Concrete Contractor in Vestavia Hills, AL - Slabs Built for Sloped Lots
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction pours driveways, patios, steps, walls and foundations for homes across Vestavia Hills, AL, with the base dug out and packed and the water sent away from your house before any concrete goes down.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Vestavia Hills houses built into the hillsides
Vestavia Hills sits right up against Birmingham and just up the road from us, since we're a concrete contractor based in Hoover. On our jobs here we see a lot of brick ranches and split-levels in the older parts of the city, set along winding streets that follow the ridges, and newer subdivisions where the houses are bigger and the lots were graded more recently. It's mostly homes, with shops, offices and churches along the main roads.
That ground shapes nearly every job. A driveway may climb hard from the street or a backyard may fall away behind the house, and all the rain off that slope has to go somewhere, so before we talk about finishes I want to know where the water runs and what the slab will sit on.
Concrete work we do on Vestavia Hills properties
Concrete driveway building
Most driveways here climb or drop from the street, so we set the base and the slope so rain runs to the side, not into your garage.
See the service Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
Sloped backyards often need a patio cut into the hill or built up on one side, and we pitch it so water runs away from the house.
See the service Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete suits the brick and stone homes on many streets here, giving a patio or front walk that look on a properly packed base.
See the service Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Walks that climb to the front door here need grip, so we give them a broom finish, a brushed texture that keeps shoes from sliding when it's wet.
See the service Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Older garages here often have floors that have cracked and sunk, and a new slab gives you a sound floor that drains toward the door.
See the service Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored, stained or textured concrete fits a front entry or patio where plain gray would look out of place beside the house.
See the service Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
On sloped yards a retaining wall holds back the hill for flat ground, and we build it with steel rebar inside and drainage behind.
See the service Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
Daylight basements on hillside homes here, plus workshops and additions, need an interior slab poured level and thick enough for what sits on it.
See the service Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
A pool deck has to shed splash and rain away from the pool and the house, and we give it a texture that grips under bare feet.
See the service Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
With so many houses set above the street here, front steps get heavy use, and we build each one the same height so nobody catches a toe.
See the service Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
A new house or addition on these lots often means cutting into a slope, so the slab foundation starts with solid ground and a plan for runoff.
See the service Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
For additions and new homes here we build the foundation to the plans, stepping it down the slope where the ground falls away.
See the service Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Churches, offices and small shops around the city need lots that carry daily traffic and drain where the water belongs, not across a sidewalk.
See the service Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Footings carry an addition, porch or wall, and on sloped ground here we dig them down to firm soil so the weight sits on something solid.
See the service Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When a slab or foundation has settled on one side, often where runoff washed out the ground below, we lift it back and deal with the cause.
See the service Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
Cutting lets us remove a broken section, open a slab for plumbing or a new door, or square up old concrete before we tie new work to it.
See the service Concrete cutting
Get a free concrete estimate for your Vestavia Hills home
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come look at the job. 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
Working in Vestavia Hills: permits, licenses and access
Permits here come from the city's Building Safety department, which covers all new construction, additions, alterations and commercial projects, and every contractor is responsible for having the permit before work starts. A driveway or patio isn't spelled out on that list, so before we schedule anything I check with them about your address, and when a permit is needed we handle the paperwork and leave room for the inspections, which is usually what decides the start date. You can check us too. Any general contractor or sub working in Vestavia Hills needs a city business license, and on residential work over $10,000 a general contractor has to show a current Alabama Home Builders card to get it, so ask anyone you're considering for both. We're fully licensed and insured.
What moves the price here is mostly the ground: how much old concrete comes out, how much digging and packing the base needs, how steep the lot is, and whether the truck can reach the forms on a narrow, curving street or the concrete has to be pumped. Size, thickness and finish count too, and your estimate spells out what's in it. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather and curing, the wait while fresh concrete gains strength before you put weight on it. We do the same work in Pelham and Homewood, so the ridges and runoff here are familiar to our crew.
Slopes, runoff and aging slabs in Vestavia Hills
Rain doesn't soak in on a hillside lot. It runs, and on a lot of properties here it runs straight down the driveway or along the edge of the patio. Over time that water washes out the subgrade, the packed ground the slab sits on, and once there's a gap underneath, the concrete cracks, sinks or tips toward the house. We look at where the water goes before we price anything, then dig out the soft ground, pack a solid base and pitch the new slab so water leaves both the house and the slab behind.
Many driveways and walks on the older streets were poured decades ago on a thin base, and the big trees on these wooded lots push up the edges with their roots. When we replace one, we take out the old slab and the soft fill under it instead of pouring over the top, because new concrete on old problems cracks the same way.
What to expect from your Vestavia Hills concrete job
Here's how it goes from your first call to the final walk-through, with me there for the estimate and on the job with our crew.
Call or send the form
Call (205) 325-9006 or send the form with a few lines about the job. We call you back to set a time for me to come see it.
Walk the site together
I come out myself, look at the ground 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 what's in it, so you can see what you'd be paying for before you decide.
Sort the permit, then pour
Once you're ready, we check with the city about your address, handle any permit and leave room for inspections, then our crew digs out, packs the base and pours. If a pour has to run on a weekend or after hours, the city requires a noise waiver first, and its review takes at least two business days.
Walk the finished work
Before we pack up, I walk the finished concrete with you and go over how long to stay off it on foot and how long before you drive on it. That's the time to ask anything you want to talk over.
Questions about concrete work in Vestavia Hills
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway in Vestavia Hills?
The city's permit list doesn't name driveways, so we check with the city about your address before we schedule anything instead of guessing. That list does cover all new construction, additions and alterations, and the residential code puts sidewalks among the work that's exempt, but exempt work still has to meet the code and other local laws. If a permit is called for, we handle it.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Vestavia Hills?
Your price comes from the estimate visit, because on lots here the work under the slab can move the number as much as the size does. The base is where people want to cut first, since it's hidden on day one, and it's the one place I won't, because good concrete on bad ground won't hold up. If the budget's tight, a plainer finish saves money without costing you the driveway.
What causes new concrete driveways to crack in Vestavia Hills?
Usually it's what happened before and right after the pour: a base raked flat instead of dug out and packed, joints cut late or skipped, or a midday pour in the heat that leaves a weak, dusty top. We pack the base, pour early on hot days and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along, while the concrete is still fresh. Concrete can still show hairline cracks, but those steps keep them where we chose.
What does Vestavia Hills require for a foundation on a steep lot?
On lots where the average slope passes the limit set in the city's residential code, a State of Alabama licensed engineer has to design the footings and foundations for new construction and additions. A geotechnical engineer, someone who studies the soil, also has to evaluate the site and inspect those footings and foundations. If your lot may fall in that group, we'll plan the job around your engineer's design and inspections.
Can I be my own general contractor for concrete work in Vestavia Hills?
Yes, homeowners don't need a city business license and can act as their own general contractor. On work over $10,000, you sign a notarized exemption form from the city's licenses and forms page. Anyone you hire still needs a sub-contractor's city business license, and a subcontractor must be licensed when their part of the job runs over $10,000.00.
How do I check that my concrete contractor got a permit in Vestavia Hills?
Ask the contractor to show you the permit, or call the city's building office at 205.978.0125, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. The city tells owners to check for a permit and to have inspections done as each phase is finished. Work done without one costs double the permit fee plus a $100 penalty, so the call is worth making.
Other service areas
Hoover, AL
Book your Vestavia Hills estimate visit today
The sooner I see your slope and where the water runs, the sooner we can settle the permit question and put your pour on the calendar.