Concrete Contractor in Jacksonville, IL - Slabs That Drain Well and Stay Put
Allied Springfield Concrete Construction builds and replaces driveways, patios, sidewalks, steps and slabs for homeowners and small property owners in Jacksonville, IL, with careful base work underneath so the concrete drains well and stays put.
Jacksonville as we see it on the job
Jacksonville is a regular drive for our crew from our base in Springfield, and the calls we get here usually come from two kinds of property. Around historic downtown, many houses have front walks, steps and driveways that were poured long ago and patched more than once, often for owners who also look after a rental or two nearby. Farther out, the newer homes tend to call about patios, garage floors and wider driveways as families add on.
On the older lots, the job usually starts with tearing out the old slab, because the trouble is most often in the dirt underneath and not in the concrete you can see. On the newer ones, it's more about where the new slab meets the house and where its water will go.
Working in Jacksonville: paperwork, licenses and what moves the price
Before any Jacksonville job goes on our schedule, we check what the city office asks for at your address and take care of the permit paperwork for our work when a permit applies. If the office needs something from you as the owner, I'll tell you early so it doesn't hold up your date. We're licensed and fully insured, and if your project puts plumbing under a new slab, the State of Illinois licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors, so you can ask whoever does that part which state license they hold.
The price here mostly moves with the size and thickness of the slab, how much old concrete has to come out, how much base work the ground needs, the finish you pick, and whether the truck can back up to the forms or the concrete has to be wheeled in on a tight older lot. The schedule turns on that paperwork, the weather the week we pour and curing, the days new concrete needs to gain strength before it can carry weight. Your written estimate spells out each of those for your job before anything is booked.
What we see on Jacksonville houses and driveways
At older homes, the most common thing we see is a walk or a set of steps that has sunk and tipped, or a slab that now falls toward the house so rain sits against the foundation. That usually happens because the first crew raked the dirt level and poured on it instead of digging out and packing the subgrade, which is the ground the slab rests on. We dig down to firm ground, pack the base in layers and set the slope so water runs away from your house. Where the job calls for it, we add rebar, the steel bars inside the slab that hold the pieces together if it does crack.
Newer homes more often want something added, like a patio, a wider drive or decorative concrete with color or pattern. If the budget is tight, I'd rather keep the full base and go with a plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives your shoes grip, because a handsome surface on a poor base settles and cracks just like the old one did.
Get a free written estimate for your Jacksonville concrete job
Send the form and I'll get back to you within one business day to set a time to come out to your place in Jacksonville. I look at the site myself, listen to what you have in mind and then give you a written estimate, free and with no obligation.
(217) 210-0810How a Jacksonville concrete job goes, from your call to the walk-through
Call us or send the form
Call (217) 210-0810 or use the form, and I'll set a time to come out to your house. A rough idea of the size and what you'll use the slab for is all you need to start.
Walk the site with me
I come out myself to look at the old concrete, where the water runs and how a truck can get in, and to hear what you have in mind. If you know where sprinkler lines or buried cables run, please show me.
Review your written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, from tear-out and base work to the finish. That way you know exactly what you're paying for before anything is scheduled.
Clear paperwork, then schedule
Any permit paperwork for our part is settled first, and then your job goes on the calendar. Before we arrive, please move cars and anything stored on the old slab.
Pour, finish and walk through
I'm on site with our crew when the concrete goes in and is finished. Before we leave, we walk the job with you and go over how to care for it in its first months.
Concrete driveways, patios and finishes
Concrete questions from Jacksonville homeowners
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Jacksonville, IL?
Your price comes from a written estimate after I've seen the driveway, because the costs that vary most, like tear-out and base work, can only be judged on site. A plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored work, and a driveway that needs a little base repair costs less than one where we have to dig out soft ground. The estimate spells out what's included so you can see what each choice does to the total.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, and I'll tell you the days for your slab when we finish, since the mix and that week's weather both change the curing wait. Driving on it early is one of the easiest ways to crack a new slab, so we go over this again in the walk-through.
What causes a new concrete slab to crack like the old one?
Most bad cracking in new concrete comes from a weak base, joints cut late or skipped, or a pour in the midday heat that dries the top too fast. Concrete shrinks as it cures, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack where it's hidden in the groove, while it's still young. We also pack the base properly and pour in the cooler part of the day when it's hot.
Should I repair or replace a sinking sidewalk in Jacksonville?
If the sidewalk sank because the ground under it washed out or was never packed, replacing that section on a proper base is usually the repair that lasts. Patching the top or filling the low spot leaves the cause in place, which is why I saw the same slabs fail again and again in my years doing property upkeep. When only one or two sections have dropped, we can often replace just those.
How do I check if my Jacksonville home is in a flood zone before adding a slab?
Look up your address on FEMA's Map Service Center, which posts the effective flood maps and is the place to start a flood zone check for a home. Knowing that before we pour a patio, a garage floor or a slab for an addition helps us plan where the water goes and how high the slab sits.
What is the best way to keep water from pooling on a new patio?
Give the patio a slight slope away from the house, and make sure the water has somewhere to go once it runs off the edge. I check where the water runs on your lot during the estimate, because a slab that sends rain back toward the house, or into a low corner with nowhere to drain, will hold puddles however well it's finished.
Get your Jacksonville concrete estimate started
If you call (217) 210-0810 or send the form while the old slab is still in place, I can see how it failed, and that tells us what the new one needs underneath.