Q. I'm not very good at reading blueprints. On the ones for my new home, the architect has drawn a step footing. Is this an accepted way to put in a foundation? Why can't the footer that rests under ...

Q. An elderly friend of mine has some steps to her basement that have no handrail. I told her I'd put one up, but the walls alongside the steps are made of cement blocks. The steps themselves are also ...

In construction, “a firm foundation” is no cliche. It’s a matter of tradition, good technique and honoring the building codes. How well the structure will stand–and stand up to time and ...

A new type of staircase has made its appearance on the home improvement scene lately -- precast concrete steps. These factory-molded stairs have a lot to offer in terms of ease of installation, ...

Question: I have a foundation that was poured and I am not impressed. The footings were poured and when they set the wall forms, there was visible deviation in how much the footings extended past the ...

There are many different footing form systems available, but the majority of them share a common thread: non-wood forms. With the concrete industry moving in the "green" direction, and with an ...