This is what I love to see. Professionals using the normal tools of their trade to make work that shows you do not need thousand dollar laser levels and crazy tools to do expert work. Honestly most of the pro's around where I live seem to want to charge you more just to see them use some fancy useless device when good old fashion hand tools will work out so much better and faster in the end. Well done on a great job.
My grandpa is a general contractor most of his life at this point (he's 80 now) and still does work around on his properties. He bought a laser scope about 15 years ago and he still loves that thing... you can be a professional with a "level in your head" and that is just going to make you appreciate the modern tools even more. The problem is when people have all the tools you could ever want and still do a bad job... nothing is going to fix that except an actual professional. The fact is modern tools have allowed him to work and get alot more done at his age than he would have been able to do without them. Another big one is decking.... no hand nailing or bending over anymore you can get drill extensions and just walk around with it and fasten all your floor decking standing up.
@@Wingnut353 yeah these sure are the same people complaining about ergonomics and other efficiency improvements. Yeah go ahead and throw out your back, blow out your knees, and do it all slower just because it's "authentic".
@@rileywebb4178 This job works OK with the string line and tape measure and the hand tools and manpower the boys used "good looking Job" other work requires the bells and whistles that modern technology has to offer.The key to all of it the end is the experience of the workforce.
Tuesday morning and I'm watching a concrete job on UA-cam while in my apartment. Not sure how UA-cam figured I needed to watch such but it was refreshing. And the guy praising his employees- the best compliment ever! Thank you sir!
Beautiful job. All I could think when you were showing the end shots is how nice those will look with some low voltage surface lighting and some landscaping when it's all done, beautiful
Be real proud if that's your dad, they do some amazing work, congrats 👏👏👏 Tonight when he goes home give a big hug and big kiss, he deserves it after a long day at work, bravo👏👏👏
New Jersey here! I appreciate you showing us young boys how to be a man and professionally provide us with ingenious videos to help our society keep technical knowledge in the States! Thank you, keep pourin’ and God Bless you! 🇺🇸
I love hearing people say "they don't build em like they used to" Nope, not in construction. These stairs will last so many more years than anything built decades ago. Well done.
I was a monk in Thailand for 2 years. At our temple we did a lot of construction working with concrete. The monks at our temple are very skillful with concrete. So I always like to watch videos like this because it shows great craftsmanship and creativity. Thank you!
I like the retaining block (“caisson”) built into the slope, but the earth looks pretty loose & potentially unstable longterm. Also there seems to be no spacer blocks to keep the reinforcement off the ground, no vibro-compaction of the concrete, and no expansion/control joints for such a long length pour. It may only be a set of stairs, and have a nice finish, but I doubt it’ll remain intact for very many years.
Super Hero - Are you versed in soil mechanics? The steep slope and presence of stones within the soil matrix would imply the upper layers of substrata were deposited by alluvial or glacial action. This cannot be considered stable, especially as it appears to be at or near the angle of repose. Additional pore water pressure from rainfall may be expected to produce slope instability in such circumstances. The basics of foundation design dictates carrying vertical loads down past any potentially unstable layers, and in bracing any horizontal or shear loads with suitable retaining structures that include weep holes to relieve temporary surges in groundwater pressure. I see no evidence of any proper consideration being given to these factors in the design of the staircase. I would therefore be pleased if you could expand on your expertise in this matter...
All I'm seeing is surface screeding, trowelling and texturing. Where is the internal compaction to remove air voids. Where is the sprayed curing compound to prevent moisture loss during curing.
The only way they wouldn't have needed control joints would have been to properly reinforce the stairs as if it was in a building... But to do a proper reinforcement of such a stair, you need to know where the "bearings are". Bzt with the completely unprepared soil and the absence of useful rebars (cause the rebars without spacer blocks, and probably surrounded by some dust are having almost no effect). The only professional part is the finishing of the surface which requires skilled labour. How is it possible that in the US so many things can be built without the involvement of an engineer? Here in Switzerland, there is no approval for construction without plans from a certified engineer, common sense for safe infrastructure, buildings and so on... Contractors in Switzerland execute what is on the engineer plans. Contractors don't improvise themselves as engineers here. And if I'm not mistaken, out workers go through a proper education in their field (apprenticeship of 4 years)... And if I'm not mistaken, that isn't the case in the US. Therefore I don't understand how one can be so self confident to just do such a stair without professional advisory.
fabien Tre - True, but you do pay a price for higher standards. According to what I’ve read domestic buildings cost 50% more per square metre in Switzerland than the USA. Some of that is no doubt due to economies of scale and cheaper methods of construction, but even so there is a balance to be found between costs and standards. But in the case of this staircase, the balance seems to have swung way too far towards the former.
There is something oddly satisfying about seeing pros doing what they do best. I've laid concrete myself, numerous times, and am jealous of those who make finishing it look easy.
The addition of a caisson to secure the structure and stop the weight shifting the whole staircase was a very professional decision. I am not a builder btw. Its just youTube has recommended so many concrete videos to me that these days I know quite a bit about it. Excellent work.
@@brownie3454 thats the typical average wage of a normal laborer here in our province.. 6-8 minumun 9-10 the boss is in good mood 11-15 skilled/ foreman But I don't know on the rest of my country.
Beautiful and excellent craftsmanship.I tried looking through comments but did not see my question.Why no landings?that is a huge set of stairs does code not require landings after so many steps?thats quite a tumble without much of a pause.
