[VoodooChile]

Got sloppy with the Dingo cleaning up the irrigation company's pile of sod and nicked the front steps of a client's house with the bucket.

Well what I thought were rock solid steps turned out to be wood-framed deck lumber with a stone veneer covering. Of course the Dingo bucket caused the lumber base to shift, cracking the veneer the entire length of the step.

Besides feeling like an idiot, I have the distinct pleasure of trying to figure what can be done to fix this thing.

I forsee two problems: 1) Matching the pea-gravel used to make the veneer will be tough, 2) The structure underlying the steps is probably weakened after my abuse, and repeated cracking could occur.

One consolation at least, the sides of this step already suffered from the same cracking...Maybe I could get them to replace the whole damn thing.

Anybody ever seen this type of stone work/masonry before, and have a clue how to fix this???

Anyway, here's the mug shots

[VoodooChile]

More scenes from the crime:

[VoodooChile]

Ouch!

[Lanelle]

This looks like an epoxy/gravel veneer often used to cover over cracked and pitted concrete walks and drives. After a few years, even jobs that haven't suffered 'abuse' will have some cracks. I'd ask if that sort of contractor did the original work and contact them regarding the repair. I think they call their work: driveway resurfacing. Seems like wood is a poor base for this sort of thing. Good luck with this. Sorry it happened to you.

[agla]

Talk about a land mine. Those steps are like a house of cards waiting for someone to bump the table.

That is a tough spot to be in. You know the steps are not proper to begin with. Now you bumped it and anything that goes wrong with them from this day forward will be blamed on you. ...and you don't want to PO the client by saying that the steps are no good.

Maybe the best solution is what someone wrote above. Get the builder of the steps to fix them and shift the burden back to him. The cost will be higher than doing it yourself, but to shed the burden of future repairs is priceless.

[PSUscaper]

Doh!

That just stinks......

Only honest answer I have is to get the original contractor or someone else in there to repair/rebuild them.

I know the construction sucks.......but I don't think you can get out of blame here. Personally, I would just pay for it to be replaced and not chase it any farther.........

On the other hand......maybe a good time to mention a alternative, like rebuilding out of a srw, dry laid, etc..........at least this way you still have to pay, but maybe not be at the mercy of another contractor.......and with the way he built those, I'm not sure I would want to be at the mercy of him!