Concrete Contractor in Garden City, KS - Slabs Built From the Ground Up
Riverstone Garden City Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Garden City, KS. We build driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs, and I come out to look at the job myself before our crew pours.
Garden City concrete, from the dirt up
I learned concrete doing upkeep for a property management company, patching the same walks, steps and slabs at rentals year after year. I started this business in 2013 so I could build work that wouldn't need patching the next spring. Garden City is our home base, and homeowners, landlords and small business owners here call us.
What we're known for is taking the time to explain a job before we pour, and I don't mind going over it twice. Before our crew sets the first form, you'll know what you're paying for, from the dirt up.
What we check under a slab
I look underneath before I look at the surface, because patching those rental slabs taught me most trouble starts below or with water. On a Garden City job we check the subgrade, which is the dirt and gravel the slab sits on, then where water runs across your yard and how the old slab failed. That tells us how deep to dig and how much packing the base needs.
- A raked base. Where a slab went down on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, it sinks as the dirt settles.
- Water toward the house. If a patio or driveway slopes toward the house, rain pools against the foundation, so we check where water runs before we set the forms.
- Cracks nobody chose. When control joints, the shallow cuts that give concrete a place to crack, go in late or not at all, cracks run wherever they please.
Concrete jobs we do in Garden City
A lot of concrete calls start with a driveway or walk that has cracked, sunk or started holding water. We break out the old slab, find why it failed and fix that before the new pour, usually with rebar inside, steel rod that holds the pieces together if it does crack. There's more on our concrete driveway building page.
New work is the other kind, like a patio, steps or a slab for a shed. People think about the finish first, a broom finish that grips underfoot or a stamped pattern, but the base is what holds it up. Nobody sees the base on day one, so it's the first thing folks want to trim, and I'll steer you the other way, because a pretty surface on a soft base cracks the same.
Getting us out to your place
We're based in Garden City and work in the cities around it. Call (620) 315-5440 or use the form, and I'll come out to look. Price mostly follows the size, how much base work it needs and the finish you pick, and the schedule turns on weather and the wait while concrete cures. We go over both on site.
Tell us about your concrete job
Send the size, the spot and what's going wrong, or tell us on the phone. We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come look.
(620) 315-5440- Free, done on site
- Base and drainage checked
- No obligation to hire
Questions before you pour
Who handles concrete permits in Garden City, KS?
The city's Building Inspections Division reviews, inspects and approves construction in Garden City, and its permit applications include one for concrete work. We'll pull the city permit when your job needs one, or help you through it if you'd rather apply yourself. Either way, we settle who calls in the utility locates so buried lines are marked before anyone digs.
Do concrete contractors need a license in Garden City?
Garden City licenses contractors under its city code, and the application asks for proof of at least $500,000 in general liability insurance, with the city named on the certificate. We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask about it at the estimate.
Will my new concrete driveway crack like the old one?
It can still get a hairline crack, because concrete shrinks as it dries, but it shouldn't sink the way a slab on a poor base does. We dig out and pack the subgrade, pour early on hot days so the top doesn't dry too fast, and cut control joints so a crack usually follows a line we picked.
How long until I can drive on a new driveway in Garden City?
You can usually walk on it well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength as it cures and a car is a lot more weight than a person. How long that takes turns mostly on the weather, so we go over the wait for your slab at the estimate.
Where does storm drain water go in Garden City?
According to the city, water that enters the storm drains flows untreated, straight to the Arkansas River, unlike sink and toilet water, which goes to the treatment plant first. That's why we keep concrete washout, the gray rinse water off our tools and chute, out of the gutter and let it settle on the job.