Dad says the front steps are fine. The steps may be fine for him on a good day, but the step is also the only way in, and that is the problem to solve. A ramp is the answer many families reach for, and the bids that come back can look random, with totals far apart. They are not random. Most of the money follows a few measurements, and the family can check those before anyone starts digging.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
The rise sets the length
The rise is the height from the ground at the bottom of the ramp to the threshold where the door sits. Everything else follows from it. Common guidance for accessible ramps in the United States is roughly one inch of rise for every twelve inches of run. A higher door needs a longer ramp, a longer ramp needs more material and more footing, and it usually needs a landing or two along the way. Measure the rise at the exact spot where the ramp would begin, not at the door, and write the number down in inches.
What else moves the number
Several items add cost even when the rise is modest. Landings are the flat sections at the top, at the bottom, and at any turn. A door that swings outward needs room on the landing so the door can open without striking the rail. The surface matters too. Wood decking, poured concrete, and manufactured aluminum kits each need different footings and different upkeep. Footing depth depends on the soil and the frost line where you are. Handrails can go on one side or both, and each side adds material and labor. Drainage matters because water that pools at the threshold causes trouble later, and a fix for it is its own line item. Removing the existing steps is labor. A narrow side yard, a slope that needs fill, or a long haul for materials can all raise the price.
The permit line
Ask who pulls the permit and whether the quote includes the inspection. The city and the county, and many suburbs, each run their own building office, so confirm which one covers your address before you compare bids. A ramp that reaches into the public right of way or changes how water runs off the lot can draw a different review. The contractor should be able to tell you which office applies and who schedules the inspection. If a bid says nothing about the permit, the permit is not in the bid.
Compare bids on the same drawing
Two bids are only comparable if they describe the same ramp. Give every contractor the same measurements and ask each one to write the same details: rise, total run, landing size, rail height and placement, the surface, footing depth and type, the drainage fix, removal of the old steps, the permit and inspection, and who does the cleanup. A bid that skips any of these items is not cheaper. It is incomplete. Ask for a rough sketch with the numbers on it.
Ask also whether the ramp can be lengthened later if the family needs a different slope, and whether the layout leaves room for a rail on both sides. Those questions often separate a bid that will hold up from one that will need a change order in the first month.
Where to start locally
If the budget is tight or the family is still deciding who pays, Local Help in St. Louis is a good place to find the local contacts you need before you request bids. Dad may want to keep the steps for now. A ramp he uses on his own terms is worth more than one that gets argued over, so bring him into the measuring and the choice of surface.
Next move
Tonight, measure the rise from the ground at the spot where the ramp would start up to the top of the door threshold. Write it in inches, and note which way the door swings. Then send that number, the swing direction, and a few photos of the steps to two contractors and ask both for the same written scope.