All Forum Posts by: Rick Ribeiro

I agree with Brian, check with the building department. If you stop by and have an informal conversation with the photos that you posted, they will give you a quick answer as to the possibility of creating the parking. I do a lot of driveways in Westchester County, NY and almost all municipalities would not allow this type of parking area that is so detached from the main driveway. If they will consider it, it may require going before the planning board for approval. 

The first instinct is to look at an upward or downward slope as being the same thing, the only difference is where the access comes from. While they both will require alot of land work, retaining wall, possible switch back driveway, and most important a proper drainage system to prevent erosion and under mining, building on an up slope has a slight advantage. The advantage comes from the fact that when excavating on the up slope, more often than not you are constantly cutting into the terrain and much of the soil remains undisturbed, or at least what is disturbed is compacted with the excavator while creating access ramps, etc... This will translate to time saved in compaction of the disturbed soil. How much money that will save you is directly correlated to the size of the site, and the steepness of the slope. The steeper the slope, the more loose material will run down the slope while it is being excavated. This will translate to more time in the machines. I recommend talking to someone in your area that specializes in site work and have them take a look at the property in question. You will learn a lot about costs and what type of land and/or slopes will be more difficult to work. Site access and stabilization of soils can add a lot to the project costs. One last thing; make sure you have a well designed drainage system for the walls, slab, driveway, etc... Keep in mind that water run off will be greater as the slope increases and this must be dealt with correctly. In addition to surface water, underground water that will exert pressure on the walls must be captured and discharges away from the structures in order to avoid major headaches. 

How many risers are there?

Depending on the railing design, you may be able to weld a 1" or 1 1/4" tube on top of the railing handrail section, or if it is a traditional handrail replace the top handrail with a tube. It all comes down to how many steps and risers, and how long the railings are. Of course you can cut the rails and extend the vertical posts. I'm assuming the rails area wrought iron though.

A quick fix to this problem is to apply an overlay on the concrete steps that will correct the height of the risers. As a mason I install stamped concrete overlays on structurally sound concrete all the time. If you are not familiar with the process, find a mason in the area. Avoid just using cement as it will de-laminate. Use a fortified topping with a primer that is specifically manufactured for this purpose. It will be a quick fix, and a relatively low cost solution.