Concrete contractor in Council Bluffs, IA - driveways and walks built for hillside lots
Excel Bellevue Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Bellevue, NE. We pour driveways, patios, walks and steps across the river in Council Bluffs, IA, and replace slabs that have cracked or sunk on sloped lots.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Hillside homes and flat streets in Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs is a short drive across the Missouri from Bellevue, where we're based. We work it the same way we work La Vista or Glenwood.
Some of the calls we get here are from older houses on streets that climb into the bluffs, with long front walks and runs of steps. Others come from newer subdivisions with wide driveways and backyard patios, and a few come from small business owners who need a lot or a walk redone. Most of these jobs share ground that rarely sits flat. On a sloped lot the job starts below the surface, with how much dirt comes out, what goes back in and where the water will run once the slab is down.
Our services in Council Bluffs, IA
- Concrete driveway building
On sloped lots here, water runs down driveways and works its way under the edges. We dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, so it doesn't settle.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks here tip and heave once roots and water get under them. We break out the bad sections and pour new concrete sidewalks on a packed base.
- Concrete steps construction
Hillside houses often have long runs of steps, and the old ones crumble and tip. We pour new steps with even risers and a broom finish, a light texture that gives your feet some grip.
- Concrete patio construction
A patio here has to slope away from the house, or rain pools against the foundation. We set the grade before we pour, so the water runs out to the yard.
- Concrete retaining walls
A yard cut into a hill needs a wall to hold the dirt back, and a leaning wall usually has water behind it. We build concrete walls with drainage behind them.
- Concrete parking lot building
Small business lots here wear out first where water pools by the door. We pour them thick enough for the traffic they carry and slope them toward the drains.
What Council Bluffs hills ask of a slab
Parts of Council Bluffs sit up on ridges of the Loess Hills, and a lot of yards here slope toward the street or away from the house. Water follows that slope. When it runs under a slab that was poured on raked dirt, the dirt washes out and settles, and the concrete sinks or tips with it. Before we set forms, I check where your water goes. Then we dig out the soft ground, pack the base and pitch the slab so rain runs off it and away from your house.
On older driveways and walks here, the cracks usually run wherever they want. That's because the control joints were cut late or never cut. Those are the grooves that give a slab a straight line to crack along. Concrete cracks, and I'd rather show you where our joints go and why than let you expect a perfect slab. Your price moves with the size of the job, how much old concrete comes out, how much digging the base needs and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the permit side and a good day to pour, so the estimate is where you get your own figure.
Book an on-site concrete estimate in Council Bluffs
Fill out the form or call (402) 206-0944, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time to see your Council Bluffs property. I come out myself, look at the slab and the ground around it, and give you a free estimate on site with no obligation.
Driveways, walks, patios and steps
Council Bluffs concrete questions answered
Who issues building permits in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
The city's Building Division issues permits in Council Bluffs for building, demolition, fence, roofing and other kinds of work. It's the office to ask whether your concrete job needs one. Every construction project there has to have its final inspection done and approved. Before we schedule, we look into the permit side for your address, and when a permit applies, we take care of the application or walk you through it.
How do I apply for a building permit in Council Bluffs?
You apply online through the Customer Portal linked from the city's Permit Applications page. Once you log in, you can apply, submit your paperwork and pay. If we're handling the permit for your job, we do that part for you. If you'd rather file it yourself, I'll walk you through it.
How much notice does Council Bluffs need for a residential inspection?
Residential inspection requests in Council Bluffs need 24 hours' notice. Concrete inspections run on their own same-day and next-day cutoff times. When a pour needs an inspection, we line it up ahead of time and set the pour date around it.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Council Bluffs?
A driveway's cost in Council Bluffs comes down to its size, how much old concrete we tear out, how much digging and packed base the ground needs, and the finish. I give you the figure at the estimate. Sloped lots usually need more dirt work, and sometimes steps or a short wall, which adds to the price. If you need to bring the number down, I'll tell you to go plainer on the finish before you cut corners on the base, because the base is the part you can't fix later.
How long does a new concrete driveway take to cure before I can drive on it?
You can walk on a new driveway well before you can drive on it. Concrete keeps hardening for days after the pour, and it needs that curing time before it can take a car's weight. If you drive on it too soon, you can crack the edges or leave ruts. When we finish, I'll tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for your car.
Does a Bellevue concrete contractor work in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
Yes. We're based in Bellevue and work across Omaha and the cities around it on both sides of the river, Council Bluffs included. The work is done by me and a small crew I've trained, and we're licensed and fully insured.