I'm in Australia and mate it's crazy watching how different you guys concrete in the states. Just to be clear I'm NOT saying saying crazy in a bad way nor that our ways are better or right it's just different. Looks awesome!!
Good call on the caisson, though it's more of a key... I know a lot of engineers, especially young ones, kind of gloss over cip stairs as though they're just flatwork, but on a situation like this the sliding action can really add up and result in some significant forces at the bottom. I think they forget that a typical stair detail is poured over sloped soil, and isn't stepped like a building's footing would be. Do you ever have inspection issues with the max length of the stair and not having intermediate landings?
Absolutely beautiful !! Been pouring flatwork in central Illinois for 36 years Never done a set of stairs that big ( I think 20 was my largest ) I know what it takes to make them right & you guys are artists !! Enjoyed the video Keep up the great work
Don't know how i got here from Fishing but i saw the stair's and had to see how they were built and was not disappointed. Good staff makes jobs like this look easy it's clear you enjoy what you do, that's important. 🙂
Loved watching this video & great narration & shout outs to your team. Very satisfying to watch it done so well. (Came here from the Popular Mechanics article/email that featured this video.)
Dont you have any regulations as to the maximum amount of risers in a single flight? Here in Australia we have a maximum of 18 risers, any more and you must have a landing.
I have the same question too. A slip of foot could cause a serious injury or even death with that many risers-I have counted at least 23 of them. If I were to design this stairway, I would have made it in a somewhat L-shape with a landing after 12~13 risers. Nonetheless, the workers did a remarkable job finishing that concrete.
@@stuwest3653 You are absolutely right, but I believe there should be some additional clarification. In California, there are no regulations regarding the maximum number of risers but rather the maximum number of risers is constrained by the height between two landings-the height between two landings shall not exceed 12 feet. It is possible to achieve the maximum number of 36 stairs if and only if the height of each riser is 4 inches which is the absolute minimum height for a riser in CA building code. However, even though the 36 staircase in which each riser is 4 inches high is up to code, I believe that it should not be encouraged unless there is no other way to do the job, for such a staircase raises a lot of safety concerns. I am not a contractor nor an architect, I am just a random person who is concerned about the well-being of others. Thank you for the reply.
That's the first thing I thought. They must have different regs over there I guess. Still a looks like a lot of steps to fall down whatever their code says.
Nice job, steps are a pain. Here is a trick I learned, to pull the rise forms early enough to finish, I'd place a 3/8" rebar 1" down from the step run and 1" in from the rise... At the edge. Placed them while closing up the run with the mag. Prevents the step from sagging while working the finish. Again, nicely done, glad you tied into the existing pad with rebar.
The type of concrete they used is reinforced with fibers to hold its shape while it is still setting and green. Going overboard with rebar can be detrimental to concrete in the long run because water will always find a way in over time. The water makes the rebar rust, which expands up to 4 times its diameter and cracks the concrete.
Your steps look amazing. Your steps and landings look solid and clean on the sides where he is taking a trowel to it and sealing it. Later, a broom was used to smooth and seal. Our new concrete steps are not smooth and sealed on the sides. They are very pitted and aerated and bits crack off easily from the bottom side already after only 2 months. Is there a way to seal the sides to prevent erosion? We have paver overlay on top and on the face of the steps. I would hate for the concrete base to fail under the pavers. These steps were poured new by our landscapers who I don't completely trust with concrete work after seeing your video. You do wonderful work.
Not question about the finish look , but as always the question is if the landscaping crew was careful enough not to screw it up Regarding the crew size , in my opinion one only needs enough guys that love what they do , and it will show on the end product , well done
Nicely done! Im a commercial concrete contractor here in NYC (4th generation). I specialize in deep foundations and superstructure concrete and site concrete as well. A little trick I do is lay a sheet of 6 mil poly under the steps. It allows the concrete to slide nicely as your pouring from the top..
For exterior concrete on grade you should really use a drainage layer of 3/4” crushed stone below the concrete (6” typ.), epoxy coated rebar or WWF and ensure that the concrete has the appropriate air content. Lastly make sure you consolidate with vibrates or at least rodding.
I would love to see those projects after they got integrated in the landscape by the owner. I know this delays videos *a lot* but it would an awesome feature :) Or maybe a second, short update video. Maybe you like to check on the stairs in some weeks anyways
Excellent work!! This team are masters of "Liquid Rock". I've done a few poured stairs in my youth and an old timer showed me a trick in which the bottom of the riser form is beveled at a 45 degree angle to allow the finishing trowel to get to the very back of the tread where it meets the bottom of the concrete riser. This allows the forms to stay in place a little longer and therefore reduce the risk of stripping the forms and possibly causing a slump in the pour. But obviously your means & methods and results speak for themselves. Kudos to all involved!! Peace.
Too Right Done Right. That’s perfect 👌 great job Thanks for sharing. It’s refreshing to see people/companies like you that take pride in the job and ensure passionately that your client gets a quality job. You’ll go a long way .. word of mouth will keep you busy 👍👍👌
This stairway is magnificent, I've done some concrete work but nothing compared to this. My one job that I remember best is a Basketball court we did for one of the Detroit Pistons, here in Flint, Michigan. We had to wheelbarrow all the concrete about a hundred yards, from the street to the back yard, it came out perfect but I'd never do another. The homeowner was very happy with the results, that was the most important part. Thanks for sharing, it brought back some good memories.
You work with talented people 👌paying attention to details 💯. I want to know something... How many hours has to pass smooth the surface and the brush the same?
