Concrete Contractor in Helena, AL - Driveways and Patios Built on Solid Ground
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Hoover, AL, and we build driveways, patios, steps, slabs and foundations for Helena homeowners, starting with the ground and drainage underneath.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Helena driveways, patios and the ground under them
Helena is a Shelby County city of family homes, and most of the calls we get here are from homeowners who want a driveway, a patio or a set of front steps that quits cracking, sinking or holding water. It's a short drive down from our base in Hoover, and we do the same kind of work up in Mountain Brook and in many of the cities around Birmingham.
No two Helena lots shed water the same way, so before we talk about finishes I look at where the rain runs and what the new slab is going to sit on.
Concrete work we do around Helena
Concrete driveway building
When a Helena driveway has sunk at the garage or cracked across the middle, we tear it out, pack a new base and pour it back.
See the service Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
A patio off the back door has to pitch away from the house, so we set the slope before the pour and finish it for bare feet.
See the service Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a Helena patio or walk the look of stone or brick in one pour, with the same packed base underneath that a plain slab gets.
See the service Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Walks that tip near trees and downspouts trip people, so we pour new sections level and give them a broom finish, a ridged texture that grips when wet.
See the service Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
A cracked or pitted garage floor collects oil and water, so we pour a new slab that drains toward the door and holds up to cars and storage.
See the service Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored, scored or exposed-stone finishes let a front walk or patio match your house, and we pick the finish after the base and drainage are settled.
See the service Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
Where a Helena yard steps down a slope, a poured retaining wall holds the dirt back, with drainage behind it so water doesn't push it over.
See the service Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
For a basement, shop or addition floor, we prep the ground, set the vapor barrier and reinforcing, and finish the slab smooth enough to live and work on.
See the service Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
Pool decks take splashing and bare feet every day, so we slope them away from the water and give them a finish that isn't slick when wet.
See the service Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps that have pulled away from the house or crumbled at the edges get torn out and re-formed with even risers you won't catch a toe on.
See the service Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
If you're building a new home, garage or addition in Helena, the slab foundation starts with a dug-out, packed pad and checked grades before any concrete arrives.
See the service Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
For new construction or a rebuild, we lay out, form and pour the foundation the plans call for, and keep it level and square for the framers.
See the service Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Churches, offices and shops with a worn lot get a thicker slab built for steady traffic, with the water steered to the drains instead of the doorways.
See the service Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Footings carry a porch, wall or addition, so we dig them to firm ground and to the size your plans or the building office call for.
See the service Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When part of a slab or foundation has dropped, we look at why it settled, usually water or a poor base, before we raise it back toward level.
See the service Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
We saw clean openings for doors, drains and plumbing, and cut out just the damaged section of a Helena driveway or walk instead of the whole slab.
See the service Concrete cutting
Get a free estimate for your Helena 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 there's no obligation.
- estimates@concretehoover.com
- Based in
- Hoover, AL 35216
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
What we check in Helena before a pour
Before we schedule anything in Helena, I check with the city's Department of Building, Planning & Community Development, the office that guides homeowners through permitting, about what your job needs, and that answer sets how soon we can pour. When a permit is called for, we handle the paperwork and leave room in the plan for the inspections. On your side, it's fair to ask any contractor about two licenses. The state's Home Builders Licensure Board counts someone as a residential home builder when construction, remodeling, repair or improvement work on a home under its jurisdiction runs more than $10,000 in labor and materials together, and the city has its own business license, which the questions below cover. We're fully licensed and insured, and happy to talk through either one.
The price on a Helena job turns mostly on the size and thickness of the slab, whether an old one has to be broken out and hauled off, how close the concrete truck can get, and how much digging and packing the ground needs, and your estimate spells out each of those. That holds for flatwork, the driveways, patios and walks that lie on the ground, and for bigger slabs and footings too. We do the same work in Pelham and Alabaster, so getting our crew and a truck down to your street is routine for us.
Why Helena concrete cracks, tips and sinks
Parts of Helena lie in flood hazard areas that the city says flood from time to time, and when water sits on a lot or runs under a slab it carries off the dirt the concrete rests on until the slab tips, cracks or drops. We read the slope before we set a single form, pitch the new slab away from your house, and dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, so it isn't riding on loose fill.
A lot of what we're called to fix here is older concrete that was poured thin or on raked dirt, driveways split across the middle and front steps leaning off the porch. We break it out, rebuild the base and pour it back at a proper thickness, with rebar, steel bars set inside to hold the slab together, where the load calls for it.
How a concrete job runs when you call us from Helena
Here's how it goes from your first call to the last walk-through, and you'll know what's in the estimate before anything gets scheduled.
Call or send the form
We get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out. Pick a time you can be home, because I'd like to walk the lot with you.
I walk the lot with you
I look at the ground, where the water runs and what's there now, then put together a free estimate that spells out what's in it. You'll see where the money goes before you decide anything.
We handle permits and pour
Once you're ready, we sort out whatever the city's building office calls for and set the pour date around it. Our own crew does the work, and I'm on the job with them.
Walk the finished work together
Before we pack up, we walk the finished concrete with you and go over when it's ready for feet and for cars. The job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Questions about concrete work in Helena
Do I need a permit for concrete work in a Helena flood zone?
If your lot sits in one of Helena's flood hazard areas, the city requires a Development Permit before development there. That rule covers both the federally mapped flood areas and the ones the city identifies itself. We find out where your lot stands before we set a pour date, and if a permit is needed we handle the paperwork.
How do I find out if my Helena property is in a floodplain?
You can look it up by address on AlabamaFlood, which the state's ADECA floodplain page points to for official FEMA floodplain maps, searchable by address or county. It's worth a look before you plan a new driveway or patio, since it tells us both whether the city's flood permit comes into play. I check it too when I walk your lot.
Does a concrete contractor need a business license in Helena, AL?
The city of Helena says a business opening in the city needs a business license. It's a reasonable thing to ask any contractor you're considering, along with the state license we mentioned above.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Helena, AL?
It comes down to the size, the base work your lot needs and the finish you pick, so your real number comes from the estimate after I've seen the driveway. The base is the part nobody sees on day one and the first thing people want to trim, but a nice finish on a poorly packed base cracks and settles just like the old one, so on a tight budget I'd go with a plain broom finish before I'd skimp underneath. Stamped or colored finishes cost more, and breaking out an old driveway adds to it.
Will a new concrete patio in Helena crack like the old one did?
It shouldn't break up and sink the way a slab on a bad base does, but concrete shrinks as it hardens, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give it a straight line to crack along where it won't show. We cut them on time, because joints cut late or skipped let the cracks pick their own spot, and we pour in the cooler part of the day so the top cures hard instead of dusty.
How long do I have to stay off a new concrete driveway in Helena?
You can usually walk on it after a few days, but cars wait a good while longer, because concrete keeps gaining strength while it cures, the slow hardening that goes on well after the pour. I'll give you the dates for your job when we pour, and we can plan around when you need your car out of the garage.
Other service areas
Hoover, AL
Call about your Helena driveway or patio
Most of what decides how long a slab lasts happens before the concrete truck shows up, so getting me out early gives us time to plan the base and drainage right.