We had a vehicle hit the front of our house and it damaged the stoop
out front. The stoop was old, the top was concrete with some 8x8x2(or
so) concrete tiles on top. Some of the tiles are chipped, others are
broken. The stoop still is solid except for these areas.

Now that we're installing the door we need to plan for the stoop
replacement. It's 4x7.

There are several ways we can do this:
1) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a concrete one, brushing it
for effect.
2) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a brick one.
3) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a concrete base but use
brick on top.
4) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a concrete base but use
quarry tiles.

The stoop faces west and gets afternoon sun. At noon about 12" of it is
shaded, the rest exposed. No sun in the morning.

What would be the best option for us? I sort of like the brick look
since it would match the house (which was built in '23). Concrete would
suffice since all of the other stoops on the street are concrete (some
plain, most are painted).

For #3 or #4, would pavers work ok?

I'll probably have to source this out as I'm about to leave the area
for 2.5 months.

I assume the drivers insurance is paying? That happened in our family
years ago. Its very likely Insurance will have LOTS to say May ONLY
replace exactly whats there.

wrote:
I assume the drivers insurance is paying? That happened in our family
years ago. Its very likely Insurance will have LOTS to say May ONLY
replace exactly whats there.

Replacement value of what is there, yes. They estimated 300 as a value
for it. I complained enough to get some padding in the payout, which
will be enough to get a nicer front door. One person said "buy 4 tiles
and hire a mexican mason for 20 bucks to replace the tiles". This is
the guy who had a big W sticker on his truck.

Their estimate for repair was 80 something dollars but agreed to 300
and change.

Once it's all settled I'll share my experiences with the company we're
dealing with. It's been a PITA, going on 2 months. Just a hint
though...avoid Enterprise Rent a Car.

3) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a concrete base but use
brick on top.
I would use brick...not because I am a mason but it sounds like it
would be in keeping with the age of the house. You can use "split brick
pavers" (these are real bricks split NOT concrete PAVERS) If money is
an issue you can have the concrete poured to accomidate the paver
thickness (which is the way they should do it anyway) and do the pavers
at a later date. Note; quarry tiles still are very slick when wet and
are more exspensive than brick, full or splits.
Another option is that if the concrete is in good condition just remove
the "tiles" and put the brick on top. At 2" thick they are probably
sitting on atleast 3/4 or so of a mortar bed that gives you almost 3"
to fill back in, common red brick are about 2 1/4" thick plus a bed and
your there..or if you go with used brick (age of the house) they are
slightly thicker...
cas wrote:
We had a vehicle hit the front of our house and it damaged the stoop
out front. The stoop was old, the top was concrete with some 8x8x2(or
so) concrete tiles on top. Some of the tiles are chipped, others are
broken. The stoop still is solid except for these areas.

Now that we're installing the door we need to plan for the stoop
replacement. It's 4x7.

There are several ways we can do this:
1) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a concrete one, brushing it
for effect.
2) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a brick one.
3) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a concrete base but use
brick on top.
4) rip up the old stoop and replace it with a concrete base but use
quarry tiles.

The stoop faces west and gets afternoon sun. At noon about 12" of it is
shaded, the rest exposed. No sun in the morning.

What would be the best option for us? I sort of like the brick look
since it would match the house (which was built in '23). Concrete would
suffice since all of the other stoops on the street are concrete (some
plain, most are painted).

For #3 or #4, would pavers work ok?

I'll probably have to source this out as I'm about to leave the area
for 2.5 months.

On 25 Aug 2006 13:57:38 -0700, "cas" wrote:


wrote:
I assume the drivers insurance is paying? That happened in our family
years ago. Its very likely Insurance will have LOTS to say May ONLY
replace exactly whats there.

Replacement value of what is there, yes. They estimated 300 as a value
for it. I complained enough to get some padding in the payout, which
will be enough to get a nicer front door. One person said "buy 4 tiles
and hire a mexican mason for 20 bucks to replace the tiles". This is
the guy who had a big W sticker on his truck.

Their estimate for repair was 80 something dollars but agreed to 300
and change.

Once it's all settled I'll share my experiences with the company we're
dealing with. It's been a PITA, going on 2 months. Just a hint
though...avoid Enterprise Rent a Car.

I doubt any stoop replacement would be $80. I would have thought the
insurance company would take care of everything. And yes, do avoid
Enterprise Rent-A-Car--the charges exceeded 3X the "special rental
deal" cost.