Great work buddy. Thanks for the tip on the caisson to lock the staircase in place. Getting ready to build a smaller run at our lake property. The bottom drain definitely a great idea I'll be putting in as well.
Great job on those stairs! That crew you have is top notch! All these you- tubers putting crap on UA-cam trying to get views and you got over 1.2 million on the “ construction of stairs “! I love it for you!👍
As always great job and the result, you must have a civil engineering degree dude, so much knowledge and the years all combined, you are the master concrete man. I salute you, amazing, you also giving so much information too.
What a great job! Can't believe 46 haters disliked this. I don't know much about concrete, but I was thinking wouldn't it have been a good idea to add a few Joints? or saw cut Joints? To reduce the likeliness of shrink cracking
Very straight and clean! Very professional crew. Only downside is the excess dirt of the left side , facing uphill- more slope and stepping will be required and it makes it harder for the landscaper to remove that dirt without messing up your masterpiece.
I've tried explaining that to superintendents before. They can throw 20 carpenters to help 3 finishers pour and finish 100 yards but it really makes no difference
Fantastic work. This has to be the first construction project video I watched where some know-it-all internet expert does not have something to say in the comments of how the job was not done right. Faith in humanity restored.
LOL Brother NEVER wish to be involved with anything related to concrete. Cancerous dust, super loud machinery, grout hoses, pumps and your clothes/washing machine are destroyed quite quickly. Absolutely filthy all day long. Those laborers would rather be sitting in A/C, in a truck I promise you.
One always wants what one has not. I was an electrition, and wanted to become an architect. Now i am an architect, but want to be out on the field- building stuff. RIP
@@Bosse_C that's true. Although I'm only 25 and can't picture myself doing this much longer. Im gonna maintain my CDL but I'm saving for trade school. I'd love to be an electrician hands on work is what I want to do.
Hi we do flat work up here in the nw Portland Oregon metro area you and your crew do great work would work with you guys any day just curious what you pay your guys per day and the full time guys I pay my finishers from 200 to 300 to 400 not all work the same
How do you both come up with the pay for your guys? By the yard? or hourly rate? or a flat fee for the day no matter how long or how quick they complete the job on that day. Thanks
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete okay cool I have no experience in concrete work personally, but my friend/Dad runs a pool business from replastering to one off custom builds. For a chip out jobs it's a set price per person up to a certain size pool and the Crew will do 8 to 12 pools per week Monday through Thursday and then on Friday the crew will replaster all the chip outs from that week and they get paid per pool to replaster them starting out at $100 per pool and I have been told that is really high price but those guys are the reason his business is where it's at today. Without them there is no business plain and simple if a owner says something different his business is on borrowed time
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete It's easy for an old fart like myself to critique someones work, having been through the same, but I often regret not following up with appropriate complements. Good work from skilled men!
Mark Jones that’s what I was thinking. Something that big you’re bound to get some cracks if not in a few weeks then give it a year or two. Though I doubt it gets cold enough to freeze water here
jackson spry ha! Well Californians don’t really know about freezing, but we do know about hillsides. They move. The title should not be “done right” instead it should be “client rich enough to redo it every 3 years.”
Mark Jones concrete cracks at its weakest point, which in a staircase is where the back of the tread meets the bottom of the riser. The rebar holds it all together
top notch quality from here on the right coast - great job. cannot underestimate your team - in this case, philipe and javier - true craftsman! you are lucky bro
The workman ship looks great. I like they way you use your employee's names, it makes it more personal and gives them the credit they are due. If it was my home I'd want a landing half way up, just big enough for me to lie down and rest for a while.
I was thinking the same thing. A rest landing half way up would be nice (and perhaps required by Code). Hopefully someone came in afterwards and added a handrail! Great workmanship.
The IBC requires a 3' landing for every 12 ft in rise. This is also for safety so you don't fall all the way down. How did you get around this requirement?
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete Are building regs different for the back of house, or is it you think inspector won't see it, oh wait you posted it on you tube lol. Nice work tho, unsafe imo front or back of house I would be worried bout a law suit , unless of course your local code allows that which I doubt . Would love to see a better answer than back of house from "real professionals"
I had a long set of stairs I did many years ago, and used an almost identical set up system. Used to use chain saw bar oil on the forms, but switched to some of the plastic stretch film on the boards. Nothing sticks to it and the boards fall off. Glad I don't do concrete any more...
a lot of hard work but it came out really nice !!!!! it would be nice to see a video when the whole project is done with all the different contractors !!!!!! i like to see how it all tied together !!!! thanks for sharing !!!
Gordon Shearston we have to put them around 14 risers here in the US. My guess is that this was an exception because there is no room in the run for a landing, and it is a back entrance, not a primary entrance.
I'll never be able to give you business being from the UK but damn that's some quality work. I hope you guys get many jobs from this as its impressive work.
Is there no regulation in CA that limits the number of steps you can have on a straight flight of stairs ? Here in Ireland you need to have a landing every 16 steps on a flight of stairs to limit injury to say someone falling down the stairs I.e . They stop falling on the landing.
@@mattschoular8844 I was thinking the same thing .. I know as a carpenter .. Inside of a residence on a staircase that long . There better be an interrupting landing ,, All in all I appreciate the workmanship
West Coast Custom Concrete everyone on UA-cam is mainly showing flat concrete work. You on the other hand are doing some really crazy stuff!! Thanks for sharing your work.
