Replacing a cracked, sinking driveway
When an old driveway has sunk, split or holds puddles, it's usually the ground underneath that failed, so we tear it out and rebuild the base before pouring new.
Concrete driveway building in Prattville AL - a slab built for what you park on it
If your driveway is cracked, sinking or holding water, we'll pack a solid base and pour a slab that drains and carries what you park.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What goes into a new concrete driveway
Concrete driveway building in Prattville means we dig out the soft ground, pack and slope a firm base so water drains away, set forms and any steel, then pour a slab thick enough for what you park. Built that way, a driveway should stay flat and shed water for a long time.
What moves your price is mostly size, thickness and what's already there. A slab built for an RV costs more than one built for two cars, tearing out an old driveway adds to the job, steel in the slab adds a little, and a decorative finish costs more than a plain one.
The schedule turns on the weather, any permit your address needs and how long the slab has to cure, which is the slow hardening it does before it can carry weight. Your own number comes from the estimate at your place, not from a guess off a website.
Full time in concrete since 2013
I started out pouring walks and small slabs for neighbors and learned from the older hands I worked beside, then went full time in 2013, so I've seen what a soft base does to a driveway.
The owner runs the crew
I'm on site with our crew while the work happens, so the person who walked your yard and wrote the estimate is the one watching the base get packed.
Licensed and insured
The state's home builders licensing board covers anyone who builds or improves a home where labor and materials top $10,000, unless the work falls outside its reach. We're licensed and insured.
How our crew builds a concrete driveway
Before I write anything up, I ask what you'll park on it, because a work truck, a trailer or an RV changes how thick the slab and base need to be. Then we dig past the soft topsoil and pack the subgrade, the dirt and rock the slab sits on, sloped so water runs off toward the yard or street and not toward your house. That base is the part you can't see on day one, and it's the first place people want to save money. I'd cut the finish before I'd cut the base, because a nice top on dirt that was only raked level still settles and cracks. A broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives tires and shoes some grip, costs less than stamped concrete and does the job on a driveway.
We go over the control joints with you before the pour. Those are the cut lines that give the slab a planned place to crack, and they have to be cut on time, because late or skipped joints leave cracks wherever the slab decides. Forms, base and any rebar, the steel that ties a slab together, are set before the truck shows up, since concrete doesn't wait on anybody. If you'd like a concrete patio out back too, we can plan both so the slopes and joints work together.
Summer is the hard part around here. Average highs in Prattville sit around 91 degrees in July and August, and concrete that dries too fast in that heat can come out with a weak, dusty top. A sunny, windy afternoon is rougher on a fresh pour than a calm, humid morning, so in summer we try to pour in the cooler part of the day. We work the same way in Montgomery, Millbrook, Wetumpka, Pike Road, Clanton, Holtville and plenty of other cities around them.
Driveway jobs we get called for
A driveway for a new house
On a new lot we start from raw dirt, so we can set the slope, the base and the joints right from the beginning instead of working around old mistakes.
Widening for another car
If you've run out of room, we can add width or a turnaround beside the old slab and tie it in so the two sections sit and drain together.
A pad for a trailer or boat
A parking pad off the side of the driveway keeps a trailer, boat or camper off the grass, and we plan it for that weight like the rest of the slab.
Get a free driveway estimate on site
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the ground and measure it myself, and the estimate is free with no obligation.
Have a rough size handy
A rough length and width, or just how many cars it needs to hold, lets us talk about your driveway on the first call instead of starting from nothing.
Tell us what you park
Mention any work truck, trailer, boat or RV in the form, since what sits on the slab changes the plan and I want it in the estimate from the start.
Your satisfaction, guaranteed
That's our promise, and it starts with plain talk at the estimate about what your new driveway will do and what no concrete can, like stay free of cracks forever.
Examples of concrete driveways, patios and finishes
These photos show broom, stamped and plain finishes and a few layouts, so you can point to what you like when we talk.
Driveway questions we hear around Prattville
Here's what Prattville homeowners usually ask about cost, thickness, cracks and how long they'll be parking on the street.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Prattville?
A new concrete driveway in the Montgomery area usually costs about $5 to $11 per square foot, and that doesn't count tearing out an old one. That's the going rate from a regional price guide, not our price, and guides like that can run behind. I'll give you your own number after I measure and hear what you park.
How thick should a concrete driveway be for a truck or RV?
Most driveways around Montgomery are poured four to five inches thick, which is usually plenty for regular cars. If you park trucks or an RV, a six to eight inch slab may be the better call, and that extra thickness is a big part of why the vehicles you park change the quote.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
Plan on about 7 to 10 days before you drive a car on it and a full 30 days for anything heavy, like a loaded work truck or an RV. The slab keeps gaining strength through that stretch, so line up somewhere else to park until it's ready.
Will my new concrete driveway crack?
Most likely somewhere, because no one can keep concrete from cracking entirely. Well-placed control joints control where those cracks go and limit them, and wire mesh, while it won't stop cracking, tends to keep cracks and joints from opening up. Whoever you hire, ask where the joints will go before anyone pours.
Does a concrete driveway last longer than asphalt?
Usually, yes. Concrete typically lasts 30 to 40 years, while asphalt typically lasts 15 to 30, and some sources put a well-built slab that gets sealed now and then past 50. One supplier's guide says to wait at least 28 days before sealing, then reseal as the sealer wears down.
Do I need a permit for a new driveway in Prattville?
If your driveway ties into a state highway, the state transportation department's district office issues permits for turnouts onto the highway right-of-way. For other streets, we find out which office covers your address, like the City of Prattville, before we set a date. If a permit's needed, we handle the application or walk you through it, and we don't start ahead of it.
Other concrete work that goes with a driveway
Call us about your new driveway
Our hours run every day from 6 AM to 11 PM, so call (334) 788-0315 when it suits you or send the form.