Steps to door

[matt66]

My elderly neighbour had 3 steep steps to the front of her door. A builder convinced her that by converting it to 5 steps it would be easier to climb. Now there are 5 steps to the door but the height from ground level to door remains unchanged. So what is the benefit. After all the neighbour has to climb the same height as before irrespective of the number of steps it takes to get there. Is this a rip off from the builders?.

[sddsddean]

The total work done is the same, but it is 'easier' because you are doing it in 5 steps rather than 3. Imagine you had to load 100 bricks into a wheel barrow. You could not lift 100 bricks in one go, but you could lift them in one at a time, so it is easier.

[xx marti xx]

Your neighbour will not have to lift her feet as high each time either.Mobility is generally affected by age !

[coco pops]

It is also earier to fall down steep steps.

[johnnyedge]

Perhaps he was building a stairway to heaven?

Only joking, I can see the logic, the only thing that concerns me is did he bring the steps out further to keep the step area the same or have they now got 5 smaller steps over the same distance? Not very safe if the later is the case.

[rojash]

"So what is the benefit. After all the neighbour has to climb the same height as before irrespective of the number of steps"
By this reasoning he could have converted it to a single step without any detrimental effect.

[aviator]

Why didn't they just convert it into a gentle slope?