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Landscape Design

Steep front entry stairs

last year

Newer to us house has steep front stairs and limited access to front yard.
The stairs are steep to climb and the only access to the front yard is from the street or climbing rocks.
I would like to make them more gradual, bring them out about 10 feet and add midway access to the yard. I also want to make the yard a raised bed edible garden.
Ideally I would be able to do some of the project as DIY to manage cost.
Would be grateful for suggestions and any thoughts on budget.

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Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
You should be aware that a landscaping project involving redoing or reconfiguring hardscapes - stairways, landings, paths, retaining or rock walls - is going to be pricey and unless one is a very skilled and experienced DIY'er, not something easily accomplished by a homeowner. In my area, you would be looking at a $10-15K project, perhaps more, depending on materials selected..
Design Fan
last year
Given the slopes, consider paying for a professional design plan, then get job quotes. As you lengthen the stair run (likely by incorporating intermittent landings) you want to be sure the slope and stair heights mesh in order to create an access to the front yard and not create a runoff issue.

How do you want to use the front yard? The yard slope limits its usefulness. Have you considered leaving the steps/rocks as is and converting the front yard from grass to plantings?
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Fellow Seattleite here (or darn close to it :-)). It is unfortunate that you have two mildly to severely invasive plant species holding up your slope but they are doing the job. Removal may not be advised without some sort of shoring up as those root systems - as you have discovered - are tenacious! Pull them out and your slope collapses. You may be best served by just keeping on top of the growth of both plants. The laurel can be cut back very hard, so you could take it down shorter and continue to keep at a height that is reasonable for you. And that would hopefully prevent it from flowering, which is where much of its invasiveness derives (flowering - berries - birds spreading). And just keep the ivy trimmed back properly. Once or twice a season should do it. Don't let it climb the fence.....not good for the wood and when it climbs, it morphs into its flowering and fruiting form and then you have the same issues as with the laurels.
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So the first picture is at the bottom of the stairs with the entry door to the right, the second is just what you see when you are in front of the door, the third is going down the stairs towards the entry door and the last is at the top of the stairs. Is that correct? You could do something fun with the stairs themselves. If you removed the carpet you could paint or tile or do something fun on the risers. https://www.google.com/search?q=fun+risers&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS868US868&sxsrf=AOaemvLrTTujzCFJ2-wpYMaLqDomTT2q4A:1641327315930&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwim2oDd9Jj1AhWrSjABHcABCrEQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1400&bih=1276&dpr=1 If that is not an option you could add a runner and also hang some art on the stairway walls. https://www.google.com/search?q=runner+on+carpet+stairs&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj4varf9Jj1AhW1wikDHds_Dd4Q2-cCegQIABAA&oq=runner+on+carpet&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgYIABAIEB46BwgjEO8DECc6BAgAEEM6CwgAEIAEELEDEIMBOggIABCABBCxAzoICAAQsQMQgwE6BwgAELEDEEM6BggAEAUQHlDOBVjdHWDlO2gAcAB4AIABzAGIAY8YkgEGMC4xNi4xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=2KrUYfjxMLWFp8kP2_-08A0&bih=1276&biw=1400&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS868US868#imgrc=5qlsDIMQ473rCM https://www.google.com/search?q=art+in+narrow+stairway&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjF1vj39Jj1AhWLOd8KHRyYDtgQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=art+in+narrow+stairway&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoHCCMQ7wMQJzoGCAAQCBAeOgUIABCABDoICAAQsQMQgwE6CAgAEIAEELEDOgQIABBDOgcIABCxAxBDOgQIABAYUN0KWLhBYItEaAFwAHgAgAHrAYgBvCSSAQYwLjE1LjmYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=DKvUYcWgGYvz_AacsLrADQ&bih=1276&biw=1400&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS868US868
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Sigrid
last year
The most obvious plan is to make a big landing where the stairs meet the stone wall, about the space of the last 4 steps. Then, remove the shrub (you can always transplant it). You might need to remove some of the rocks, because the new landing will need a longer run.

You can game out the options. It's worth noting, however, that if you need a professional to move rocks, having a much different stairs (more landings, longer, less steep) might not be that much more expensive than the minimum. That's why it's worth talking to a landscape designer.

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