Concrete contractor in Fairfield, AL - slabs that drain right and stay put
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor building driveways, patios, steps, walks and foundations in Fairfield, AL, and we start with the ground and drainage underneath so the slab on top stays put.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Fairfield homes and the concrete around them
Fairfield sits on the west side of Jefferson County, right up against Birmingham. The calls we get here mostly come from homeowners on established streets, with churches, shops and small businesses mixed in along the main roads.
A lot of the houses here have stood for decades, and so has their concrete. We see single-car driveways that got stretched for a second car, front steps that have pulled away from the porch, and walks patched more times than anyone remembers. When we break out those old slabs, we often find thin concrete sitting on bare dirt with no real base under it. So on most jobs here, the work starts below the surface, digging out and packing a base before we pour anything.
Concrete work we do for Fairfield properties
Concrete driveway building
Plenty of driveways here have cracked, sunk at the street or started holding water. We tear out the old slab, rebuild the base and pour new.
See the service Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
A back patio should shed rain away from your house. We set the slope in the ground first, then pour a slab sized for how you'll use it.
See the service Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
For a patio or walk with the look of stone or brick, stamped concrete presses the pattern into the slab, and it sits on the same packed base.
See the service Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Older walks that have heaved at a tree root or pulled apart at the joints turn into a trip hazard. We replace the bad sections or the whole run.
See the service Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
A garage floor that's cracked, stained or pitted can be broken out and repoured, with a slight slope toward the door so water drains out instead of pooling.
See the service Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Color, exposed stone and borders let an entry or patio suit an older house. We plan the look and the drainage together, so the finish doesn't trap water.
See the service Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps down a slope, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back. We build drainage in behind it, because trapped water is what pushes walls over.
See the service Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
For a new shop, basement or room addition, we pour interior floors on a packed base with a plastic vapor barrier underneath so ground moisture stays down.
See the service Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
We give a pool deck a surface that grips wet feet and a slope that sends splash water away from the pool and the house.
See the service Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps on older homes often pull away from the porch or crumble. We form and pour new ones with even rises, so nobody catches a toe.
See the service Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
For a new house, addition or garage, we dig out and compact the ground, set the steel and pour the slab the building will sit on.
See the service Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
When a new building or addition goes up, we lay out and pour its foundation to the plans and leave room in the schedule for the inspections.
See the service Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Churches, shops and small offices need lots that carry cars and drain to the right spot. We pour thicker slabs with steel where the traffic is heaviest.
See the service Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Decks, carports, porches and block walls all need footings, the wide concrete base under a post or wall, dug down to firm ground so they don't sink.
See the service Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When part of a house or slab has dropped, raising it back toward level can close gaps and free up sticking doors. I look first at why it moved.
See the service Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trench lines and clean edges where old concrete meets new, so a repair doesn't leave a ragged seam that cracks later.
See the service Concrete cutting
Get a free on-site concrete estimate in Fairfield
We get back to you within one business day to set a time, then I come out myself, walk the job with you and write up a free estimate. No pressure, 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 Fairfield: permits, licenses and what moves the price
Permits in Fairfield go through the city's Department of Planning, Engineering, & Permits, and since its list doesn't spell out driveways or patios, I check with that office about your address before we put anything on the calendar. If a permit is called for, the paperwork and inspections set the start date more than we do, so we handle the filing and build the inspections into the plan. Before you hire anybody here, ask to see their Alabama contractor license and their Fairfield business license. We're fully licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Every city handles this its own way, so the check I make for a Fairfield job isn't the same one I make in Alabaster. On price, the size and thickness of the slab come first, then how much old concrete has to come out and how much dirt we dig out and replace with packed base. Rebar, the steel inside that holds a slab together if it cracks, adds to the cost, and so does the finish. A plain broom finish, the light texture that keeps a slab from getting slick in the rain, costs less than a stamped pattern. Access counts too, because a backyard patio the truck can't reach means pumping or wheeling the concrete in. Weather decides the pour day, and your estimate lays out each of these for your job.
Why Fairfield driveways and slabs give out
Water is the big one here. The Birmingham area averages 56.6 inches of precipitation a year, and every storm finds the low spot. On a slab with no real base, water runs underneath and softens the dirt, the concrete settles into it, and that's where most of the sinking and cracking we see starts. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, pack a base over it and set the slope so water runs off and away from your house.
Age is the other. A lot of older slabs here went in without control joints, the grooves cut on purpose so concrete cracks along a straight line instead of wherever it wants. We cut ours while the slab is still fresh, so if it cracks, it usually cracks in the joint where you'll hardly notice.
What to expect when you hire us in Fairfield
From the first call to the final walk-through, here's how a concrete job in Fairfield runs and when you'll want to be around.
Call or send the form
Call (205) 325-9006 or describe the job on the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. Pick a time you can be home, because I want to walk it with you.
Walk the site together
I look at the ground, where the water runs and what's under any old concrete, and we talk through your options. Then you get an estimate that spells out what's in the price, so nothing is hiding in one big number.
Permit check, then the pour
Once you're ready, I check with the city about what your job needs, and if a permit is called for, we file it and set the pour around the inspections. Our own crew does the work, and I'm on the job with them.
Walk the finished work
Before we pack up, we walk the finished slab with you and go over curing, the wait while concrete hardens enough to use. You'll know what to keep off it and for how long before we leave.
Questions about hiring a concrete contractor in Fairfield
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway in Fairfield, AL?
The city's permit list doesn't settle it for driveways or patios, so we ask the permit office about your address before we schedule. Its residential permit form names work like additions, roofing, siding, fences and window replacement, and its forms page also lists excavation and land disturbing permits, which is why we ask before we dig. When a permit is called for, that form sets a minimum fee of $50.00 and asks for a copy of the contract showing the work and its costs, and we take care of that paperwork.
When does a concrete contractor need a state license in Alabama?
Fairfield's permit form says the contractor on a residential project valued at $10,000 and over must hold an Alabama Home Builders license, and on a commercial project valued at $50,000 and over, an Alabama General Contractors license. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board licenses and regulates residential construction and remodeling across the state. Ask to see the license before you sign anything.
How do I find out if my Fairfield home is in a floodplain?
Search your address on AlabamaFlood, which shows FEMA's regulatory floodplain data by address or county. It's worth a look before a patio or driveway goes in on low ground, and I'll be watching where the water runs on your lot either way.
How does summer heat in Fairfield affect a concrete pour?
Heat dries the top of a slab faster than the rest, which can leave it weak and dusty later, so in summer we pour early in the morning. July highs in the Birmingham area average 91°F, and on days like that we keep the fresh slab damp while it cures. January lows average 35°F, so winter is milder, but we still watch the forecast and hold a pour if a hard freeze is coming.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Fairfield?
Driveways here are priced after I've walked the lot, since the size, tear-out, base work and finish covered above set the number. If the budget's tight, keep the base and cut the extras, because the base is the part nobody sees on day one and the part you can't fix later without breaking out the slab. A plain driveway on a well-packed base usually outlasts a fancy one poured on loose dirt.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway in Fairfield?
You'll be walking on a new driveway well before you can park on it, because concrete keeps hardening for days after the pour and a car puts far more weight on it than footsteps. Cool weather slows that curing down, so when we set your pour, I'll give you the timing for your job and you can plan where to park in the meantime.
Other service areas
Hoover, AL
Get your Fairfield concrete job looked at
A cracked slab lets more water under it every time it rains, so the sooner I see it, the less base work there usually is to do.