Concrete Contractor in Fort Dodge, IA - Driveways and Slabs Done Right From the Base Up
Fort Dodge Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Fort Dodge, Iowa. We tear out and replace driveways, patios, walks and steps for homeowners, and pour footings, slabs and foundations for builders and property owners.
Older Fort Dodge homes come with older concrete
Fort Dodge is where we're based. A lot of our work is in the older neighborhoods, where the original driveway, front walk and steps have seen a lot of years, and in newer parts of the city, where homeowners want a wider driveway, a back patio or a garage floor. Builders and property owners call us for footings and slabs on new projects. Outside the city we work in Webster City and the cities around it.
On an older house, the job usually starts with breaking out the old concrete and hauling it off. Steps and walks tight against the house take more hand work than an open driveway, and that shapes how we plan each day.
What we know from working in Fort Dodge
In Fort Dodge, the city's Code Enforcement Division handles permits on home improvement work and inspects jobs while they're underway, and a registered contractor files a permit application for each job. That's why we settle the permit question before we set a dig date. Before you hire anyone, ask to see two things: the contractor's registration with the state of Iowa, and their registration with the city, which requires a $10,000 surety bond to the city and proof of that state registration. We're licensed and insured. Before we start, we work out with the city which office handles your project, and if a permit is needed we take care of the application or help you with yours.
Most of our calls here are for driveway replacements and patios. The price on those moves with the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out and how much of the base has to be dug out and packed again. The schedule depends on the permit question, getting underground lines marked and the curing time, which is the wait while new concrete gains strength before you can use it. Your written estimate shows how those pieces add up for your job.
Concrete work we do in Fort Dodge
- Concrete driveway building
- Concrete patio construction
- Stamped concrete services
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Slab foundation building
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
Most worn concrete here fails from underneath
Most calls we get in Fort Dodge are about a driveway sinking at one corner, a patio with water pooling against the house, or a top that's chipping and dusty. Those problems usually come from a base that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, a slab that slopes toward the house, or a pour done in the heat of the day, which leaves a weak top. So we dig out to firm ground and pack the subgrade, the layer the slab sits on. We check where the water runs before the forms go in, and we time the pour so the slab can be finished properly.
Front steps and walks on older houses are the other common call, because they've usually settled or tipped toward the house. Steps carry people every day, so we'd rather rebuild them on solid footings than patch concrete that's still moving.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Fort Dodge project
Send us a few lines about the job, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out to your property in Fort Dodge, look it over with you and write up a free estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
How a concrete job in Fort Dodge goes with us
Call or send the form
Call (515) 417-2702 or send the form with a line about the job. Photos of the cracks or low spots help, but you don't need them.
Walk the job with me
I come out myself to look at the slab, where the water runs and what's around it, and we talk it through until your questions are answered. It helps to have the cars moved so I can see the whole area.
Get your written estimate
I write it up so you can see what's included, from the tear-out and base work to the finish. Nothing starts until you've read it and asked whatever you want to ask.
Settle permits and mark lines
Before anyone digs, we settle the permit question with the city and get the underground lines marked. We set the dig date once both are done.
Pour, finish and walk through
I'm on the job with our crew from the dig through the pour. When we're done, I walk it with you and go over how to care for it that first winter.
Driveways, patios and steps
Fort Dodge concrete questions we hear most
How do I find out if my concrete project needs a permit in Fort Dodge?
Call the city's Inspections Department at 515-576-4551 x1251 before any work starts, because the city asks owners who aren't sure to check first. The city's permit guidance sends driveway questions to Engineering, so mention it's a driveway when you call. If you hire us, we work this out with the city before anyone digs.
Do I need a permit to replace the sidewalk along the street in Fort Dodge?
Yes. Digging in the public right of way, the city's strip along the street that includes sidewalks and driveways, takes a permit from the city's Engineering Department. The contractor also files a certificate of insurance with that department. If your project reaches the street, we take care of that application or help you with yours.
When does a concrete contractor have to register with the state of Iowa?
Iowa requires any contractor who earns $2,000 or more a year from construction to register with the state's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. Someone who earns less, or works only on their own property, doesn't have to register. Before you sign for a driveway or patio, it's fair to ask your contractor about their state registration.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Fort Dodge?
It depends on the size of the driveway, how much old concrete comes out, how much base work it needs and the finish you pick, so I give you a number after I've seen it. A broom finish, the light texture swept in for grip, costs less than stamped or colored work. If the budget is tight, cut the finish before you cut the base, because the base is what keeps the slab from sinking.
Will my new driveway in Fort Dodge crack like the old one did?
It can still crack, because concrete shrinks as it cures, but control joints, the grooves we cut so it cracks along lines we choose, keep those cracks straight and where they belong. Rebar, steel set inside the slab, can hold the pieces together if a crack does form. A packed base and joints cut on time decide whether the new slab ends up like the old one.
How long does new concrete need to cure before I can drive on it?
You can walk on a new slab well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength as it cures. If you drive on it too soon, the weight can crack it before it's ready. I'll give you the dates for your pour and go over them again when we walk the finished job.
Where we work
Call about your Fort Dodge concrete project today
Call (515) 417-2702 or send the form, and you'll get a written plan instead of a guess about what's under the old slab.