Concrete contractor in Birmingham, AL - driveways and slabs that drain right
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor pouring driveways, patios, steps, slabs and foundations for homes in Birmingham, AL. We dig out and pack the base, plan where the water goes, then pour and finish with our own crew.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Birmingham homes and the concrete around them
Birmingham is the biggest city we work in, and the calls from here cover everything we do. We see driveways cracked across the middle, patios that hold water by the back door, front steps pulling away from the porch, and new slabs for garages and additions. Most of it is flatwork, meaning the driveways, patios and walks that lie flat on the ground, and a lot of it is on homes that have had the same concrete for a long time. As a concrete contractor based in Hoover, AL, we have Birmingham close to home, along with neighbors like Vestavia Hills and Homewood.
Plenty of lots here sit on a slope or at the low end of a street, and after a hard rain that water has to go somewhere. That's why I look at where your water runs before we talk about color or finish, because the ground and the drainage decide how long the new slab holds up.
Concrete work we do for Birmingham homes
Concrete driveway building
We tear out sunken or split Birmingham driveways and dig down to firm ground. The new slab goes on a packed base, pitched to shed water.
See the service Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
A back patio that holds water against the house gets rebuilt to fall away from it, on a dug-out, packed base instead of loose fill.
See the service Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick, so it can sit better beside a brick house than plain gray does.
See the service Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Front walks that have heaved up or broken into pieces get replaced with a broom finish, a light brushed texture that gives your shoes grip when it's wet.
See the service Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Cracked, stained or uneven garage floors get a new slab with rebar, the steel inside that holds it together, built to carry a car and not just foot traffic.
See the service Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored and textured concrete dresses up an entry, a walkway or a patio edge when plain gray would look out of place next to the house.
See the service Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
On sloped Birmingham lots, a concrete retaining wall holds back the yard, so a driveway or patio has level, stable ground to sit on.
See the service Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
We pour new concrete floors for basements, workshops and additions flat over a packed base, ready for tile, other flooring or plain sealed concrete.
See the service Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
Pool decks take splash water and bare feet, so we pitch them to drain away from the pool and the house and finish them for grip.
See the service Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps that have pulled away from the porch or cracked at the treads get rebuilt with even step heights and footings that hold them in place.
See the service Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
Planning an addition or a new home in Birmingham? We pour the slab foundation on a dug-out, packed base, and we check the drainage before the forms go up.
See the service Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
When a house, garage or addition needs more than a slab, we set the foundation walls and footings so the structure sits on firm, level ground.
See the service Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Churches, shops and small businesses around Birmingham get parking lots built to carry steady traffic and drain off the lot instead of into the building.
See the service Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Decks, porches, sheds and additions need footings, the concrete pads under posts and walls, poured deep and wide enough to carry the load.
See the service Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When part of a Birmingham house has settled and the floors slope or the doors stick, we raise the foundation back toward level and look at what caused it.
See the service Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
When a plumbing repair, a new doorway or a failed section means opening up existing concrete, we saw-cut clean edges so the patch ties in neatly.
See the service Concrete cutting
Get a free estimate for your Birmingham concrete job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done at your place, and comes with no obligation.
- estimates@concretehoover.com
- Based in
- Hoover, AL 35216
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
Working in Birmingham: permits, licenses and price
Inside Birmingham's city limits, most permits go through the city's Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits, so before we put a pour on the calendar I check with them about what your address and your job need. When a permit is called for, we handle the paperwork and plan around the inspections, which means the permit often sets the start date more than our crew does. You can check us out the same way you'd check anyone. The state's Home Builders Licensure Board licenses residential building and remodeling, and the city requires a business license from anyone working inside its limits, which has to be renewed every year because they all expire December 31. We're fully licensed and insured, and we're glad to show you either one.
