Concrete contractor in Columbus, IN - slabs that drain on level lots
Seymour Concrete is a concrete contractor pouring driveways, patios, walks, steps and garage floors for homeowners in Columbus, IN. We dig out and pack the base, then set each slab to drain away from your house.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Older streets and newer subdivisions in Columbus
Columbus is the Bartholomew County seat, a short drive north of our base in Seymour, and we're out there often for driveways, patios and walks. Near downtown the houses are older, with narrow drives, front steps and walks that have tipped and cracked over the decades. Out in the newer subdivisions the slabs are younger, but we still see patios settling and driveways cracking where the first base was thin.
The ground around Columbus is mostly level, spread along the East Fork of the White River, and that shapes our work more than anything else here. On a flat lot, rainwater doesn't run off on its own, so we set each slab with a slight fall away from the house and pay close attention to the dirt it sits on.
What to know before a Columbus concrete job
Building permits for Columbus homes come from the Bartholomew County Department of Technical Code Enforcement, which looks after building codes and zoning for the county and the city both. It's that office's call whether your driveway or patio needs a permit, so I check with them before we put your job on the calendar and tell you plainly who's handling the paperwork, since a permit has to be in place before we start. The City of Columbus doesn't require a local business license to open a business, so there's no city license to look a contractor up by. Ask any contractor for proof of insurance and a written estimate instead. We're fully licensed and insured.
What moves the price here is mostly what you don't see: how much dirt has to come out and be replaced with a packed base, whether an old slab has to be broken out and hauled off, how big and thick the new one is, and the finish. A stamped surface takes more time than a broom finish, the light drag texture that gives your shoes some grip. The schedule turns on the permit question and on curing, the days the concrete needs to gain strength before you walk or drive on it, and your written estimate lays out both. We do the same work in North Vernon and the other cities around Seymour.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Columbus property
We reply within one business day, and the estimate at your Columbus property is free with no obligation. I come out myself, walk the job with you and answer your questions, then send a written estimate that says what's included. If you'd rather talk first, call (812) 271-8146.
Call (812) 271-8146Services in Columbus, IN
Concrete driveway building
Older Columbus driveways often crack and sink because the base under them was only raked flat. We dig out, pack a firm base and pour a new slab.
Concrete patio construction
Plenty of Columbus backyards have a cracked patio, or just grass, off the back door. Our concrete patio construction starts with a packed base so the new slab stays put.
Concrete sidewalk building
Walks on older Columbus lots tip and lift where roots and settling dirt push them. We replace the bad sections and pour them level with the rest.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here often pull away from the porch. We pour new ones with rebar inside, steel rods that hold the concrete together.
Garage floor concrete
Garage floors in older Columbus homes are often cracked and dusty after years of cars. We break out the old floor and pour a new, level slab.
Stamped concrete services
Newer Columbus subdivisions bring calls for patios that look like stone or brick. We press the pattern into the fresh concrete, then seal it.
How a Columbus concrete job goes from call to cleanup
Call or send us the form
I ask a few questions about your driveway, patio or walk and set a time to come out to Columbus and look at it with you.
Walk the job with me
I look at the old slab and where the water goes, and we talk through your options. Then I send a written estimate that spells out what's included, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
Settle the permit and date
Once you say go, I sort out the permit question and we set a pour day that works around it. You don't need to be home while we prep, though you're welcome to watch.
Pour, finish and walk through
I'm on site with our crew from forming to finishing. When it's done, we walk the finished job together, and I tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for your car.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete driveway or patio in Columbus, Indiana?
You may, because the county and city building codes require a permit before building, altering or repairing any structure that costs over $300, and the county department says most improvements to a home or property need one. Its examples include sheds, garages, pools, decks and porches, but the list isn't meant to be complete and doesn't name driveways or patios either way, so the department's answer for your job is the one that counts.
How do I schedule a building inspection in Columbus, IN?
Call the county department at 812-379-1535 at least 24 hours ahead, because every inspection has to be booked a day in advance and calls are taken until 4:30 PM the day before. If your job carries a permit with an inspection, we build that call into the schedule so the pour isn't held up waiting on it.
Who do I talk to about a new driveway entrance onto a Columbus city street?
The City of Columbus Engineering Department answers questions about driveways, street access, storm water and work in the public right-of-way, the strip along the street that belongs to the public. That office may also require a separate land disturbance or storm water permit, so when a driveway ties into the street, I ask about it before we set a date.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Columbus, IN?
There's no one price, because every driveway is sized and built for its lot, and you get your own figure in a written estimate after I walk the job. If the budget's tight, I'd keep the base work and choose a plainer finish, because the base is hidden on day one but it's what keeps the slab from cracking and settling a few winters later.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack and sink?
Most cracking and sinking starts underneath, when the base was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settles as the loose dirt does. Water pooling at the edges and joints cut late or skipped add cracks in places nobody chose. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab rests on, pack a base, set the fall away from your house and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along.
How do I check the zoning or code rules for my property in Columbus?
Ask the county department, which answers requests for information on zoning and code requirements for both the county and the city. If the slab is for a new garage or other outbuilding larger than 200 square feet, the department requires a site plan certified by a registered land surveyor, so it pays to ask early.
Other service areas
Talk with us about your Columbus slab
We answer the phone seven days a week, into the evening, so call (812) 271-8146 or send the form whenever you get a minute.