That is right! What a feeling when the work day ends with that kind of result. Not many things in the world feel better. Nice craftsmanship guys. Great team.
not sure why youtube's algorithm recommended this to me but it is really enjoyable to watch!
👍
Because everybody needs a stairway to heaven.
Right. I was like what the hell?? About halfway into I was damn I need to see the end of this and was not disappointed.
Spot on!
west coast customs... did you watch a gta vid recently
Great job. So nice to hear a boss talk up his crew. It matters.
Thank You! I appreciate my crew 👍
Fernando Chavez how long do I wait to pull forms off , so I can finish the sides ?
Crew lives matters.☺
@@ericszulkowski4318 You can remove them just after few hours (if the surface feels hard), but its better to wait atleast 12 hours in my opinion.
@@azzorzer you're gonna have one hell of a patchy staircase if you wait 12 hours. You cant do any finishing after 12 hours
ive worked with concrete for years. this is absolutely clinical. picking a team like this is a big part of getting that finish. great work guys!
Thanks for watching bro 👊
Beautiful. I've been doing concrete for 23 years and let me tell you... it don't get any better than that.
same, these guys covered all the bases, great Idea with the locking section they dug into the hill, Im gonna steal that one.
Right on! Thank you.
@@richardcox8409 👍
Lame aah job
@@1lowtrade id like to see you do better you little pleb sniff
You dont see that too often when people pay attention to details, looks like that whole group has it. Bravo. 👏
Thanks bro!
His team dont mess around all those guys are locked in .
@@eduardcornelis8162 👍
whitemanbrownworld huh? You don’t think they do concrete work in Mexico?? Lol give credit where it’s do.
This might escalade fast with racism remarks 😬😬
The chances of me laying cement is zero but I watched the whole thing.
Way harder than it looks. These guys are magicians.
There's definitely an art to it.
It is not cement. It is concrete.
@@robertgibson4494 And they are "placing" it
@@robertgibson4494 its semen
You say “no easy way to do it” and you guys make it look so easy. I bet this homeowner super happy with how good it turned out.
Thanks bro! I appreciate my crew 👍
This is what I love to see. Professionals using the normal tools of their trade to make work that shows you do not need thousand dollar laser levels and crazy tools to do expert work. Honestly most of the pro's around where I live seem to want to charge you more just to see them use some fancy useless device when good old fashion hand tools will work out so much better and faster in the end. Well done on a great job.
Lol no, modern. Tools and lasers make life way easier
you sir are an idiot go chisel stone with another stone,or build a fire with two sticks,sounds like that is what you prefer
My grandpa is a general contractor most of his life at this point (he's 80 now) and still does work around on his properties. He bought a laser scope about 15 years ago and he still loves that thing... you can be a professional with a "level in your head" and that is just going to make you appreciate the modern tools even more. The problem is when people have all the tools you could ever want and still do a bad job... nothing is going to fix that except an actual professional. The fact is modern tools have allowed him to work and get alot more done at his age than he would have been able to do without them. Another big one is decking.... no hand nailing or bending over anymore you can get drill extensions and just walk around with it and fasten all your floor decking standing up.
@@Wingnut353 yeah these sure are the same people complaining about ergonomics and other efficiency improvements. Yeah go ahead and throw out your back, blow out your knees, and do it all slower just because it's "authentic".
@@rileywebb4178 This job works OK with the string line and tape measure and the hand tools and manpower the boys used "good looking Job"
other work requires the bells and whistles that modern technology has to offer.The key to all of it the end is the experience of the workforce.
Tuesday morning and I'm watching a concrete job on UA-cam while in my apartment. Not sure how UA-cam figured I needed to watch such but it was refreshing. And the guy praising his employees- the best compliment ever! Thank you sir!
Thanks bro
Beautiful job. All I could think when you were showing the end shots is how nice those will look with some low voltage surface lighting and some landscaping when it's all done, beautiful
👊
That's my DaD!😊
Be real proud if that's your dad, they do some amazing work, congrats 👏👏👏
Tonight when he goes home give a big hug and big kiss, he deserves it after a long day at work, bravo👏👏👏
@@FranciscoWuerta Thank you!
Youre dad should make you proud. He is a what Makes humanity great.
@@FranciscoWuerta my wife's dad has the same name...Francisco Huerta. Cool deal.
He did some amazing work. Very cool and clearly very skilled.
New Jersey here! I appreciate you showing us young boys how to be a man and professionally provide us with ingenious videos to help our society keep technical knowledge in the States! Thank you, keep pourin’ and God Bless you! 🇺🇸
Thank you loni👊
I’d love to see the finished product, with landscaping and railing included.
I have to go back and video it. I just haven't had time
I would have expected the hand rail mounting hardware would have been part of the casting. Very nice job BTW.
I love hearing people say "they don't build em like they used to"
Nope, not in construction. These stairs will last so many more years than anything built decades ago.
Well done.
Thank you!
no they will not
You hired the wrong builders. You get what you pay for.
@@bradbutcher3984 what just because you and your illegal buddies couldnt do that job?
@@ljilhk you are a master mason now?
I was a monk in Thailand for 2 years. At our temple we did a lot of construction working with concrete. The monks at our temple are very skillful with concrete. So I always like to watch videos like this because it shows great craftsmanship and creativity. Thank you!
