Concrete Contractors in Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids is our home market, and concrete contractors here have to handle almost two centuries of building in one city. The settlement was founded in 1826, became a city in 1850 and counted 198,917 people at the 2020 census, the second-largest city in Michigan. Fulton Street splits the city north and south and Division Avenue splits it east and west, giving the NE, NW, SE and SW quadrants that every address carries. We pour new driveways, patios, stamped concrete, sidewalks and steps, garage and shed slabs, and we repair or replace concrete that has failed.

Old houses on steep hills

Wikipedia describes the Grand River valley through the city as flat and narrow, bordered by steep hills and bluffs, with the land becoming more rolling farther from the river. Many older neighborhoods climb those hills. Heritage Hill, directly east of downtown, has about 1,300 homes dating from 1848 and more than 60 architectural styles, and it is one of the largest urban historic districts in the country. Homes on blocks like these often have:

• Front steps that climb from the public walk to a raised porch
• Narrow driveways along the side of the house to a detached garage
• Walks and stoops that have been patched several times
• Retaining edges where the yard steps up from the street

Replacing steps on a slope takes careful forming so every riser is even and the landing drains. We look at each piece of concrete on its own and replace only what has failed.

Snow, salt and 138 freezing nights

Grand Rapids averages about 75 inches of snow a year, much of it lake-effect, and it is counted among the snowiest major U.S. cities. Wikipedia's climate figures show about 138 nights a year below 32 degrees and a January average low near 19 degrees. Each time water in a slab freezes and thaws, it works the surface and the joints. Add road salt carried in on tires, and driveways and garage floors scale and crack faster here than in milder climates.

So every exterior slab we pour uses air-entrained concrete, a compacted gravel base and control joints at sensible spacing. We slope surfaces so meltwater runs off, and we recommend a penetrating sealer once the concrete cures, plus no rock salt the first winter.

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Grand Rapids rules for walks and drive approaches

The City of Grand Rapids inspects and maintains public sidewalks, with a goal of inspecting or repairing every existing sidewalk on a 15-year revolving cycle. Inspectors mark squares that need replacement, and residents can report problems through 311. Any work in the public right-of-way, including sidewalks, driveway approaches, curbs, retaining walls and ADA ramps, requires a city permit and must be done by a contractor holding a valid Grand Rapids Sidewalk Builder's license, built to the city's Standard Construction Specifications. Work entirely on your own lot, such as a patio or the private part of a driveway, is a separate matter. If your project reaches the approach or the public walk, we sort out the right-of-way permit before we schedule the pour.

River floods and low ground

The Grand River has flooded the city more than once. In March 1904, more than half of the populated west side went underwater, flooding over 2,500 houses. In April 2013 the river crested at 21.85 feet, forcing thousands to evacuate. Homes on low ground near the river and its creeks deserve extra attention to drainage. We grade patios, walks and drives to move water away from foundations and avoid low spots where ice forms.

Plaster Creek and the gypsum beds

Grand Rapids also sits on gypsum. Settlers began mining an outcrop where Plaster Creek enters the Grand River in 1841, first in open pits and later underground. Few homeowners ever see sign of it, but ground near the creeks can be softer and wetter than the hills. When we break out an old slab and find soft soil, we dig it out and replace it with compacted crushed gravel before pouring.

Six services for Grand Rapids homes

• Driveways: tear-outs, replacements, widening and new aprons
• Patios: broom-finish and decorative slabs for back yards of every size
• Stamped concrete: slate, ashlar, fieldstone and wood-plank patterns
• Sidewalks and steps: front walks, service walks, stoops and porch steps
• Garage and shed slabs: detached garage floors and pads for sheds
• Repair and replacement: sunken panels, trip edges and failed steps

Call (616) 727-8573 to set up a visit anywhere in the city, from the West Side to the Southeast Side.