Concrete Steps Construction in Simi Valley CA - an entry that feels solid underfoot
Cracked, sinking or uneven entry steps? We form, pour and cure new concrete steps that sit level and feel steady when you walk up.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What goes into building new concrete steps in Simi Valley?
Concrete steps construction in Simi Valley means Custom Simi Valley Concrete builds forms, the molds that hold wet concrete in the shape of each step, then pours, places and finishes the concrete so you end up with steps that sit level and feel solid.
Most calls start with steps that have cracked, pulled away from the house or settled until one riser is taller than the rest, and you're tired of watching people catch a toe on them. What moves the price is how many steps you need, how high the door sits above the ground, whether the old steps have to be broken out and hauled off, and whether you want a landing or a finish beyond a plain one. The schedule turns on the weather, whether the job needs a permit and inspection, and how long the new concrete has to cure before you use it, and I'll give you your own figure in a written estimate after I've seen the site.
How do you know your front steps need replacing?
Cracks running across treads
A crack across a tread or a riser usually means the ground under the steps moved, or the concrete had no planned place to crack. Left alone, water gets in, the edges chip and loose pieces turn into something to trip on.
A gap at the door
When the steps pull away from the house, they've usually settled on dirt that was never packed down. That gap lets rain run toward the house and tends to grow, so waiting usually means more to break out later.
Steps that tilt or rock
One riser taller than the next, or a tread that slopes toward the door, usually points to a base that's sinking unevenly. Patching the top won't fix what's moving underneath, and it's the kind of step people trip on.
How our concrete steps construction works
We start by breaking out the old steps and hauling them off, then dig down to firm ground and pack the subgrade, the dirt and gravel the steps sit on, because steps set on loose, raked fill settle with it and pull away from the door. Then we build the forms, set rebar, the steel that keeps cracks tight if the concrete does crack, and check where the water runs so each tread sheds rain away from the house instead of toward it. On pour day we watch the wind and dry air, not just the heat, and after finishing we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a place to crack where we chose, then keep the new steps from drying out too fast while they cure, the wait while the concrete hardens before you put weight on it. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you skip a fancy finish than skimp on the base, because nobody sees the base on day one, and it's what decides whether these steps end up looking like your old ones.
When the steps lead up to an addition or a house that's still going up, we often work them in with the slab foundation building or foundation installation so the steps and the floor they reach are planned as one job.
Plain broom finish for grip
We drag a stiff broom across the wet concrete so the treads get fine ridges that give your shoes something to hold when they're wet. It suits most front and back entries and keeps the cost down.
Steps with a landing
A landing is a flat slab at the top that gives you room to stand and open the door without backing down a step. It suits entries where the door sits well above the walk, and it adds concrete and forming to the job.
Get a written estimate for your new steps
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look the site over and give you a free written estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
(805) 261-5009- Based in
- Simi Valley, CA 93065
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
What happens after you call about new steps?
Here's how a step job runs from your first call to the day you walk up the new ones, and who you'll be dealing with at each stage.
Call or send a message
Call (805) 261-5009 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Tell us what's wrong with the old steps so I know what to look for.
I look the site over
I measure the door height, look at the old steps and where the water runs, and ask a lot of questions. You get a written estimate that spells out the work, the price and anything we can't know until the old concrete comes out.
We prep, form and inspect
Once you say go, we sort out any permit with you, and our crew lead and crew break out the old steps, pack the base and set the forms and steel while I check in on the parts that matter most. If there's a city permit, the foundation inspection comes once the forms and steel are in place, and since the city does requests made by its daily cutoff the next workday but holds a late Friday request until Tuesday, we put ours in early.
We pour, cure and finish up
The crew pours and finishes the steps on a day the weather allows, keeps them from drying out while they cure and cleans up the site. Before we wrap up, I go over the steps with you and tell you when they're ready to walk on.
Why Simi Valley homeowners call Custom Simi Valley Concrete for steps
Framed houses before pouring concrete
I spent years framing houses, got curious about what was under the walls, and learned concrete on flatwork and foundation crews before starting this business in 2017. Flatwork covers slabs on the ground like walks, patios and steps, and that background is why I fuss over the base and forms more than the finish.
The owner writes your estimate
I come out myself to look at your steps and give the estimate, and the jobs I like best are the ones that need figuring, like steps on a sloped yard or steps that have to meet a door just right. Our crew lead runs the work day to day, so you've got one person who knows your job from the first visit and another on site every day.
Licensed and insured in California
We're licensed and insured. The state license board defines the concrete contractor class that covers step work, so whoever you hire, it's fair to ask for a license in that class.
Call (805) 261-5009 or send us a message, and I'll come look at your steps and the ground they sit on before anyone talks price.
Concrete steps, foundations and permits in Simi Valley
In Simi Valley, the city's Building and Safety Division issues construction permits, and its list says you need one before new buildings, remodeling or additions without naming concrete steps either way. So for steps on their own, the answer isn't settled until someone asks, and that's worth doing before the old steps come out. When a job needs a permit, we tell you which city or county office handles it, then pull it as your contractor or help you pull it yourself, and if you'd like to ask the city directly about plan review or permits, its line is (805) 583-6723.
A lot of the entries we see sit at the top of a sloped yard or meet a door well above the walk, so most of the work is in the figuring, getting each rise even and the top step tight to the threshold. We're based in Simi Valley and take jobs across the cities around it, and we run into the same kind of entries on jobs in Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.
Questions about concrete steps in Simi Valley
How much do concrete steps cost in Simi Valley?
Installing concrete steps in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $700 to $5,600 per job, and that's the going rate across the area, not our price. Where yours falls comes down to what I check on site, so the written estimate from my visit is the number to plan around.
Do I need a permit for concrete steps in Simi Valley?
The city's permit list doesn't settle it, because it names new buildings, remodeling and additions but not steps, so ask before the work starts. We'll sort that out with you at the estimate, as covered in the Simi Valley section above.
What is the best time of year to pour concrete steps?
Summer is the season to plan around, though the time of day and the wind matter as much as the month. Hot-weather trouble for fresh concrete can show up any time of year but usually comes in summer, and wind and dry air can dry the top too fast even on a cool day. A national concrete guide lists pouring at favorable times of day or night and keeping concrete from drying out while it cures, so it's fair to ask any crew which of those it'll use.
How much can a contractor ask for up front on concrete steps in California?
California's license board says the down payment on a home improvement contract can't be more than $1,000 or ten percent of the price, whichever is less. Hold any step quote to that before you sign it.
How long does it take before I can use my front steps again?
You'll be off them from the day the old steps come out until the new ones have cured enough for foot traffic, and the weather has more say in that than anything. I'll tell you what to expect for your job at the estimate, and if those steps are your only way in, let me know so we can plan around it.
How do I build my own concrete steps in Simi Valley?
Start with the city's Property Owner's Package for owner/builder projects, the ones where you run the work yourself. If the job needs a permit and you'd rather pull it yourself, we can help with that too.
Related concrete work that often goes with steps
If a new slab is going in for an addition or a house, we plan the entry steps with it so the top step meets the door.
New construction or a major addition needs a foundation laid out right, and getting that done first gives tall entry steps a solid, level edge to start from.
Service areas we cover from Simi Valley
Custom Simi Valley Concrete is based in Simi Valley, California, and builds concrete steps across the cities around it, including Camarillo and Agoura Hills. The 12 cities below have their own pages, and if yours isn't listed, ask us.
Simi Valley, CA
Book a look at your entry steps
Have your property address and a few photos of the steps you have now ready when you call or fill out the form, so I come out already knowing what to look at.