Thanks bro 👊
I like the retaining block (“caisson”) built into the slope, but the earth looks pretty loose & potentially unstable longterm. Also there seems to be no spacer blocks to keep the reinforcement off the ground, no vibro-compaction of the concrete, and no expansion/control joints for such a long length pour. It may only be a set of stairs, and have a nice finish, but I doubt it’ll remain intact for very many years.
Super Hero - Are you versed in soil mechanics? The steep slope and presence of stones within the soil matrix would imply the upper layers of substrata were deposited by alluvial or glacial action. This cannot be considered stable, especially as it appears to be at or near the angle of repose. Additional pore water pressure from rainfall may be expected to produce slope instability in such circumstances. The basics of foundation design dictates carrying vertical loads down past any potentially unstable layers, and in bracing any horizontal or shear loads with suitable retaining structures that include weep holes to relieve temporary surges in groundwater pressure. I see no evidence of any proper consideration being given to these factors in the design of the staircase. I would therefore be pleased if you could expand on your expertise in this matter...
All I'm seeing is surface screeding, trowelling and texturing. Where is the internal compaction to remove air voids. Where is the sprayed curing compound to prevent moisture loss during curing.
yeah, also this stairs will be slippy after a couple of rain...
The only way they wouldn't have needed control joints would have been to properly reinforce the stairs as if it was in a building...
But to do a proper reinforcement of such a stair, you need to know where the "bearings are".
Bzt with the completely unprepared soil and the absence of useful rebars (cause the rebars without spacer blocks, and probably surrounded by some dust are having almost no effect).
The only professional part is the finishing of the surface which requires skilled labour.
How is it possible that in the US so many things can be built without the involvement of an engineer?
Here in Switzerland, there is no approval for construction without plans from a certified engineer, common sense for safe infrastructure, buildings and so on... Contractors in Switzerland execute what is on the engineer plans. Contractors don't improvise themselves as engineers here.
And if I'm not mistaken, out workers go through a proper education in their field (apprenticeship of 4 years)... And if I'm not mistaken, that isn't the case in the US. Therefore I don't understand how one can be so self confident to just do such a stair without professional advisory.
fabien Tre - True, but you do pay a price for higher standards. According to what I’ve read domestic buildings cost 50% more per square metre in Switzerland than the USA. Some of that is no doubt due to economies of scale and cheaper methods of construction, but even so there is a balance to be found between costs and standards. But in the case of this staircase, the balance seems to have swung way too far towards the former.
There is something oddly satisfying about seeing pros doing what they do best. I've laid concrete myself, numerous times, and am jealous of those who make finishing it look easy.
👊
The addition of a caisson to secure the structure and stop the weight shifting the whole staircase was a very professional decision. I am not a builder btw. Its just youTube has recommended so many concrete videos to me that these days I know quite a bit about it. Excellent work.
Thanks for watching bro 👍
I've done concrete work in the past and let me tell you, your crew has world-class skill!
👍
**pays them $8**
@@brownie3454 thats the typical average wage of a normal laborer here in our province..
6-8 minumun
9-10 the boss is in good mood
11-15 skilled/ foreman
But I don't know on the rest of my country.
Taking pride in doing it right! That's some serious workmanship right there. I can see why you are called "the best in the west". Way to go!
Right on!👍
Beautiful and excellent craftsmanship.I tried looking through comments but did not see my question.Why no landings?that is a huge set of stairs does code not require landings after so many steps?thats quite a tumble without much of a pause.
I'm in Australia and mate it's crazy watching how different you guys concrete in the states. Just to be clear I'm NOT saying saying crazy in a bad way nor that our ways are better or right it's just different. Looks awesome!!
👍
The main ingredient here is hard working Hispanic people that love and enjoy what they do.
What's different about doing concrete in Australia?
Well the concrete itself, the way the Americans screed and the screeds themselves, the rebar spacing and placement ect all little things
That would be a great help Steve but unfortunately unlike America we have to be politically correct in Australia or people will be offended 😂
Good call on the caisson, though it's more of a key... I know a lot of engineers, especially young ones, kind of gloss over cip stairs as though they're just flatwork, but on a situation like this the sliding action can really add up and result in some significant forces at the bottom. I think they forget that a typical stair detail is poured over sloped soil, and isn't stepped like a building's footing would be. Do you ever have inspection issues with the max length of the stair and not having intermediate landings?
This job passed inspection. I built it according to the approved engineered city plans.
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete The inspector and the city planners must be taking a kickback, or they are not qualified if they approved this build.
Absolutely beautiful !! Been pouring flatwork in central Illinois for 36 years Never done a set of stairs that big ( I think 20 was my largest )
I know what it takes to make them right & you guys are artists !! Enjoyed the video Keep up the great work
Hey thanks Anthony👊💯
There's nothing more satisfying than being able to look back at the job you have done, done well, now that feels good😌❗️
👍
Don't know how i got here from Fishing but i saw the stair's and had to see how they were built and was not disappointed.
Good staff makes jobs like this look easy it's clear you enjoy what you do, that's important. 🙂
Lol. Thank you!
Loved watching this video & great narration & shout outs to your team. Very satisfying to watch it done so well. (Came here from the Popular Mechanics article/email that featured this video.)
Really that's cool bro 💯 thanks for watching bro 👊
Dont you have any regulations as to the maximum amount of risers in a single flight? Here in Australia we have a maximum of 18 risers, any more and you must have a landing.
I have the same question too. A slip of foot could cause a serious injury or even death with that many risers-I have counted at least 23 of them. If I were to design this stairway, I would have made it in a somewhat L-shape with a landing after 12~13 risers. Nonetheless, the workers did a remarkable job finishing that concrete.
