Installing a precast concrete staircase in your basement is actually a fairly easy project for the advanced DIYer or anyone who can coordinate a couple of subcontractors. Doing so will add a watertight outlet to your basement, which in many cases is required to comply with local building codes during a remodel. Either way, this newly added entryway will add a lot more features to your home and base.

First of all, it’s probably a good idea to explain what precast concrete is. Precast concrete is simply concrete that has been mixed, formed and vibrated in a highly controlled “plant” type environment and then delivered or trucked to its final destination and installed. Even though some precast concrete products are much thinner than conventional “pour-in-place” applications, this does not mean that precast products are of lesser quality and, on the contrary, they are often much more durable.

To orchestrate this project, you’ll need to dig a hole, open a door in the foundation, and deliver and install the actual precast concrete bulkhead. The first step is to locate a distributor of precast concrete products. You can find a precast concrete dealer in your local phone book, or better yet, in your online yellow pages. Once you’ve located a reputable dealer, you need to visit the precast manufacturers showroom, which usually consists of a giant field filled with stairs, bulkheads, and manholes. You need to choose the right size and style for your project. A standard pre-made partition will usually cost less than $1000 and this includes the installation and the steel covering of the partition.

Once you’ve chosen the right product, be sure to request a worksheet or spec sheet that came with your particular product. This “spec sheet” will tell you how much digging needs to be done and what size gate your concrete cutter should cut into the foundation. Excavation can be done using various methods. You can either hand-dig it with a pick and shovel (not recommended), you can rent a small digger (about $300) from a tool rental crew and use the machine to dig it up, or you can call a professional excavation contractor and have they dig it for you (costs $300-$500). I highly recommend hiring a professional excavator for this part of the project. This process will take a professional less than a few hours and you can shop around for the best price. Please note: Be sure to notify the “DIG SAFE” program in your area and ask them to go out and locate any hidden underground utilities before you begin your dig. Also, keep in mind that your excavator will need to remove and dispose of approximately 50% of the dirt it removes from the hole because the bulkhead to be installed will take up that volume of space. If this is not feasible, you can use this land elsewhere on your property or you can give it to one of your neighbors. Either way, filler dirt is a much needed and sought after product. Hence the old saying: Phil Dirt… America’s Most Wanted Man.

Once the hole for the bulkhead has been successfully dug and the portion of the base to be cut has been exposed, you should clearly scribe the cut lines with a tape measure, a bright yellow wood crayon, and a spirit level. 4 feet, as indicated on the specification sheet. Now is the time to call a professional concrete cutter and find out their price and availability (cost is typically $425 +/- to cut and drop the piece). They will charge you an additional $100 or so to hammer the part into manageable pieces and up to $500 to remove the part from the site. To avoid scrapping and disposal charges, simply have your excavation contractor dig a “grave” for the concrete at the bottom of your excavation. This way, you can bury it and save yourself time, money, and hassle. Explain to the concrete cutter that you need a standard door for a bulkhead. Ask them how much they charge and when they can schedule their work. Ask them on a date in the morning. You will need to coordinate the concrete cutting and the installation of the bulkhead so that as soon as the concrete cutting is finished, the bulkhead is installed immediately. So now you can schedule the delivery and installation of your partition for approximately 12 noon. Most precast concrete manufacturers will do the installation for you at no additional cost or included in the price.

I recommend calling each of your subcontractors a day before you arrive just to verify there are no scheduling conflicts. This will minimize the number of problems that will occur and give you enough time to reschedule each subcontractor if one of them has a problem.

As soon as the bulkhead and metal bulkhead cover have been installed correctly, you will need to “refill” or replace the dirt that was removed from the hole. This can be done by hand with a shovel by an experienced do-it-yourselfer or you can arrange for your excavation contractor to return once installation is complete and do the backfill for you. It’s always a good idea to let this soil settle before adding topsoil or planting grass or flowers. The soil around the bulkhead should settle pretty well after several torrential rains.

Well, good luck and if you decide to tackle this project, congratulations. For more information on this topic, simply do a search for “precast”, “concrete cut”, or “bulkhead”. As always, feel free to check out our website below.

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