Concrete & Demolition Contractor in Des Plaines, IL

Concrete and demolition work in Des Plaines

Des Plaines has post-war housing and newer subdivisions near the river. That shapes the work we do here more than anything else. The three things we get called for most in Des Plaines are drainage-sensitive work near the Des Plaines River, driveway and apron replacement, and garage slabs.

We are based in Avondale at 3227 N Western Ave, which puts Des Plaines well inside our normal working radius. Because we run demolition and concrete with the same crew, a tear-out and a new pour in Des Plaines is one contractor and one schedule rather than two companies negotiating with each other over your driveway.

What Des Plaines concrete is up against

Chicago is one of the hardest climates in the country on concrete. The freeze-thaw cycle runs from November into March, de-icing salt goes down on every driveway and public walk, and the clay soil underneath holds water instead of draining it. Concrete that survives here is air-entrained, poured on a compacted stone base, pitched so water leaves, jointed on a proper grid, and kept away from salt through its first winter.

What we see repeatedly in Des Plaines is water. Slabs pitched the wrong way, downspouts discharging onto concrete, and yards that hold instead of drain. Fixing the slab without fixing the water just resets the clock.

• Slabs poured on bad base. Most cracked driveways in the older neighborhoods were poured straight on disturbed clay with no compacted stone under them.
• Road salt damage. De-icing salt accelerates surface scaling badly. New concrete should not see salt through its first winter and should be sealed before the second.
• Control joints cut late or shallow. Concrete is going to crack. Joints decide where. Cut at the wrong depth or a day late and the slab picks its own line across the middle.
• Freeze-thaw scaling. Water gets into the surface, freezes, and lifts the top layer off in flakes. It comes from too much water in the mix, finishing while bleed water is still on the slab, or skipping the air entrainment Illinois exterior concrete needs.

Services we offer in Des Plaines

Every one of these has a page of its own, and a page specific to Des Plaines.

How a Des Plaines job runs

1. Diagnose the causeSettlement, base failure, drainage, salt or finishing. The cause determines the repair.
2. Present the optionsLift, section replace, resurface or full replacement, with the trade-offs on each.
3. Address drainage firstIf water is the cause, fixing the slab without fixing the water just resets the clock.
4. Execute the repairSaw cut clean, lift, or tear out and rebuild base as the case requires.
5. Match and finishNew work is finished to match the existing texture as closely as concrete allows.
6. Seal where it helpsSealing extends life on repaired surfaces exposed to salt.

What we look at before quoting in Des Plaines

Every estimate in Des Plaines starts with the same five questions, because the answers change the number far more than square footage does.

• How does material get in and debris get out? On the tighter lots around Des Plaines this is half the labor. A site a truck can back up to and a site where everything moves by buggy are not the same job.
• What is under the existing slab? If the base was never compacted, the new pour needs the bad material dug out, not covered over.
• Where does the water go? Grade, downspouts and where the yard drains. Fixing the slab without fixing the water just resets the clock.
• Does any of it sit in the public way? Aprons and sidewalk sections usually need a permit and have to meet municipal spec.
• What is the slab actually carrying? A work truck, an RV or a dumpster means a thicker slab and more reinforcement than a passenger car.

Taking care of new concrete in Des Plaines

Once the pour is done, the first twelve months decide how the next twenty go. Keep vehicles off for about a week and foot traffic off until the next day. Do not put de-icing salt on it through its first winter, and get it sealed before the second one. Keep downspouts discharging onto grass or a splash block rather than straight onto the slab, and if a planter or a pile of firewood is going to sit on it, put something underneath so it does not trap moisture in one spot. That is the whole list.

Nearby areas we serve

We work across the North Shore and north suburbs and beyond. Close to Des Plaines we are regularly in Park Ridge, Niles, Bensenville, Morton Grove and Glenview. The full list is on the areas we serve page.

Des Plaines FAQ