Decorative concrete in Pelham AL - new color and texture for a plain gray slab
Tired of a plain or worn gray slab? We add color, texture or polish with a new pour or an overlay.
Color in the mix
Iron oxide pigment goes in when we pour new.
Stains and texture
Chemical stains, stamped patterns and exposed stone change the surface.
Overlays on old concrete
A cement-based layer refinishes a sound slab you already have.
Sealing and upkeep
We seal the finish and explain what resealing involves later.
Should you refinish your old slab or pour new decorative concrete?
Decorative concrete in Pelham gives a patio, walk or driveway more color and character through integral color, stains, stamping, exposed aggregate or polishing, either in a new pour or in an overlay on the slab you already have.
The first choice is new or existing. Color mixed into the concrete only comes with a new pour, while an overlay, a cement-based mix spread over your old slab, refinishes what's there. I'll help you choose between the two, and if old cracks would show through an overlay, I'll tell you so before you decide.
The price moves with the size of the area, overlay versus new pour, how many techniques you layer together and how much prep the slab or ground needs. The schedule turns on whether a permit is needed and on the weather around pour day. Your written quote spells out what's included, so you see your own number before anything starts.
- Straight advice on overlay versus new pour
- A warning if old cracks will show
- A written quote listing what's included
- Prep done right before the truck arrives
When is it time to look at decorative concrete?
It's worth a look when your concrete is solid but plain or worn, or when you're pouring new and want more than gray.
A plain slab you're tired of
The concrete is sound but gray and flat, and you'd like color or texture that suits the house.
A worn, stained top
Wear, stains and a tired surface make a patio or walk look older than the rest of the yard.
Chips and hairline cracks
Small chipped spots and fine cracks leave you wondering whether to refinish the slab or start over.
Sunken or broken concrete
When a slab has settled or broken up, a new decorative pour usually makes more sense than covering it.
Dull or patchy sealer
A sealed finish that looks chalky, faded or uneven is usually telling you it's due for a fresh coat.
A new patio or walk coming
If you're pouring new anyway, that's the time to settle on color and pattern, before the pour date is booked.
Ask for your decorative concrete estimate
Send the rough size, new or existing concrete, and photos of any cracks. We reply within one business day to book your free on-site estimate, no obligation.
What I look at for decorative concrete
Before I suggest a finish, I look at the slab, what it sits on and where water runs, because a decorative top only holds up on a sound base.
The old slab's condition
Cracks, chips and settled spots tell me whether your slab can take an overlay or should come out for a new pour.
The base underneath
For a new pour we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, because no finish saves a slab that settles.
Drainage and slope
We check where rainwater runs so the new surface falls away from your house instead of sending water toward it.
Where the finish goes
Sealed surfaces can get slick when wet, so outside we favor texture. Polish suits an indoor concrete floor, and color can carry onto concrete retaining walls.
How a decorative concrete job runs
I plan the job in the order it happens and tell you what comes next, so you know when the crew is coming and what has to wait.
Call or message
You call or send the form with the rough size and a few photos, and we set a time for me to come out.
Site visit
I come out myself, walk the slab with you, answer your questions and help you weigh an overlay against a new pour.
Written quote
You get a written quote that says what's included, the finish you chose and the prep it needs, so nothing is left to guess.
Permit and pour date
Once you say yes, we set the pour date and handle any permit, scheduling around midday heat that can leave a weak, dusty top.
Finish and walk-through
Our crew finishes, seals and cleans up, then we walk it with you and say how long it needs to cure, the wait while it hardens.
Why Pelham homeowners call Pelham Concrete for decorative work
You get a plan you understand before anything is poured, an owner who'd rather explain a point twice than leave you guessing, and satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
The owner writes your estimate
I come out, look at the slab and write the quote myself, so the person answering your questions is the one who planned the job.
Running jobs since 2017
We've been in business since 2017, and before that I spent years scheduling crews, trucks and inspections for a busy concrete company.
Our own crew on your slab
Our own crew does the work, and when a job needs someone outside our trade, like a surveyor, we help you line them up.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. Call (205) 651-8545 or use the form when you'd like me to come look at your slab.
Decorative concrete in Pelham, and what comes before the work
In Pelham, the Building Department issues building permits and inspects residential work inside city limits. Its permit types include paving, site activity and shell and slab permits, but that list doesn't settle whether a decorative patio or overlay needs one, so we check with the department before we start and take care of the paperwork when it does.
The city also wants every contractor and sub on the job to hold a current city business license, and a general contractor needs the state's certification card before that license is issued. We're based in Pelham and work across the Birmingham area, including Alabaster and Hoover, where many calls are plain gray patios people want to dress up and older slabs worth checking before anyone covers them.
Wondering whether your slab can take an overlay?
(205) 651-8545Decorative concrete questions
Will cracks in my old concrete show through a decorative overlay?
They can, because one overlay maker notes that random cracks in existing concrete may show through the cured overlay even when they're repaired first. The old slab's condition shapes how the new surface looks, so we go over every crack with you at the estimate before you choose.
How much does decorative concrete cost in Pelham, AL?
Installed stamped concrete in the Birmingham area usually costs about $12 to $25 per square foot, as a planning figure for stamped work and not our price. Stains, overlays and polishing price differently, so the written quote after I see your slab is where you get your own number.
How often does a sealed concrete patio need to be resealed?
A sealed outdoor surface needs resealing from time to time, since one sealer maker says outdoor sealed concrete slowly oxidizes and eventually needs the sealer reapplied. Plan on it as part of the long-term cost of a sealed finish, and we'll show you the signs to watch for.
Who applies for a concrete permit in Pelham?
In Pelham, a permit goes to a contractor licensed to do business in the city or to an owner acting as their own contractor, so settle early which of you it'll be. On a job with us, we apply. The state's Home Builders Licensure Board also covers work on a residential structure costing over $10,000, labor and materials included, unless the work falls outside the board's jurisdiction.
How do I decide between an overlay and a new decorative pour?
If your slab is level and solid and you mostly want a new look, an overlay is usually the simpler route. If it has sunk, broken up or holds water, or you want color all the way through, a new pour is the better call, and I'll tell you which I'd pick once I've seen it.
What causes new concrete to crack, and will a decorative slab crack too?
New concrete usually cracks where the base settles or where control joints, the grooves cut on purpose to give it a place to crack, came late or got skipped. We dig out and pack the base and cut joints on time, so any cracking follows the lines we chose instead of running across your finish.
Get a decorative concrete estimate from Pelham Concrete
We answer the phone into the evening and on weekends, so call (205) 651-8545 or send the form with photos of your slab.