Installing a mailbox on the side of a stoop
I’m looking for someone to install a 3-unit mailbox on the side of a stoop. I imagine this would involve some masonry work, and maybe also some metalworking (to build a little peaked roof to keep the rain out). A related question: we considered installing the mailbox in the house, between the inner and outer…
I’m looking for someone to install a 3-unit mailbox on the side of a stoop. I imagine this would involve some masonry work, and maybe also some metalworking (to build a little peaked roof to keep the rain out).
A related question: we considered installing the mailbox in the house, between the inner and outer entry doors on the parlor level, but our mail carrier said the mailbox had to be outside. Is there any truth to this? I can understand that he wouldn’t want to climb the stairs at every house, but I’ve seen brownstones with indoor mailboxes.
Thanks in advance.
amnaia@gmail.com
We’ve got the Key Keeper in our place in Bushwick. The mailman uses the key to get in, and then walks out without locking it. My apartment was broken into today because of it. Lost a laptop, camera and iPod. Thanks USPS!
The lock for the outside of the key keeper is installled by USPS. So you can’t lock up you key on chain inside the key keeper until USPS put their lock on. Then USPS puts thier lock on the interior mailbox(es).
It’s a joint effort, both you and USPS/mailmail person have to be there together. You call, make appointment.
But once it’s done, USPS can open the outer door, put mail in the mailboxes AND leave packages for you inside the door. This is great if you not home durring day and don’t have a store or someplace close that will take packages for you.
Well, you might not want to put the key in the keykeeper until they install the lock on that…unless you don’t mind the key to your front door sitting in an unlocked box on your stoop waiting for usps maintenance to show up some day. Once it’s locked I guess you could get the mailperson to put the key in there and then put in another request at the post office for maintenance to come back and put in the lock on the mailboxes inside. That’s what we did, but so far they’ve never come back…Maybe there’s an easier way but we haven’t figured it out yet – please post if you figure it out!
i’m wondering why usps can’t just use the key in the keykeeper to let themselves in to install the lock on the mailbox? but thanks for the warning.
Just a warning – if you put the mailboxes inside and install a keykeeper (this is what we did on our 3-fam) usps maintenance needs to come and install a lock on the keykeeper AND on the mailboxes inside. In order to install the lock on the inside you need to be home to let them in – and they don’t make appointments! You just have to be there when they decide to show up…whenever that is. We installed the mailboxes and keykeeper in about July. We have yet to use them b/c weve never been home when they’ve come to put in the lock on the mailboxes – but we do have a lock on the keykeeper. I would go for the mailboxes below the stoop.
evidently, the delivery person has the right to refuse a change in the “original point of delivery”. you have to get permission from them move it up to the top of the stoop. i called usps and they confirmed it was the discretion of the delivery person. ours told us as they were about to break away the masonry to install the keykeeper. we pleaded with her and poured on sugar. she politely refused.
we put three small mailboxes on our gate under the stoop instead. make sure they will deliver to the new location, otherwise they will just slip it under the door or drop it through the gate at the original delivery point.
i just checked into this on my 3 family house recently. ‘technically’ you need to have secured (and waterproof) mailboxes on 3 unit houses and up. you can install the 3 unit mailbox btw the 2 entrance doors and install a key keeper on the outside of the house. once you install the key keeper, you need to call your local us post office and have them come and install a master lock on the key keeper. you can either put a key inside the key keeper or install a buzzer button for your mailman. a locksmith can do this for you. i got a quote for for $400-$450 for labor (surface mount only) and mailbox and key keeper but thinking of doing it myself because mailbox and keeper is about $125. i’m interested to hear if you found someone reasonable to do this.