Repairing a concrete step.

[David DeBoer]

Good morning.

I need to repair an 8 foot long concrete step. One thought was to just ripe out and start anew. If I'm going to fix it I know I need to add a bit of pitch to it. Right now it's pitched toward the house. It has a flag stone surface, one which needs replacing. I figure I shouldn't butt the step right against the house. Should I just leave a space or put something in there? If I leave a space how wide should it be?? Someone had put beveled mortar over the joint between step and house to shed the water away. Half of it is missing. Is that something that is necessary??

Any other thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[ask4bob]

Hi,you need it to slope away from the house and i think you should start again.One solution would be to remove old step buy some bricks and build a 2 course wall (2 bricks high) and fill with rubble from old step then place flagstones on it at the correct pitch and the job is done ,and no you do not need a gap. all the best Bob