@@stuwest3653 You are absolutely right, but I believe there should be some additional clarification. In California, there are no regulations regarding the maximum number of risers but rather the maximum number of risers is constrained by the height between two landings-the height between two landings shall not exceed 12 feet. It is possible to achieve the maximum number of 36 stairs if and only if the height of each riser is 4 inches which is the absolute minimum height for a riser in CA building code. However, even though the 36 staircase in which each riser is 4 inches high is up to code, I believe that it should not be encouraged unless there is no other way to do the job, for such a staircase raises a lot of safety concerns. I am not a contractor nor an architect, I am just a random person who is concerned about the well-being of others. Thank you for the reply.
@Victor Murat My point, exactly.
You're not the Andrew Johnson who did building diploma or associate diploma at Ultimo Tafe many years ago, are you?
That's the first thing I thought. They must have different regs over there I guess. Still a looks like a lot of steps to fall down whatever their code says.
Nice job, steps are a pain. Here is a trick I learned, to pull the rise forms early enough to finish, I'd place a 3/8" rebar 1" down from the step run and 1" in from the rise... At the edge. Placed them while closing up the run with the mag.
Prevents the step from sagging while working the finish.
Again, nicely done, glad you tied into the existing pad with rebar.
Nice
The type of concrete they used is reinforced with fibers to hold its shape while it is still setting and green. Going overboard with rebar can be detrimental to concrete in the long run because water will always find a way in over time. The water makes the rebar rust, which expands up to 4 times its diameter and cracks the concrete.
Your steps look amazing. Your steps and landings look solid and clean on the sides where he is taking a trowel to it and sealing it. Later, a broom was used to smooth and seal. Our new concrete steps are not smooth and sealed on the sides. They are very pitted and aerated and bits crack off easily from the bottom side already after only 2 months. Is there a way to seal the sides to prevent erosion? We have paver overlay on top and on the face of the steps. I would hate for the concrete base to fail under the pavers. These steps were poured new by our landscapers who I don't completely trust with concrete work after seeing your video. You do wonderful work.
Hi thanks for watching 👍 you can have a concrete guy sack and patch the sides and it will look awesome 💯
Not question about the finish look , but as always the question is if the landscaping crew was careful enough not to screw it up
Regarding the crew size , in my opinion one only needs enough guys that love what they do , and it will show on the end product , well done
Thanks bro! I wouldn't vouch for many contractors but the landscaper was good.
Absolutely gorgeous work you're not boasting when you say best in the west
Gave credit to your crew too damn good
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Nicely done! Im a commercial concrete contractor here in NYC (4th generation). I specialize in deep foundations and superstructure concrete and site concrete as well. A little trick I do is lay a sheet of 6 mil poly under the steps. It allows the concrete to slide nicely as your pouring from the top..
Thanks for watching bro 👊
For exterior concrete on grade you should really use a drainage layer of 3/4” crushed stone below the concrete (6” typ.), epoxy coated rebar or WWF and ensure that the concrete has the appropriate air content.
Lastly make sure you consolidate with vibrates or at least rodding.
I would love to see those projects after they got integrated in the landscape by the owner. I know this delays videos *a lot* but it would an awesome feature :)
Or maybe a second, short update video. Maybe you like to check on the stairs in some weeks anyways
I want to do that.
Don’t know what I appreciate more... the finished product or the play by play commentary!
Thanks for watching Tyler👍
Nice work but I have a question why didn't you make a rest area in the middle
I built it to the plans the architect drew.
I was always wanting to learn this
You can not imagine how much you made me feel joyful.
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Excellent work!! This team are masters of "Liquid Rock". I've done a few poured stairs in my youth and an old timer showed me a trick in which the bottom of the riser form is beveled at a 45 degree angle to allow the finishing trowel to get to the very back of the tread where it meets the bottom of the concrete riser. This allows the forms to stay in place a little longer and therefore reduce the risk of stripping the forms and possibly causing a slump in the pour. But obviously your means & methods and results speak for themselves. Kudos to all involved!! Peace.
Nice
Too Right Done Right. That’s perfect 👌 great job Thanks for sharing. It’s refreshing to see people/companies like you that take pride in the job and ensure passionately that your client gets a quality job. You’ll go a long way .. word of mouth will keep you busy 👍👍👌
Thanks bro 👍
I had no reason to watch this but watched it all, those are some nice stairs right there. Well done team, you guys are awesome.
Thanks bro
This stairway is magnificent, I've done some concrete work but nothing compared to this. My one job that I remember best is a Basketball court we did for one of the Detroit Pistons, here in Flint, Michigan. We had to wheelbarrow all the concrete about a hundred yards, from the street to the back yard, it came out perfect but I'd never do another. The homeowner was very happy with the results, that was the most important part. Thanks for sharing, it brought back some good memories.
Thanks for watching Bobby 👊💯
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete ,
The pleasure was all mine, thank you for sharing.
I am so impressed by your craftsmanship!
Thanks for watching bro 👍
You work with talented people 👌paying attention to details 💯. I want to know something... How many hours has to pass smooth the surface and the brush the same?
3 hrs
Great work buddy. Thanks for the tip on the caisson to lock the staircase in place. Getting ready to build a smaller run at our lake property. The bottom drain definitely a great idea I'll be putting in as well.
Thanks for watching Daniel 👍
Ok, I'm in. I want a staircase.