I did a double check and the concrete "tiles" are actually not
tiles....it's been formed.

If I broke the top layer off, could a layer of concrete be poured, one
that would last a while?

They are paying for everything, they don't think the stoop needs to be
replaced, just fixed. I'll send them pictures of the formed top to show
'em.

wrote:
I assume the drivers insurance is paying? That happened in our family
years ago. Its very likely Insurance will have LOTS to say May ONLY
replace exactly whats there.

Replacement value of what is there, yes. They estimated 300 as a value
for it. I complained enough to get some padding in the payout, which
will be enough to get a nicer front door. One person said "buy 4 tiles
and hire a mexican mason for 20 bucks to replace the tiles". This is
the guy who had a big W sticker on his truck.

Their estimate for repair was 80 something dollars but agreed to 300
and change.

Once it's all settled I'll share my experiences with the company we're
dealing with. It's been a PITA, going on 2 months. Just a hint
though...avoid Enterprise Rent a Car.

I doubt any stoop replacement would be $80. I would have thought the
insurance company would take care of everything. And yes, do avoid
Enterprise Rent-A-Car--the charges exceeded 3X the "special rental
deal" cost.

Phisherman wrote in
:

On 25 Aug 2006 13:57:38 -0700, "cas" wrote:


wrote:
I assume the drivers insurance is paying? That happened in our family
years ago. Its very likely Insurance will have LOTS to say May ONLY
replace exactly whats there.

Replacement value of what is there, yes. They estimated 300 as a value
for it. I complained enough to get some padding in the payout, which
will be enough to get a nicer front door. One person said "buy 4 tiles
and hire a mexican mason for 20 bucks to replace the tiles". This is
the guy who had a big W sticker on his truck.

Their estimate for repair was 80 something dollars but agreed to 300
and change.

Once it's all settled I'll share my experiences with the company we're
dealing with. It's been a PITA, going on 2 months. Just a hint
though...avoid Enterprise Rent a Car.

I doubt any stoop replacement would be $80. I would have thought the
insurance company would take care of everything. And yes, do avoid
Enterprise Rent-A-Car--the charges exceeded 3X the "special rental
deal" cost.


10 bags concrete $50 or so. Gas to get it and return - $50. Nope. 80
bucks ain't gonna cut it just for the materials!

On 25 Aug 2006 13:47:12 -0700, "
wrote:

I assume the drivers insurance is paying? That happened in our family
years ago. Its very likely Insurance will have LOTS to say May ONLY
replace exactly whats there.

Once there is an agreemrent what the insurance will pay, why would it
object to the homeowner spending more? The insurance company just
pays what it agreed to, and the homeowner pays the rest. Isn't that
fair and how things work?

We really need pictures of both the house and details of the broken
parts.

cas wrote:

I'll probably have to source this out as I'm about to leave the area
for 2.5 months.

oh REALLY? and what is your address, what date are you leaving?

If I broke the top layer off, could a layer of concrete be poured, one
that would last a while?
A toping of 2" would work yes. But I know believe that what you have is
a concrete stoop with joints in it that resemble a tile pattern if this
is the case you would not be able to remove a "layer".

cas wrote:
I did a double check and the concrete "tiles" are actually not
tiles....it's been formed.

If I broke the top layer off, could a layer of concrete be poured, one
that would last a while?

They are paying for everything, they don't think the stoop needs to be
replaced, just fixed. I'll send them pictures of the formed top to show
'em.

wrote:
I assume the drivers insurance is paying? That happened in our family
years ago. Its very likely Insurance will have LOTS to say May ONLY
replace exactly whats there.

Replacement value of what is there, yes. They estimated 300 as a value
for it. I complained enough to get some padding in the payout, which
will be enough to get a nicer front door. One person said "buy 4 tiles
and hire a mexican mason for 20 bucks to replace the tiles". This is
the guy who had a big W sticker on his truck.

Their estimate for repair was 80 something dollars but agreed to 300
and change.

Once it's all settled I'll share my experiences with the company we're
dealing with. It's been a PITA, going on 2 months. Just a hint
though...avoid Enterprise Rent a Car.

I doubt any stoop replacement would be $80. I would have thought the
insurance company would take care of everything. And yes, do avoid
Enterprise Rent-A-Car--the charges exceeded 3X the "special rental
deal" cost.