A stoop is the small concrete platform, usually with a step or two, at an entry door, and one of the most frequently settled structures we are called to repair.
In depth
Stoops sit on the backfilled soil right against the foundation, the loosest soil on the property. As that fill consolidates, the stoop settles and tips, usually toward the house, which sends water at the foundation and can pull the bottom riser out of safe height range.
Replacing a stoop in Chicagoland routinely runs into thousands of dollars once demolition, hauling, forming, and finishing are counted. Because most settled stoops are structurally sound, just low, replacement is usually the expensive answer to a soil problem.
How Acme applies it. We lift settled stoops back level in hours, not days, at a fraction of replacement cost. Lifting also corrects the riser height at the door and redirects water away from the foundation.
Related terms: Sunken Concrete, Concrete Settlement, Void Filling, Change in Level
Frequently asked questions
My stoop is pulling away from the house. Can it be saved?
Usually, yes. If the concrete is intact, we can lift and re-level it. If it is badly cracked or deteriorated, we will tell you replacement is the better call.
How much cheaper is lifting a stoop than replacing it?
Lifting typically costs a fraction of replacement, since there is no demolition, hauling, forming, or curing time involved.