Concrete Contractor in Mountain Brook, AL - Driveways That Drain and Stay Put
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor pouring driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs in Mountain Brook, AL. I look at your ground myself, and our own crew builds the base right before any concrete goes down.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Mountain Brook homes on sloped, wooded lots
Most of our calls in Mountain Brook come from homeowners whose driveway, front walk or steps have simply worn out. Many of the houses are older and well kept, set back on wooded lots with long drives, and the concrete around them was often poured long before the trees got as big as they are now. It's a city of homes more than businesses, so the work is mostly residential, the same kind we do next door in Homewood and Vestavia Hills.
What shapes the job here is the ground. Plenty of lots sit on a slope, so the water coming down the yard decides how we grade, how we build the base and where the slab has to send that water.
Concrete work we do on Mountain Brook homes
Concrete driveway building
Hillside driveways here catch runoff every storm, so we dig out the soft base, pack new stone and slope the slab to send water off it.
See the service Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
A back patio on a sloped yard has to fall away from the house, so we set the grade first and pour a slab flat enough for chairs.
See the service Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick to match an older house, pressed into the slab while it's still soft.
See the service Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Front walks here get heaved by tree roots, so we take out the broken sections and pack a firm base under the new ones.
See the service Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
An old garage floor that's cracked or sinking can be broken out and repoured on a packed base, sloped so water runs out the door.
See the service Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored concrete, exposed stone and borders let new work sit easily beside an older brick or stone house instead of looking like a plain gray add-on.
See the service Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
On a hillside lot, a concrete retaining wall holds back the slope so a driveway, patio or flat yard has ground that stays where it is.
See the service Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
Basements, workshops and additions need a floor poured flat over a packed base, with a barrier under it so ground moisture stays out.
See the service Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
We usually give a pool deck a broom finish, a brushed texture that grips bare feet, and slope it so splash water runs away from the pool.
See the service Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps on these older homes often settle away from the porch or crack at the edges, so we rebuild them on footings with even step heights.
See the service Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
A slab foundation for an addition, garage or outbuilding on sloped ground depends on the digging and grading done before the pour.
See the service Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
For a new home or a big addition, we form and pour the foundation to the plans and set rebar, the steel inside that holds the concrete together.
See the service Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Churches, offices and shared lots need concrete thick enough for daily traffic and sloped to shed rain, with the pour planned around when the lot is busy.
See the service Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Footings carry the weight of walls, porches, columns and additions, so we dig them to firm ground and pour them before anything goes on top.
See the service Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When a slab or a corner of a house settles on soft ground, raising it back toward level can close gaps and turn water away from the wall.
See the service Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
We saw-cut old concrete to take out one broken section, widen a driveway or open a path for new drainage without tearing out the whole slab.
See the service Concrete cutting
Get a concrete estimate for your Mountain Brook home
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
Permits, licenses and scheduling in Mountain Brook
Here, the city's building inspections division issues building permits and does the inspections, and the city requires a permit for construction, repair or additions to a house, so the paperwork is usually the first thing on the schedule. Before we put your job on the calendar, we check with the city for your address, handle the permit when one is called for and leave room for the inspections. Anyone doing work in Mountain Brook also needs a city business license, so ask any contractor you're talking to for it, and for a state license on bigger home jobs. We're fully licensed and insured.
We're a concrete contractor based in Hoover, AL, and Mountain Brook is a short drive for our crew, just like the jobs we run up in Fultondale and across Birmingham. On the narrow, winding streets and under the big trees here, how close the truck can get to your driveway is part of the price, along with how much old concrete comes out, how much digging and packing the base needs, how steep the drive is and the finish you pick. The other half of the schedule is curing, the days after the pour when the concrete gains strength and has to be kept off, so plan on parking somewhere else for a while. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather you go with a plain broom finish than cut the base, because nobody sees the base on day one and it's the part that decides whether the slab stays put. Your estimate lays out each of those for your job.
Why Mountain Brook driveways and walks give out
Water is the main thing we see here. On a sloped lot, rain runs down the yard and along the driveway, and when it gets under the slab it softens the subgrade, the packed ground the concrete sits on, until the slab drops and cracks. That's why pooling water at the bottom of a drive, or a patio tilting back toward the house, is the first thing I look for. We dig out the soft dirt, pack a solid base and shape the slab so water leaves it, and on a steep drive we can add a drain to catch what comes down the hill.
The other thing is age. A lot of the concrete around older houses here was poured decades ago, sometimes without control joints, the cuts in the surface that give a slab a straight place to crack, and big tree roots have been pushing on it ever since. We cut those joints on time and keep new slabs clear of the worst roots where we can.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Mountain Brook
Here's what happens from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll be talking to and when you'll see us at your house.
Call or send the form
Tell us about the job at (205) 325-9006 or through the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time. I'm the one who comes out to see it.
Walk the site together
I look at the ground, the slope and where the water runs, and talk through what you want, so it helps if you're home. You get an estimate that spells out the base work, the thickness and the finish, so you can see where the money goes.
Permit first, then pour
Before we set a date, we check with the city's building office and handle the permit if the job needs one, leaving room for its inspections. Our own crew does the digging, the base and the pour with me on the job, and we keep the pour out of the midday heat that leaves a weak, dusty top.
Walk the finished work
Before we pack up, we walk the finished slab with you and go over how long to keep feet and cars off while it cures. We clean up and haul off the old concrete.
Questions about concrete work in Mountain Brook
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway in Mountain Brook?
Yes, the City of Mountain Brook lists driveways among the work that needs a permit. Under the city's codes, starting work before you apply for a required permit doubles the permit fees, so it pays to have it in hand first. When you hire us, we check with the city for your address and handle the paperwork.
Do I need a permit in Mountain Brook if I pour a patio myself?
You may, because the city says owners building or renovating their own homes need a permit too. Not every project needs one, but work beyond routine or emergency maintenance may, so check with the city's Licensing and Permits Department about your patio before you dig. The city's permit questions page answers a lot of this.
Does my builder need a state license for work on my Mountain Brook home?
If the builder is paid to work on your home and the job costs more than $10,000, yes. The state Home Builders Licensure Board licenses residential home builders every year, and that covers homes of up to three floors and four units. Ask for that license along with the city business license, and get both before anyone starts.
How do I find out if my house in Mountain Brook is in a flood zone?
Contact the City Building Official to learn whether your home is in a flood zone. You can also search your address on the state's AlabamaFlood floodplain data. The city's building inspections division also handles storm water and floodplain rules, so on a lot near a creek I want that answer before we plan any grading or drainage.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Mountain Brook?
The price comes down to your driveway's size, the old concrete that has to come out, the base work your ground needs and the finish you choose, so I give you a figure after I've seen it. Stamped or colored concrete costs more than a broom finish, and so does a wider drive or a retaining wall to hold a steep edge, while a simpler shape and easy truck access bring it down. The estimate shows each of those so you can decide where to spend.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack and sink, and will a new one do the same?
Most cracking and sinking comes from what's under the slab: a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, water running underneath, or a pour in the midday heat. Concrete can still crack a little as it dries, which is why we cut the control joints on time so any crack runs where we chose. With a packed base, the water steered off and rebar where the job calls for it, a new slab should hold up much better than the one it replaces.
Other service areas
Hoover, AL
Tell us about your Mountain Brook project
A walk around your lot shows where the water runs and what's under the old slab, and that's what your price really turns on.