Should I trust a builder to install a carport beam here?

[ivanptr]

Hello brain trust,

Today I met with a carport builder for an onsite quote, and he mentioned that he will drill and install one of the beams through these stairs.

Does anyone have experience with this type of project and can provide some insight? Is it likely that he will crack the concrete around the drilling hole? If that happens , will it be an easy fix?

Thank you for any advice.

[Jason]

I suspect it will be hard for members to know what will happen to these old concrete steps if they are drilled into @ivanptr without knowing how well they are constructed. 

Are there other options? Obviously the stairs are designed to make it easier to get up to the house on a reasonably steep slope, so it seems better to avoid potentially damaging them unless they are going to be replaced.

Jason

[EricL]

Hello @ivanptr 

I don't advise drilling into your steps as we don't know how thick the concrete is. If it is thin, then it is pointless to mount the post on your steps as it will collapse. But if the post has to be in that position, I suggest digging into the ground and building a proper concrete footing for the post.

Another option is to install the post on your concrete driveway. Concrete driveways have to be a certain thickness in order to carry the load of the car. Generally, it is around 100mm in thickness even more when it is on a slope. But if your builder says it can't be installed on the driveway, then I strongly recommend making sure that the footing for your posts are done correctly.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[ivanptr]

Thank you so much for the advice; you're a legend.. @EricL 

After further discussion with the builder, he also opted to bolt down the post to the driveway instead of cutting the concrete stairs.