Concrete sidewalk building in Hoover AL - a walk laid out to stay level and dry
Cracked, heaved or sinking panels, or a muddy path worn across the yard? We build a new concrete walk on packed ground with planned joints.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a concrete sidewalk that lasts in Hoover?
Concrete sidewalk building in Hoover starts below the surface. We strip out the topsoil and roots and pack the ground the walk will sit on. Then we pour it and give it a textured finish that won't turn slick in the rain.
Most folks call us when an old walk has buckled, sunk or cracked into a trip hazard, or when a path worn through the grass has turned to mud. The price moves with the size of the walk, how much old concrete has to come out and how much digging the route needs. It also moves if part of the walk crosses the driveway, because that section usually has to be thicker or reinforced to carry cars. The schedule mostly turns on the weather, the permit check for your address and curing, which is the wait while new concrete gains strength before you use it. The estimate I put together spells out what's in your job.
How do you know your sidewalk needs replacing?
Raised edges near trees
One panel sits higher than the next, often near a tree, and you catch your toe on the lip. That's usually a root pushing up from underneath, and it keeps lifting every year, so the trip hazard only gets worse while you wait.
Sunken or tipped panels
A section has dropped or leans to one side, and water sits in the low corner after it rains. Usually the dirt underneath has washed out or settled, and every storm that soaks in softens more of the ground holding up the next panel.
Water running toward the house
Runoff follows the walk straight to your foundation or pools against the front steps. That tells us the walk sits too low or slopes the wrong way, and leaving it keeps sending water to the one spot you least want it.
How our concrete sidewalk building works
Where a walk runs matters as much as how it's poured, so I start by laying out a route that stays clear of low spots, tree roots and any runoff headed for the house. Then we tear out the old walk if there is one, dig out the topsoil and anything organic, and pack the subgrade, the dirt the walk sits on, so it holds the concrete up evenly instead of settling under it. Before the pour I show you where the control joints will go. Those are shallow cut lines that give the concrete a planned place to crack, and they're how we keep any cracking small and neat. We set the forms, pour, and give the top a broom finish, a light texture dragged across the surface so shoes grip when it's wet.
If you're looking to save money somewhere, don't let it be the base. It's buried on day one, so it's the first thing people want to cut, but it decides whether the walk stays flat. A plain finish on well-packed ground will outlast a fancy one on raked dirt. When the budget allows, decorative concrete can add color or pattern to a front walk. If the walk ends at a garage with a worn-out floor, I can look at garage floor concrete on the same visit.
Get a free estimate for your new sidewalk
Tell us the walk's rough length and width and whether it meets a driveway or a city sidewalk. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free estimate at your place, 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 sidewalk in Hoover?
From your first call to the final walk-through, here's who does what and what you'll have in hand before you decide anything.
Call or send the form
Give us a rough idea of the walk's size and where it starts and ends. We'll set a time for me to come out and see it.
I walk the route with you
I look at the ground, the trees and where the water runs, and we talk through the best route. You get an estimate that spells out what's in it, so you know what you're paying for before you commit.
We sort permits and pour
Once you're ready, we sort out the permit side with the building office and set the pour around the weather and any inspections. Then our crew builds the walk.
We walk the finished sidewalk
Before we pack up, we walk the new sidewalk with you and go over the joints and the curing. We'll tell you when it's ready for foot traffic.
Why Hoover homeowners call A&B Hoover Concrete Construction for a sidewalk
The owner comes to look
I come out myself to look at your walk and talk it over with you. Our own crew does the work, and I'm on the job with them, so the person who planned your walk is there when the concrete goes down.
Pouring in Hoover since 2020
I opened this business in 2020 after learning the trade one pour at a time on another crew. Those years taught me that the dirt under a walk decides how well it holds up.
Licensed and insured in Alabama
We're fully licensed and insured. Alabama's home builder law covers work on someone else's home once the job costs more than $10,000, so ask about licensing when you compare contractors.
If you're planning a walk, send us a note or call (205) 325-9006, and I'll come look at the route with you.
Sidewalks, curbs and city permits in Hoover
Hoover requires a residential building permit before construction starts. Its list names new construction, additions and remodels, though, not sidewalks, so I won't guess whether your walk needs one. Before we schedule anything, we check with the building office for your address. When a permit is called for, we handle the paperwork and leave room in the plan for inspections. The city's Building Inspections Department inspects and approves all construction work in Hoover, and you can ask them directly about your own walk.
A lot of the walks we replace run past big old trees or down a sloped front yard to the street, and roots and runoff are what lift and wash out a walk. We plan for both before we dig, and we see the same thing on jobs in Vestavia Hills and Homewood.
Questions about concrete sidewalks in Hoover
Will a new concrete sidewalk crack?
Some cracking is normal, because concrete can't be kept from cracking entirely, but well-designed joints control it and keep it small. Wire mesh won't stop cracks either, though it tends to keep cracks and joints from opening up. When you compare quotes, ask each contractor how they'll place the joints.
How much does a concrete sidewalk cost per square foot?
Installing a concrete sidewalk across the US usually costs about $12 to $14 per square foot. That's a national figure, not our price. The number for your walk comes from the free estimate at your place.
Do I need a permit to connect my walk to the city sidewalk in Hoover?
Yes. Any work in Hoover that cuts, digs up, removes or replaces a city sidewalk, curb, street or alley needs a street-cut permit. If your new walk ties into the public sidewalk or crosses the curb, we'll point that out at the estimate so it's part of the plan.
How do I fix a sidewalk panel that has heaved?
A lasting fix deals with whatever moved the panel, such as roots, washed-out dirt, poor fill or bad drainage, instead of only grinding down the raised edge. Grinding takes away the lip for now, but the cause keeps pushing. We find the cause first, then cut out and repour the bad panels.
What is the best way to pour a sidewalk in Hoover summer heat?
Plan for the heat from the moment the truck arrives until curing is done, because hot weather can cause trouble with delivery, placing and curing that hurts how the concrete holds up. Curing should start promptly once the walk is finished. On hot days we pour early, before the midday sun dries the top too fast and leaves it weak and dusty.
Can I build my own sidewalk in Alabama without a contractor's license?
Yes. Alabama lets owners do this kind of work on their own home. If you act as your own contractor and hire help, though, any subcontractor whose part of the job costs over $10,000.00 has to be licensed.
Related concrete work for your walk
Garage floor concrete
If your walk ends at a garage with a cracked or crumbling floor, a new floor gets the same care for base, drainage and joints.
See the service Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
For a front entry walk that should look as good as it holds up, color, pattern or texture can go on top of the same solid base.
See the service Decorative concrete
Service areas for sidewalk work near Hoover
A&B Hoover Concrete Construction is based in Hoover, Alabama, and we work in Birmingham and many of the cities around it, Pelham among them. Twelve cities, Hoover included, have their own page below, and they're not the only places we go.
Hoover, AL
Plan your new sidewalk before the pour
Call (205) 325-9006 or send the form now, because moving a walk on paper costs nothing and moving it after the pour means tearing out concrete.