Sidewalks & Steps in Brentwood, TN

Sidewalks and steps are where settled concrete becomes a trip hazard. A walk panel that heaves above the next one catches toes. A stoop that sinks pulls away from the house and lets water run toward the foundation. Steps with uneven risers throw off anyone carrying groceries. In Brentwood, where many homes sit up a slope from the street, the walk to the front door often includes a few steps and a landing, and all of it rests on clay that moves as it wets and dries.

Signs of trouble

• A raised edge between panels
• Walk sections tipping toward the house or the lawn
• A stoop that has separated from the foundation wall
• Chipped or crumbling step edges
• Risers that are not the same height
• Puddles that stay on the walk after rain

A walk lifted by a tree root, or a stoop that has dropped an inch, can sometimes be leveled or repaired. When the panels are broken up or the steps are failing, rebuilding is safer and lasts longer.

Rebuilding a walk

We remove the old panels, dig out soft soil, and compact a stone base. HomeGuide's sidewalk guide says most walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick, with heavier traffic calling for more. The walk gets a slight cross slope so rain runs into the lawn instead of sitting on the surface, and joints are tooled at even spacing. If tree roots caused the heaving, we talk through options with you before pouring, since a new walk over the same roots will lift again.

On a sloped front yard we look at the path water takes from the roof and the driveway. A walk that cuts across that path can act like a dam and send water back toward the house. Sometimes a small change in route or grade fixes a drainage problem the old walk created.

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Stoops and poured steps

Poured steps are formed in place to match your door threshold and landing. Every riser should be the same height and every tread the same depth. The landing should be large enough to stand on while a storm door swings open. Support matters: a heavy stoop sitting on loose fill will tilt and settle, so we check what is under the old steps before designing the new ones. Precast steps are an option on some homes, and we can price both.

Handrails

A rail makes any set of steps safer, especially for older family members and guests. When we pour new steps we can set anchors in the fresh concrete so the rail bolts down solidly.

Public sidewalks

Where a walk or driveway work reaches into the public right-of-way or a utility easement, Brentwood's Public Works department requires a road work permit before excavation. Most private walks from the driveway to the door are on your lot, but we confirm where the line falls before quoting.