Most failing steps do not need a full flight replacement. A single tread has settled, a riser has spalled, an edge has chipped from road salt. Detroit Concrete triages a step flight tread by tread, lifts what can be lifted, patches what can be patched, and replaces only what is past saving. The result is a safe, working flight for a fraction of replacement cost. Every assessment is free and the quote is written.
A full step replacement is a big-ticket project; a step repair is not. Triaging each tread individually means addressing only what is actually failing, lifting a settled tread back to grade, patching a spalled nose, replacing one cracked-through tread to match the surrounding flight. Most of what looks like a failed step flight is actually one or two bad treads pulling the rest down with them in your eye.
We do not promise repair where it does not make sense. If the whole flight has heaved off its footing, if the rise/run was wrong from day one, or if the concrete is failing across every tread, the right answer is new front entry steps or a new staircase rather than chasing repairs around a doomed flight.
Similar triage logic shows up across our wider steps and stairs service and the related walkway repair work where the same fix-only-what-actually-broke principle saves real money.
Recent work
How it works
How We Repair Step Flights in Detroit
Triage every tread
We walk every tread of the flight with you, mark each issue (settlement, spall, crack, edge chip, slick surface), and classify which treads can be repaired in place and which need replacement.
Lift settled treads
Treads that are settled but otherwise sound get lifted back to grade using slab-jacking where the substructure is still intact, restoring the rise/run consistency that makes the flight safe to use.
Patch spalled edges
Spalled noses, chipped edges and surface damage get patched with a compatible repair mortar that bonds, matches color closely, and restores both the look and the safety of the worn edge.
Replace what is past saving
Treads that are cracked through, missing footing or beyond repair get cut out cleanly and re-poured to match the surrounding flight in rise, run, finish and color.
When step repair stops making sense
Repair Has a Limit We Will Tell You
Step repair is the right tool when failures are localised, the substructure is sound, and the original rise/run is correct. It is the wrong tool when the whole flight has shifted, the rise/run is non-code, or the original construction missed the below-frost footing.
On every assessment we say which case the flight is in. If repair is throwing money at a doomed flight, the quote will recommend new front entry steps or a fresh staircase instead. The honesty saves time and money.
Lifting treads, patching edges, sectional replacement and when a flight has to come out entirely.
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.
Homeowner reviews
What Detroit Homeowners Say About Their Step Repairs
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.
Tell us what is failing, settled treads, spalled edges, cracked risers, and we will triage the flight free and put repair options into a written quote.