Problem is, my house is a car.
Been there
_haha_ who hasn't
Let's Park it in a hill.. and do the stairs from the foot of that hill towards the curb. 😁
Beautiful, so satisfying to see such perfection and care put into an art of installation
Thank you!
Great job on those stairs! That crew you have is top notch! All these you- tubers putting crap on UA-cam trying to get views and you got over 1.2 million on the “ construction of stairs “! I love it for you!👍
I really appreciate it 👊
As always great job and the result, you must have a civil engineering degree dude, so much knowledge and the years all combined, you are the master concrete man. I salute you, amazing, you also giving so much information too.
Thanks bro!
What a great job! Can't believe 46 haters disliked this. I don't know much about concrete, but I was thinking wouldn't it have been a good idea to add a few Joints? or saw cut Joints? To reduce the likeliness of shrink cracking
You mean 46 virgins. Lol. I've poured a lot of staircases and cut joints both ways. Thanks for watching 👍
Very straight and clean! Very professional crew. Only downside is the excess dirt of the left side , facing uphill- more slope and stepping will be required and it makes it harder for the landscaper to remove that dirt without messing up your masterpiece.
Thanks for watching Milton. Check out the return video I did. The thumbnail is return to the concrete stairway to heaven 👍
That is absolutely incredible looking. And you are correct: you can fling an army at a project but they will just get in the way.
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I've tried explaining that to superintendents before. They can throw 20 carpenters to help 3 finishers pour and finish 100 yards but it really makes no difference
Good to see something other than driveway additions.
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Fantastic work. This has to be the first construction project video I watched where some know-it-all internet expert does not have something to say in the comments of how the job was not done right. Faith in humanity restored.
No doubt!! Thanks for watching 👍
I'm a trucker. Sitting here getting unloaded for 4 hours this has me wishing I chose a different profession. This was interesting to waych
Right on! Thanks bro 👍
LOL Brother NEVER wish to be involved with anything related to concrete. Cancerous dust, super loud machinery, grout hoses, pumps and your clothes/washing machine are destroyed quite quickly. Absolutely filthy all day long. Those laborers would rather be sitting in A/C, in a truck I promise you.
One always wants what one has not. I was an electrition, and wanted to become an architect. Now i am an architect, but want to be out on the field- building stuff. RIP
I must learn to be greatfull for what I have
@@Bosse_C that's true. Although I'm only 25 and can't picture myself doing this much longer. Im gonna maintain my CDL but I'm saving for trade school. I'd love to be an electrician hands on work is what I want to do.
This came out awesome man, well thought out and executed!
(Mason of 15 years: concrete brick block stone pavers etc)
Thank you 👍
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing and showing love to the skilled workers making builds on point back to back. I'm sure the guys respect you
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I dont know how people can dislike this kind of video 🤔 there showing knowledge for free 💯
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Hi we do flat work up here in the nw Portland Oregon metro area you and your crew do great work would work with you guys any day just curious what you pay your guys per day and the full time guys I pay my finishers from 200 to 300 to 400 not all work the same
Thanks. You're welcome anytime! It's pretty much the same but 400 is a little steep.
How do you both come up with the pay for your guys? By the yard? or hourly rate? or a flat fee for the day no matter how long or how quick they complete the job on that day. Thanks
@@cntslesfabricationPer day.
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete okay cool I have no experience in concrete work personally, but my friend/Dad runs a pool business from replastering to one off custom builds. For a chip out jobs it's a set price per person up to a certain size pool and the Crew will do 8 to 12 pools per week Monday through Thursday and then on Friday the crew will replaster all the chip outs from that week and they get paid per pool to replaster them starting out at $100 per pool and I have been told that is really high price but those guys are the reason his business is where it's at today. Without them there is no business plain and simple if a owner says something different his business is on borrowed time
@@cntslesfabrication I completely agree with you! I don't let anyone milk an hourly clock so I know what my labor costs are.
It looks really nice but do you not have codes about landings part way down the stairs? That wouldn’t pass inspection in central KY.
What they really need is a retaining wall for that mountain of dirt behind their house.
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Finally a concrete crew on UA-cam that looks like they really know what they're doing 👍
Thanks Mike 👊💯
Once again this was some of your best work. No one on UA-cam can touch this. A+ work.
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Your crew is extremely good.
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This was definitely done the right way!! You guys are true pros
Thanks bro
Been a concrete man for a long time, man I can appreciate this. Great execution. Great team. Well done boys.
Thanks for watching bro 👊
IBC and OSHA both require handrails?
Yes they do. The general contractor has a custom railing guy taking care of it. It wasn't in my contract.
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete It's easy for an old fart like myself to critique someones work, having been through the same, but I often regret not following up with appropriate complements. Good work from skilled men!
@@jackriley5974 I appreciate that. Thanks you for your input.
Seems like you would need a couple joints to control cracking?
Mark Jones that’s what I was thinking. Something that big you’re bound to get some cracks if not in a few weeks then give it a year or two. Though I doubt it gets cold enough to freeze water here
jackson spry ha! Well Californians don’t really know about freezing, but we do know about hillsides. They move. The title should not be “done right” instead it should be “client rich enough to redo it every 3 years.”
add joints where...
Mark Jones concrete cracks at its weakest point, which in a staircase is where the back of the tread meets the bottom of the riser. The rebar holds it all together
top notch quality from here on the right coast - great job. cannot underestimate your team - in this case, philipe and javier - true craftsman! you are lucky bro
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The workman ship looks great. I like they way you use your employee's names, it makes it more personal and gives them the credit they are due.
