Concrete driveway building
We dig out the old drive and soft dirt and pack a new base, so the new slab doesn't sink and crack the way the old one did.
Concrete contractor in Marshalltown, IA - slabs built on a packed base
Marshalltown Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Marshalltown, IA. We pour driveways, patios, steps and garage floors for homeowners, and footings, slabs and parking lots for builders and business owners around the city.
What concrete jobs look like in Marshalltown
We're based in Marshalltown, and most calls here are the everyday ones: a driveway cracked or sinking at the garage, a patio that holds water by the back door, steps pulling away from the house. Builders and business owners call us for footings, slabs and lots, and the same crew works in Newton, Grinnell, Nevada and other cities around it. Your price mostly comes down to the size of the job, how much old concrete comes out, how much base has to be dug out and packed, and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on whether the city needs a permit or inspection, and on curing, the days new concrete needs to gain strength before you walk or drive on it. I'll look at the site and write up your estimate with your own figure.
The first thing I check on most properties here is where the water goes. A lot of the slabs we replace have settled toward the house or garage, so water pools against the wall instead of running off. Fixing that means resetting the grade underneath, not pouring new concrete on the old slope.
City requirements checked first
Before we set a date, we check what the city's Building Division needs for your job. When a permit or inspection is part of it, we handle the paperwork and plan around it.
The base gets the budget
The base is buried on day one, so it's the first thing people want to trim. I'd rather spend there than on the finish, because a slab on raked dirt settles and cracks with it.
Pours done in the right order
Concrete doesn't forgive a step done late. I'd rather move a pour than rush it, and if a date has to change, I'll tell you as soon as I know.
Concrete services we offer in Marshalltown
Concrete patio construction
We slope the patio away from your house so water runs to the yard, then cut control joints, shallow grooves that give cracks a straight place to go.
Stamped concrete services
We press a pattern and color into fresh concrete for patios and walks, working one section at a time, because a stamp pressed too late won't take a clean print.
Concrete sidewalk building
We replace heaved or broken walks and give them a broom finish, a brushed texture dragged across the fresh top, so shoes grip when it's wet.
Garage floor concrete
We break out a cracked or sunken garage floor, pack the base and pour a new slab that slopes toward the door so water off the car runs out.
Decorative concrete
We do colored concrete, exposed stone finishes and borders around walks and patios, and settle every choice with you before the pour, because a finish can't change once it sets.
Concrete retaining walls
We build concrete walls that hold back a slope in the yard, with a footing below and drainage behind, because trapped water is what pushes a wall over.
Concrete floor installation
We pour interior floors for basements, shops and outbuildings, matching the finish to how you'll use the room, smooth where people live and tougher where equipment rolls.
Concrete pool decks
We pour pool decks with a textured top that grips wet feet and a slope that carries splash water away from the pool and the house.
Concrete steps construction
We replace front and back steps that have crumbled or pulled away from the house, building every step the same height so nobody catches a toe.
Slab foundation building
We build slab foundations for homes, garages and additions, with rebar, the steel that holds the slab together, placed and checked against the plans before the pour.
Foundation installation
We dig, form and pour foundation walls for new homes and additions, working the schedule with your builder so the next trade isn't left waiting on us.
Concrete parking lot building
We pour lots and drive lanes for business owners, planning thickness, drainage and the order of sections so part of the lot can stay open while we work.
Concrete footings
We dig and pour footings for decks, garages, additions and posts down to firm ground, because everything built above depends on what the footing sits on.
Foundation raising
We find out why a slab or foundation settled, then lift it back toward level and fill underneath, because lifting without fixing the cause usually means it sinks again.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches and clean edges in existing slabs, so a plumber can reach a line or a new pour can meet the old one at a straight edge.
Get your concrete estimate written on site
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the site and write up your estimate, free and with no obligation.
The estimator leads the crew
I measure the job and write the estimate myself, then lead the small crew that does the work, so the person who looked at your site is there when it's poured.
No pressure, no obligation
Take the estimate, think it over and compare it with others. There's no pressure from us and nothing owed if you decide not to go ahead.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
We're fully licensed and insured, and you can hold us to one line before the first shovel goes in. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Concrete questions we hear in Marshalltown
Permits, contractor registration and cracking come up on most calls here, so these are straight answers to what people ask first.
Do I need a city permit for a concrete driveway in Marshalltown?
Yes, if you're altering a driveway or adding an extension, the city's driveway permit has to be filled out first. The city's permit guide also says new construction, additions and accessory buildings, such as a garage of 120 square feet or more, typically need a building permit, homes included. For a patio or walk, ask us and we'll find out what applies.
What happens if I start concrete work before getting a permit in Marshalltown?
The regular permit fee is doubled, except where the law provides otherwise, according to the city's building permit application. Getting the permit first keeps the fee at the regular rate. That's why the permit comes before the date on our calendar, and when one is part of your job, we handle the paperwork.
Does a concrete contractor need to be registered in Iowa?
Yes, in most cases. Iowa requires construction contractors who earn at least $2,000 a year from construction to register with the state's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. Someone who earns less than that, or who only works on their own real estate or property, doesn't have to register.
Does a new house in Marshalltown need radon-resistant construction?
Yes. The residential code the city adopted requires construction methods that resist radon entry in all new one- and two-family homes. Those methods also set the house up for radon mitigation later, if it turns out to be needed. When we pour the slab or foundation for a new home, we plan that work with your builder.
Will my new concrete patio or driveway crack like the old one?
It can, since concrete shrinks a little as it cures, but you get a say in where. We cut the control joints on time so cracks usually follow the grooves, and we don't rush the finish, because a top worked too fast can turn weak and dusty. Most of the rest comes down to the packed base underneath.
Concrete work in Newton, Grinnell and Nevada
Besides Marshalltown, we pour in the cities below and others around them. If yours isn't listed, call or send the form with your address and we'll tell you.
Tell us about your concrete job
Call (641) 354-2469 or use the form and tell us what you're seeing, so I know what to check first when I come out.