Concrete patio construction in Hoover AL - a slab that drains right and stays put
Old patio cracked, sinking or holding water by the back door? We build a new one on a packed base so it stays flat.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a concrete patio in Hoover?
Building a concrete patio in Hoover means digging out the yard, packing a firm base and pouring a slab right on the ground, then finishing it in broom, exposed aggregate or stamped, so you end up with a level outdoor space that sheds water and holds up. The pour itself goes quickly. Most of the wait is the concrete curing before you put furniture on it.
Most of our patio calls come from folks whose old slab has cracked, sunk or started holding water, or who want a real place to sit where there's only grass now. We're based in Hoover and work in Birmingham and many of the cities around it. The price comes down mostly to the size, the finish you pick, whether we add reinforcing and how much digging the base takes. The schedule turns on the permit check, the weather and the days the concrete needs to cure. When I come out, the estimate spells out what's in it, so you can see your own number instead of guessing at it.
How do you know your patio needs replacing?
Cracks that keep growing
A few hairline cracks are normal, but cracks that widen every year or leave one side sitting higher than the other usually mean the ground underneath has moved. Rain runs down into them and keeps washing at the base, so the longer you wait, the more of the slab ends up coming out.
A corner that's dropped
When a corner or a section has sunk, the dirt under it usually was never dug out and packed, and it's still settling. Patching the top won't stop that, and a slab that tips toward the house starts sending water at your back door and foundation.
Water that sits after rain
Puddles that hang around on the patio, or water that runs off it toward the house, mean the slab wasn't set to shed water where it should go. Standing water leaves stains, turns slick underfoot and soaks the ground under the slab, which is often how the sinking starts.
How we build a concrete patio, start to finish
We start by digging out the grass and soft dirt and packing the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, because a patio poured on dirt that was only raked level settles right along with it. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather you go with a plainer finish than cut corners on the base, since nobody sees the base on day one and it's what decides whether the patio stays flat. Before we set the forms, I check where the water runs so the finished slab carries rain away from the house, and then we place any reinforcing and pour. When the weather runs hot, we try to pour and finish outside the hottest hours, because hot concrete wants more water and comes out weaker on top, and we keep the slab curing afterward. Last, we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along instead of a random one, and we clean up before we go.
Picking the finish is a real choice about cost, grip and upkeep, so I lay out the three below side by side at the estimate. If you're set on a stone or brick look, our stamped concrete services go further into patterns, and if you need a way to get to the new patio, we can add a concrete sidewalk as part of the same job.
Get a free estimate for your new patio
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, spells out what's in it 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
What happens after you call about a patio in Hoover?
Here's how a patio job runs from your side, from the first call to the walk-through at the end.
Call or send the form
You call (205) 325-9006 or send the form, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come see the job. A rough size and the finish you're leaning toward help me come prepared.
Walk the yard together
I walk the site with you, look at the ground and where the water runs, and show you the finishes side by side. The estimate spells out what's in it, so you can see what the base work, the finish and any reinforcing each add to the price.
Sort the permit, set the pour
Once you're ready, we check with the building office for your address, handle any permit it calls for and leave room in the plan for the city's inspections. Then we set a pour date around the weather and get the base in first.
Walk the finished patio together
Before we pack up, we walk the finished patio with you and go over the joints, the finish and how it sheds water. We'll also tell you how long to keep furniture off it while it cures.
Why Hoover homeowners call A&B Hoover Concrete Construction for a patio
The owner comes to your yard
I come out myself to look at the job and talk it over with you, and the work is done by our own crew with me on the job. The person who sized up your yard is there when the base goes in, so nothing gets lost between the estimate and the pour.
In business since 2020
I learned concrete as a helper on a small crew, hauling and raking one pour at a time, and opened this business in 2020. We're best known for patios, driveways and steps that drain right and stay put.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're fully licensed and insured. Hoover requires every contractor and subcontractor working in the city to hold a city license plus any state license the job calls for, so it's fair to ask whoever you hire about both.
We explain the job as we go
I'd rather you understand your own patio than just sign for it, so I walk you through the base, the joints and the finish at the estimate and again at the end. The work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
On a patio, the part that counts most is the ground under it, so that's where I'll start when you ask for an estimate.
Patios, permits and what we see on jobs around Hoover
Hoover requires a building permit before construction work starts, and that goes for homeowners and contractors alike, so before we put your patio on the calendar we check with the building office for your address and handle the paperwork when a permit is called for. The city's inspectors check the work, the inspections are included in the permit price, and the permit isn't closed out until everything passes, so we build those visits into the schedule instead of rushing around them. Bigger jobs can also fall under the state's home builder rules, which cover residential work costing more than $10,000 in labor and materials, and under state law the builder has to tell you in writing whether it carries liability insurance before that kind of work starts.
A lot of the patios we tear out around Hoover are small slabs poured right off the back door years ago, and folks want something big enough for a table and a grill. Getting concrete into a fenced backyard is often the tricky part, so I look at gates, side yards and where the truck can park when I come out, and that shows up in the estimate. We run into the same backyards and the same long, hot summers on jobs in Vestavia Hills and Pelham.
Questions about concrete patios in Hoover
How much does a concrete patio cost in Hoover, AL?
A concrete patio in the Birmingham area usually costs about $6 to $16 per square foot, with stamped patios at the higher end, and that's the going rate around here, not our quote. Where yours lands depends on the size, the finish, whether you add reinforcing and how much base work the yard needs. I'll give you your own number when I come out.
Will a new concrete patio in Hoover crack?
Most likely, at least a little, because concrete slabs poured on the ground will more than likely crack at some point. What you can control is where the cracks show up and how wide they get, which is what the control joints and any reinforcing are for.
What is the best way to keep a concrete patio from cracking badly?
Enough welded wire reinforcing in the slab can keep cracks smaller, and it usually costs a little more per square foot in the Birmingham area, so you're weighing tighter cracks against a lower price. If your patio gets wire mesh, ask how the crew will hold it in place, because concrete industry guidance warns against laying it on the ground and pulling it up after the pour, or walking it down into the wet concrete.
How long does a new concrete patio need to cure?
Trade guidance for hot weather says curing, which keeps water from leaving the new slab too soon, should start as soon as finishing is done and run at least 3 days. That guidance lists covering the slab with wet burlap and plastic sheeting, using a liquid curing compound or keeping it wet with water. We keep the slab curing after the pour and tell you when it's ready for furniture.
What causes a weak, dusty top on a concrete patio?
Extra water is a common cause, whether it's added to the truck on site or sprinkled on the surface during finishing, because it weakens the top layer. Trade guidance limits water added at the job to what the mix is set for and calls for finishing slabs without sprinkling water on them, so it's a fair thing to ask any crew about.
How do I get an estimate for a concrete patio in Hoover?
Call (205) 325-9006 or use the form, and have the patio's rough size, the finish you're leaning toward and your Hoover address handy. From there I'll set a time to come walk the yard with you.
Services that go with a new patio
Stamped concrete services
If you'd like your patio to look like stone, slate or brick, stamped concrete presses that pattern into the slab, with colors and borders to match your house.
See the service Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Once the patio's in, a sidewalk gives you a dry, level path to it, so guests and the grill cart aren't crossing soggy grass after rain.
See the service Concrete sidewalk building
Cities where we build concrete patios
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction is based in Hoover, AL, and we work in Birmingham, Homewood and many of the cities around them. The 12 cities listed here each have their own page, and they're not the only places we work.
Hoover, AL
Get a price on your new patio
Have the rough size, the finish you're leaning toward and your Hoover address handy, and I can start sizing up the job on the first call.