Need a solid replacement for decking

LirW

So we have purchased an ex-council house that's build on a hill. All the driveways are quite steep and you'd directly get to the front door via the driveway.
But ours isn't facing to the driveway because we have a porch that's attached to the front and the front door is actually on the right side of it. To get there the previous owner built steps made out of decking. It's not done very well and it can get ridiculously slippery.

I want to remove this decking last year. I just couldn't think of the best replacement. My first idea would have been concrete steps. If I remove the decking the door is approx. 50-60 cm above the ground level.
But I honestly have no real idea what would be the best and also a cost effective way to do it.

I'd appreciate any input.

elperello

How about a ramp?

LirW

It crossed my mind but a ramp wouldn't come in handy because there's only one position where it could go and for it not to be steep it would have to run across most of the wall, which takes up unnecessary space. I'd prefer to have flower beds there though.

the_pen_turner

is the house lower or higher than the road.
steps are space saving but trying to get a heavy appliance up 2feet of steps can be a pain. I would go for a ramp.
could you extend out level for a bit first to give you more of a flat area for flowers etc

elperello

If you are set on steps you could build them up in stone for a nice finish.

LirW

The house is higher than the road.
The problem with level extending is that this would create an awkward step in my front garden that would probably require an extra step, since it's too steep.
Also If I have a ramp you'd have to cross the whole lawn to get to the other end of the garden to get onto the ramp. It would make things pretty awkward.

elperello

LirW wrote: »

The house is higher than the road.
The problem with level extending is that this would create an awkward step in my front garden that would probably require an extra step, since it's too steep.
Also If I have a ramp you'd have to cross the whole lawn to get to the other end of the garden to get onto the ramp. It would make things pretty awkward.

Maybe a pic would help you to get better suggestions.

LirW

I'll try to get one tomorrow or at least putting up a sketch.

Lumen

LirW wrote: »

But I honestly have no real idea what would be the best and also a cost effective way to do it.

The cheapest would be anti-slip decking strips.

There are various designs. They're all cheap as chips.

Would at least stop anyone from killing themselves before you've implemented a final solution.

LirW

I just quickly cropped the Google street view of it, it gives you an idea. The Front door is on the right side of the porch. The front garden doesn't look as steep as it really is.
If there'd be a ramp, that ramp would have to go back quite far under the sitting room window right of the porch.

The decking wraps around the porch in steps and covers the full length from porch to the neighbors fence. The reason I want it to go is because it's not done well, it's slippery and pretty ugly in general.

https://imgur.com/dL2mREJ

sydthebeat

LirW wrote: »

So we have purchased an ex-council house that's build on a hill. All the driveways are quite steep and you'd directly get to the front door via the driveway.
But ours isn't facing to the driveway because we have a porch that's attached to the front and the front door is actually on the right side of it. To get there the previous owner built steps made out of decking. It's not done very well and it can get ridiculously slippery.

I want to remove this decking last year. I just couldn't think of the best replacement. My first idea would have been concrete steps. If I remove the decking the door is approx. 50-60 cm above the ground level.
But I honestly have no real idea what would be the best and also a cost effective way to do it.

I'd appreciate any input.

a how to guide :

the_pen_turner

its a tricky one. only way to really do it would be to start at the front gate and ramp up to a level area in front of the porch then ramp from left to right upto the level of the door and then bring the footpath out to meet it. its a bit of a zig zag but you would take from the garden area

LirW

That's why I think a well thought set of stairs would probably make more sense. Because the costs of a project like that can simply get out of hand I'd assume

the_pen_turner

proper stairs would be a lot less work and money.
I would go for concrete steps and put stone on then or texture the concrete to look like stone

elperello

Do you use the front door much?
Is the back/side door level with ground?

elperello

https://www.donedeal.ie/buildingmaterials-for-sale/pattern-imprinted-concrete/3177561

This can give a nice finish. See steps at pic 10.

Calahonda52

My guess is the house no longer complies with Part M
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/building-standards/tgd-part-m-access-and-use/technical-guidance-document-m-access-and-use-2
The porch diid not require planning, but did need to comply with Building regs which I guess it does not: did you get a cert of compliance when you bought it?

LirW

I know that our solicitor had questions regarding that porch and the vendor had to send an engineer in for the porch and the shed that's leaning at the wall. Both is indeed exempt from planning, I'm not sure though if there was a cert of compliance attached, would need to have a look at it.

I'd also look at printed concrete as has been suggested already (or pour concrete and lay patio tiles over them at a later date, cut to size, etc.).


What's under the decking? Is it actually a timber frame deck, or is it just lying on concrete steps already? (that might sound silly, but i can't imagine the council built the house with no access to the front door)?

LirW

It's a timber frame, not a very good one I'd like to say.
The houses were built in the mid 80s, it went into private ownership 2 years later and I bought it off the previous owners. He was a talent-less DIY freak who thought he was capable of everything and I was told by the neighbors that he built the porch a few years back.

I'll look into the whole thing once it gets warmer, but the printed concrete seems like a decent idea!

Could be an idea to just take the front porch off altogether then? Might make life easier for you and give you a better run at the front door (as it wont be so steep if the front door is back a bit further behind the porch).

Although i'd be hestitant to remove it without a long think about it, especially if current regs etc. mean you wont get away with building it again (which is silly).

LirW

No, the porch stays, it'd be an awful lot of work getting the front door fitted and getting it back to how it was before. The porch inside is closed off with another door that insulates pretty well, so I don't want that gone.