Most of what moves the price is stuff you can't see from the street. That's how much old concrete has to come out, how far down we dig to reach firm ground and how much base goes back in, and then the size, thickness, rebar and finish you pick. Access counts too, because on a steep drive or a tight older street we may have to wheel concrete in instead of chuting it straight off the truck. The schedule turns on the permit and the weather around pour day, and my estimate spells out each piece so you can see where the money goes. It's the same work we do down the road in Mountain Brook and Fairfield.
Why Birmingham concrete sinks, cracks and holds water
Flooding here can come from heavy rain, including tropical storms, from drainage systems that were done poorly or one lot at a time, and from new development nearby. On your property, that shows up as water sitting against the foundation or running under a driveway. Over time it washes out what's beneath the slab until a corner drops and cracks. We check where the water goes before we set a single form, and we pitch the new slab away from the house so the runoff has somewhere to go besides under the concrete.
The other thing we tear out a lot is concrete that went down on a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled with the dirt. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and pack new base in layers, because that's the one part you can't fix after the pour.
What happens when you call us about a Birmingham job
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the final walk-through, and where the city's permit review fits in.
Call or send the form
Call (205) 325-9006 or fill out the form, and we'll set a time for me to come see the job. It helps if you can be home so we can walk it together.
Walk the site together
I come out myself, look at the ground and where the water runs, and then put together an estimate that spells out what's in it. The base and the drainage are priced as plainly as the finish, so nothing is hidden inside one big number.
Handle permits, then pour
We sort out the permit side with the building office, and if your lot is in the floodplain, that permit takes an average of 3 to 5 business days to review, so we set the pour date after it. Then our crew digs out, packs the base, sets the forms and the rebar, the steel that holds the slab together, and pours with me on the job.
Walk the finished work
Before we pack up, we walk the finished work with you and go over curing, the days the concrete needs to harden before it carries weight. Before we leave, you'll know when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for cars.
Questions about concrete work in Birmingham
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Birmingham, AL?
I can't give you an honest number until I've seen the ground, because the biggest swing in price is what's under the slab, not the slab itself. A quote that skips digging out and packing the base will come in lower, and that's usually the first corner a cheap job cuts. I'd rather spend your money on the base than on a fancy finish, because a pretty top on a soft base cracks just the same. Call (205) 325-9006 and I'll come price yours.
Who handles building permits for concrete work in Birmingham?
The city's Permitting Division processes building permits, starting at its front counter in City Hall. Permits for minor projects and miscellaneous repairs can usually be handled over the counter. We check with the city for your address before we schedule anything, and we take care of the paperwork when your job needs a permit.
What permits apply to concrete work on a floodplain lot in Birmingham?
If your lot is in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, the work needs a floodplain development permit application on top of any other permits. That covers grading, retaining walls, accessory structures and new construction, among other work, and new homes in those areas have to sit at least one foot above the 100-year flood level. Repairs worth more than half the building's market value count as new construction, so a big foundation job can bring that elevation rule into play.
When does a concrete contractor need a state license in Alabama?
Residential work over a set contract amount needs a license from the state Home Builders Licensure Board. In the board's own example, a $20,000 siding contract with a homeowner needed a residential home builder's license because it was over $10,000. The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors covers construction and repair projects with labor and materials over certain dollar amounts, so it's worth asking which license covers your job and checking it with the board.
How long does new concrete need to cure before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on new concrete after a few days, but a driveway needs to cure longer before it can take a car, because the concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks after the pour. Driving on it early is how edges break and tires leave marks, so we'd rather you wait a little than fix it later.
What is the best way to keep a new concrete driveway from cracking?
The best way is a dug-out, packed base, a slab pitched to drain, and control joints cut on time, because all concrete moves and the joints decide where it cracks. A control joint is a shallow groove that gives the slab a weak line, so the crack stays in the groove instead of wandering across the middle. We cut them on pour day or right after, and we pour early so the top doesn't set too fast and turn weak and dusty later.
Other service areas
Hoover, AL
Get your Birmingham concrete job priced right
We take calls until 10 PM on weekdays and 11 PM on weekends, so you can call (205) 325-9006 after work or send the form tonight.