If it was my home I'd want a landing half way up, just big enough for me to lie down and rest for a while.
Thanks for noticing. I really appreciate my crew. As far as the landing goes, I built it to the plans. There's not much you can do on a 2:1 slope. lol
I was thinking the same thing. A rest landing half way up would be nice (and perhaps required by Code). Hopefully someone came in afterwards and added a handrail! Great workmanship.
@@sorensolveig599 The code requires handrails which the General Contractor is handling. I just built the stairs according to the city approved plans.
That's Quality concrete👍
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I'm starving here Anthony!! rewatching earlier vids to get my fix. Hope ya are getting so much deserved chill time on the beach!
Thanks Eric. I am🤫
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete that's goood to hear
@@T.E.P. 👊💯
That was top draw. Concrete is a hard thing to get right and they made that look easy. Really nice job
Thank you!
The IBC requires a 3' landing for every 12 ft in rise. This is also for safety so you don't fall all the way down. How did you get around this requirement?
This is the back of the house.
I figured someone noticed.
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete Are building regs different for the back of house, or is it you think inspector won't see it, oh wait you posted it on you tube lol.
Nice work tho, unsafe imo front or back of house I would be worried bout a law suit , unless of course your local code allows that which I doubt .
Would love to see a better answer than back of house from "real professionals"
Anythony, you and your crew did a fantastic job on these stairs. nothing better than watching great work being done by a tight crew. Carry On!
Thanks bro
I know nothing about pouring cement but that looked like a hella professional job.
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I had a long set of stairs I did many years ago, and used an almost identical set up system. Used to use chain saw bar oil on the forms, but switched to some of the plastic stretch film on the boards. Nothing sticks to it and the boards fall off. Glad I don't do concrete any more...
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As I have stated in other videos I Love watching these. Great to see a great group of people working so well together and going great work.
Thanks for watching Joe👊💯
@@WestCoastCustomConcrete always!! I specialize in historical masonry restoration in Detroit MI love seeing the amazing work!
@@jjfletcher1366 wow that's really cool 💯 thanks for watching bro 👊
What a beautiful job!! I would never live on the side of a hill like is. To much work to get in and out of the home.
Thank you! It blows my mind too. lol
Concrete stairs! Come up to lake arrowhead we need you! Great job again.
I'd love to go up there!
Great job and great job promoting your company! Solid work and solid professionalism.
Thanks bro
Great video. Thoroughly enjoyed watching that but I wish you made it longer though.
I will for sure.
Kick ass job looks great. I can tell you’re like me you take pride in your work done right
Hell yeah!
a lot of hard work but it came out really nice !!!!! it would be nice to see a video when the whole project is done with all the different contractors !!!!!! i like to see how it all tied together !!!! thanks for sharing !!!
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In Australia we have to put landings in around 14 risers
Gordon Shearston we have to put them around 14 risers here in the US. My guess is that this was an exception because there is no room in the run for a landing, and it is a back entrance, not a primary entrance.
@@AmericanaWoods In Germany the maximum of risers is 18!
@@florianspiel3763 wow Germany is hardcore
@@sasa1982uk those germans are tough! Lol
I'm sure this was not permitted and not inspected. We have building codes in America too, This is not built to life safety code.
Beautiful work!! Nice to see there's still some pros out there.
Thank you 👍
It really shows that you appreciate your employees. It's nice how you mention their names and give them praise. Beautiful stairway!
Thanks for watching bro 👊
I'll never be able to give you business being from the UK but damn that's some quality work. I hope you guys get many jobs from this as its impressive work.
Thanks bro
This is beautiful. Everyone is on the same page. Everyone knows what there doing. Awesome 👍
Thanks bro
Is there no regulation in CA that limits the number of steps you can have on a straight flight of stairs ? Here in Ireland you need to have a landing every 16 steps on a flight of stairs to limit injury to say someone falling down the stairs I.e . They stop falling on the landing.
I hope the homeowner plans to add some railing. That's long and painful fall if they slip.
By code you have to. The General Contractor has a custom railing guy.
A landing half way would have been a good idea. Otherwise it looks good
@@mattschoular8844 I built it according to the approved engineered city plans.
@@mattschoular8844 👍
@@mattschoular8844 I was thinking the same thing .. I know as a carpenter .. Inside of a residence on a staircase that long . There better be an interrupting landing ,, All in all I appreciate the workmanship
Nice job!!!!! Wish this was a 20 minute video.
Great comment! I'm going to start making them a bit longer.
West Coast Custom Concrete everyone on UA-cam is mainly showing flat concrete work. You on the other hand are doing some really crazy stuff!! Thanks for sharing your work.
That is right! What a feeling when the work day ends with that kind of result. Not many things in the world feel better. Nice craftsmanship guys. Great team.
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Very impressive. Workers know what they are doing. Keep these guys!
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Great work! 👍
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Your guys are the best!!! Southcoast masonary did did my place in HB, they spoke highly of you for big mud jobs.
Thanks bro
Either it doesn't rain much or they have a amazing drainage system. 😂 Great work
A little bit of both. It doesn't rain much and I installed a good drainage system.
You have some talented wonders, I’m sure they are well compensated.
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Pouring concrete up hill is no joke. Your guys make it look a lot easier than it is. Bravo on them. Fantastic work.
Thanks