Concrete Contractor in Birmingham, AL - Driveways and Slabs Built on Packed Base
Pelham Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Pelham, AL, pouring driveways, patios, walkways, garage floors and foundations for homeowners and small businesses in Birmingham, with our own crew and an owner who writes every estimate in person.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Our concrete crew in Birmingham
Birmingham is the biggest city we work in, and the concrete here comes in every age and shape. We see older homes with long driveways that have been patched for years, newer houses on lots cut into hillsides, and small businesses that need a walk or a lot redone. From our base in Pelham we also pour in nearby cities like Homewood and Helena, so the drive up is routine for our crew.
On most Birmingham jobs the price turns on how much old concrete comes out and how much base work the lot needs, and the schedule turns on any permit and the weather on pour day. A sloped yard or an old slab that sank tells me the ground needs more attention than the surface, so that's where I start when I write your quote.
- Base dug out and packed
- Slab that drains away from the house
- Control joints cut on time
- Written quote listing what's included
Concrete services for Birmingham homes
Here's what our crew pours and repairs in Birmingham, from a patched old driveway to the slab under a new addition.
Concrete driveway building
Plenty of Birmingham driveways are older and patched in spots. We tear out the old slab, dig down to firm ground and pack the base before the new pour.
Explore Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
A patio off the back door has to shed water away from the house, which matters on the sloped yards we see here, so we set that fall before we pour.
Explore Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Want a patio or walk that looks like stone or brick? Stamped concrete gives you that pattern on a slab built on the same packed base as any other.
Explore Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Front walks on older Birmingham homes often sink or lift at the seams. We replace the bad sections or the whole run, with joints cut where cracks should go.
Explore Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Older garages here often have floors that are cracked, stained or sloped the wrong way. We break out the old floor and pour one that drains toward the door.
Explore Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Color, exposed stone or a scored pattern can dress up a plain entry or patio. I'll help you pick a finish that suits the house and holds up underfoot.
Explore Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
On lots that climb up from the street, a concrete retaining wall holds the yard back and gives you level ground, with drainage planned behind it so water can't push on it.
Explore Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
Basements, workshops and small commercial spaces need interior floors that come out flat and even, so shelving, equipment or flooring sits right on top.
Explore Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
Around a pool, you want a surface that isn't slick underfoot and a slope that sends splash water away from both the pool and your house.
Explore Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps on older hillside homes often crack or pull away from the porch. We form and pour new ones with every step the same height, so nobody trips.
Explore Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
Building a new home, an addition or a detached garage? We pour the slab foundation on a dug-out, packed base so the structure starts on solid ground.
Explore Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
For additions and new builds on Birmingham lots, we lay out, dig and pour the foundation to the plan, and help you line up a surveyor when the job needs one.
Explore Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Small businesses here need a lot that drains and carries daily traffic, so we pour it thicker with rebar, the steel inside that holds the slab together.
Explore Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Porches, walls and additions all sit on footings, the concrete underneath that carries the weight. We dig them to firm ground and pour them to the plan.
Explore Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When a slab or foundation has dropped on one side, I look at what's under it first, then we raise it back toward level before the problem spreads.
Explore Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
Need a doorway through a basement wall, a trench for a line, or a broken section cut out of a driveway? We saw clean, straight cuts and haul the pieces off.
Explore Concrete cutting
Get your Birmingham estimate
Tell us what you need and where in Birmingham. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free, no-obligation estimate on site.
What Birmingham lots ask of a slab
Birmingham jobs usually start with an old slab coming out and a lot that doesn't sit flat, so most of the work here happens before the truck shows up.
Old slabs that sank
A sunken old driveway usually sat on dirt that was raked flat. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and pack the base in layers.
Water headed for the house
The city's floodplain office names heavy rain and poor drainage among the causes of flooding here, so we check where your water runs and slope each slab away from the house.
Old concrete coming out
Most jobs here start with breaking out old concrete, so we plan where the truck parks and where the debris goes before the first piece comes up.
Outside Birmingham? Call and ask
We're based in Pelham and work in cities across the Birmingham area, and each one listed here has its own page. If your city isn't on the list, call (205) 651-8545 and ask, because the list shows our regular stops, not every place we go.
How a Birmingham concrete job runs
Concrete is hard to undo, so I keep the steps simple and tell you up front what comes first, what has to wait and why.
Call or send a message
Call (205) 651-8545 or use the form and tell us what you have in mind. We get back to you and set a time to look at the job.
I walk the job
I come out to your Birmingham property, look at the old slab and where the water goes, and answer your questions right there.
Your written quote
I send a written quote that spells out what's included, from tear-out and base work to the finish, so you know what you're paying for.
Pour day and cleanup
We set the pour date once any permit clears, and a city floodplain review averages 3 to 5 business days. We keep you posted through cleanup.
Birmingham concrete questions
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete driveway in Birmingham, AL?
The city's Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits decides that, since it handles most permits in Birmingham, and we check with that office before we start. Its Permitting Division takes building permit applications at City Hall, and small repair jobs can usually be permitted right at the counter. If your job needs one, we take care of the paperwork and tell you what to expect.
What permits do I need if my Birmingham property is in a flood zone?
If your lot is in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, the city requires a floodplain development permit application for work there, and that covers grading and retaining walls, not just new buildings. A new home in those areas has to be raised at least one foot above the 100-year flood level, which shapes how we plan its foundation. We look at whether your lot is mapped before we plan anything and file the application when it's needed.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in Alabama?
Often, yes, depending on the size of the job. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board licenses residential construction and remodeling, and in one of the board's own examples a firm with a $20,000 siding contract straight with a homeowner needs a residential home builder's license because the job is over $10,000. The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors covers projects above certain dollar amounts, and the City of Birmingham licenses businesses working inside its limits, with those licenses running out every December 31. We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask about it when I come out.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Birmingham?
Your price comes from your own written quote, because beyond the tear-out and base work I mentioned up top, it turns on the size, the slab thickness, truck access, any permit and the finish. If the budget's tight, I'd put the money into the base and go with a plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that keeps it from getting slick. Nobody sees the base on day one, but it's what keeps the slab from sinking with the dirt underneath.
How do I keep a new concrete driveway from cracking like my old one?
You can't stop concrete from ever cracking, but you can decide where it cracks and keep it from breaking up. We cut control joints, grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, before it's too late, add rebar where the job calls for it, and keep the slab damp while it cures, the days it spends gaining strength. We also avoid pouring in the hottest part of the day, because a rushed set leaves a weak, dusty top later.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway in Birmingham?
Longer than most people expect, because the slab keeps curing for days after the pour. You can walk on it well before you can drive on it, and I'll give you both dates for your job when we set the pour. Tear-out, base work and any permit come before that, so those decide how soon pour day comes.
Ask Pelham Concrete for an estimate
Call (205) 651-8545 or use the form, since booking early leaves time to sort out any permit question before we set your pour date.