircase is the honest answer, not a series of patches that will fail. The written quote will tell you which path makes sense.
This same logic applies to our sidewalk and walkway work and our broader steps and stairs services, where fixing only what is broken saves money and avoids future headaches.
Recent work
The process
How Step Repair Gets Done in Detroit
Walk and mark each tread
We inspect every step in the flight with you, identify what is wrong (settlement, spalling, cracking, edge damage, surface wear), and decide which treads can be fixed in place and which need to be replaced.
Lift settled treads back to grade
Treads that have sunk but are otherwise sound get lifted using slab-jacking, restoring the original elevation and making the rise and run consistent across the entire flight.
Patch spalled and chipped edges
Edges damaged by road salt, weather, or wear get patched with a bonded repair mortar that matches the color and profile of the original concrete, protecting the edge and restoring safety.
Replace treads that cannot be saved
Treads that are cracked through, missing support, or too far gone get cut out and re-poured to match the surrounding flight in rise, run, finish, and color.
Know the limits
When Repair Is Not the Right Answer
Step repair works when the damage is localized, the substructure is sound, and the original rise and run are correct. It does not work when the entire flight has shifted, when the rise and run were wrong from the start, or when the footing is below the frost line and heaves every winter.
On every assessment we tell you which situation you are in. If repair is just throwing money at a doomed flight, the quote will recommend a new front entry step or a fresh staircase instead. That honesty saves you time and money.
Lifting treads, patching edges, replacing single treads, and when a full flight needs to come out.
Yes, often. We saw-cut around the failing tread, remove it cleanly, and pour a new tread to match the surrounding rise/run, finish and color. The repair is visible but the flight is safe and working at a fraction of full-replacement cost.
A bonded repair mortar that matches color is applied to the spalled edge, finished to the original profile, and protected through cure. Done right, the patch lasts as long as the surrounding step; done wrong it pops off in a season. We do it the right way.
Often, where the step body itself is sound. Slab-jacking lifts a settled but otherwise intact tread back to its original elevation, restoring even rise across the flight. Where the tread is also cracked, sectional replacement is the better call.
When the rise/run is non-code, when the footing is wrong (steps heaving every winter), or when most treads have failed. In those cases, repairs chase the same problem forever. A fresh flight is the honest answer; the quote will say so.
Most step repairs are a half-day to a day per visit; tread replacements that include cure time stretch across two days. The schedule is in the written quote so you can plan around the temporary loss of access.
One tread had cracked through, the rest were fine. They replaced just that one, matched the rest, and the flight is safe and even again. Far less than a full replacement.
X. S.
Detroit
★★★★★
Edge spalling from road salt on three risers. Patched with matching mortar, bonded properly, holding through the next winter. Looks intentional now.
Z. P.
Warren
★★★★★
Settled tread lifted back to grade. Took half a day, cost a fraction of replacement, and the rise across the flight is consistent again. Smart fix.
Y. F.
Ann Arbor
★★★★★
Honest assessment that the whole flight was past repair and a new pour was the right call. Could have charged me for patches that would have failed. Trust earned.
Y. T.
Sterling Heights
From the blog
Concrete Guides & Articles
Practical reading on planning, finishes and caring for concrete in Detroit.
Describe what is failing, settled treads, spalled edges, cracked risers, and we will assess the flight free and send a written quote with repair options.
