Concrete contractor in Decatur, IL - driveways and patios built on solid ground
Allied Springfield Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Springfield that pours driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs for homeowners in Decatur, with the ground underneath dug out, packed and sloped so water runs away from your house.
Decatur as we see it from the driveway
Decatur is a larger city than most we drive to from our base in Springfield, and its houses span a long stretch of years. In older neighborhoods like the historic West End, we tend to find narrow driveways, front walks and back steps that were poured decades ago and patched many times since. On the newer streets toward the edges of the city, the drives are wider and the garages are usually attached.
An old slab here has usually had a long time to settle with the dirt under it, so before we pour anything new we dig out the soft ground and pack a firm base, the part of the job you won't see once it's done.
Permits, contractor registration and what sets the price in Decatur
When concrete work inside Decatur's city limits needs a permit, the permit comes from the city's Building Inspections division, and the city will only issue it to a contractor that's licensed and registered with its Building Department and in good standing, so that's a fair question to put to anyone you're considering. The city's permit list names work such as roofing, decks and electrical rather than driveways or patios, so I check what the office asks for at your address instead of assuming. When a permit applies, we take care of the paperwork for our work and let you know early if the city needs anything from you as the owner. A permit adds a step before the pour can go on the calendar, which is why we settle it first.
The price here turns mostly on what we find under and around the old slab, meaning how much has to be broken out and hauled away, how deep we dig to reach firm ground, how large and thick the new slab is, and whether you want more than a broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives your feet and tires some grip. The schedule depends on the permit step when there is one and on the weather on pour day. Your written estimate spells out what's included, so you know what you're paying for before we start. We do the same work in Taylorville and Lincoln, so we know the kind of ground our crew meets around here.
What Decatur's older houses and rentals ask of new concrete
On many older Decatur houses, the driveway or patio has settled over the years until it tips back toward the house, so rain pools against the foundation and works its way under the slab. Before we pour, I check where the water runs across your lot and set the new slab to fall away from the house, on a base we dig out and pack rather than rake level. That base is the first thing people want to trim from a budget, because it's buried by the end of the first day, but I won't cut it, since it decides whether the slab stays put. If you'd like a patterned surface on top, our stamped concrete services go on that same base, and a plain finish over good ground usually outlasts a fancy one over soft dirt.
We also get calls from small property owners with rentals in Decatur, where a cracked walk or a step pulling away from the porch is a hazard for tenants as much as an eyesore. I spent years repairing that kind of work for a property management company, so we rebuild it on firm ground, with rebar, steel bars set inside the concrete to hold it together if it cracks, where the job calls for it.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Decatur home
We reply to every call and form within one business day to set a time, and then I come out to your Decatur address myself to look at the site and listen to what you have in mind. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included. It's free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
(217) 210-0810How a concrete job runs when you call us in Decatur
Call us or send the form
Tell us what you'd like done and where the old concrete is giving you trouble. If you have photos, have them handy, since they help me plan the visit.
Walk the site with me
I come out myself to look at the site and listen to what you have in mind. It helps if you can be there to show me where water stands after a rain.
Review your written estimate
Your estimate lists what's included, from breaking out the old slab to the finish on the new one. Nothing goes on the schedule until you've agreed to it.
Settle permits and inspections first
We sort out any permit paperwork with the city before the work goes on the schedule. When an inspection is needed, the city typically schedules a request made before 4 p.m. the day before for the next day, depending on the inspector's availability and route.
Pour, finish and walk through
I'm on site with our crew when the concrete goes in, so the base and the finish are done the way we agreed. Before we leave, we walk the finished job with you and go over how to care for it in its first months.
Driveways, patios and walks in concrete
Concrete questions from Decatur homeowners
Does a concrete retaining wall need a permit in Decatur, IL?
Yes, if it's taller than 4 feet, because the city's permit FAQ lists retaining walls greater than 4 feet in height as work that needs a permit. For a shorter wall, I ask the city before we schedule anything, and when a permit applies we handle the paperwork for our part of the work.
Do I need a permit to pour concrete in a floodplain in Decatur?
Yes, the city lists work within a floodplain among the jobs that need a permit, so if any part of your land lies in one, plan on that extra step. I'll bring it up at the estimate so the permit is lined up before the job goes on the calendar.
What happens in Decatur if work starts without a permit it needed?
The city issues a stop work order, and the work stays stopped until the proper permit is in place. If no permit follows, a notice is filed against the property with the city or the Macon County Clerk and Recorder, which puts a lien, a legal claim, on your property. No driveway is worth that risk, so we settle the permit question before the pour.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Decatur?
The price comes down to the size and thickness of the driveway, how much old concrete has to be broken out and hauled away, and how much work the ground underneath needs before we pour. A plain broom finish costs less than a stamped or colored one, and a tight spot the truck can't reach adds labor. Your written estimate lists each of those, so you can compare it line by line with any other quote.
What causes concrete driveways and patios to crack and sink?
Most cracking and sinking starts under the slab, when the base was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or when water runs under the slab instead of away from it. Cracks also wander wherever they like if the control joints, the grooves cut across a slab so it cracks along a line we chose, are cut late or skipped. We dig to firm ground, pack the base and cut the joints on time, which gives a new slab its best chance of not repeating the old one's problems.
How long do I have to stay off a new concrete driveway?
You'll be able to walk on it well before you can drive on it, and I give you the days for your slab when we walk the finished job with you. The wait is for curing, the slow hardening that gives concrete its strength, and driving on it too soon can crack an edge before the slab is ready for the weight.
Book your Decatur concrete estimate
If a slab is already tipping toward your house or a step is pulling loose, call (217) 210-0810 or use our request form so I can see it before more water gets underneath.