Concrete Contractor in McCalla, AL - Driveways and Patios Built on Packed Ground
Northport Concrete is a concrete contractor working in McCalla, AL. We replace worn driveways, patios and walks, and add new slabs, steps and footings to homes people already live in, with our own crew doing the work.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
McCalla homes, lots and the ground under them
McCalla spreads out southwest of Bessemer, across the line between Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, and a lot of the homes we see here sit on roomy lots with long driveways, outbuildings and plenty of trees. The calls are a lot like the ones we get in Tuscaloosa. We see driveways that have cracked and sunk in spots, patios that hold water after a storm, and families who want more slab out back for a shop or a grill.
This is where the Appalachian Mountains finally run out, so plenty of lots here aren't flat. On a sloping yard the base and the drainage decide how a slab holds up, because rain has to go somewhere, and it shouldn't end up under your concrete or against your house.
Concrete work we do around McCalla
Concrete driveway building
Long driveways on rolling lots settle wherever the base was only raked level. We dig out the soft spots, pack the base and pour it new.
Concrete patio construction
On a sloping backyard we set the patio's slope away from your house, so rain runs off into the yard instead of pooling at your back door.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio, walk or pool deck the look of stone or slate, which suits a lot of the wooded lots out here.
Concrete sidewalk building
A front walk that's heaved or sunk at the joints catches toes. We replace the bad sections over a rebuilt base so the walk sits level again.
Garage floor concrete
A garage floor that's cracked and oil-stained from years of trucks can be broken out and poured again, sloped so water runs out the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored, stained or exposed-aggregate finishes dress up a porch, entry or patio, and they hide dirt and leaf stains better than plain gray concrete.
Concrete retaining walls
On a sloped lot a concrete wall can hold back a bank or level off part of the yard, and we set it on a footing with drainage behind it.
Concrete floor installation
Shops, barns and outbuildings on bigger lots need a floor that carries weight. We pour them on a packed base with rebar, the steel that holds cracks tight.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to shed water away from the pool and give wet feet some grip, so we slope it with care and use a textured finish.
Concrete steps construction
Porch steps that have settled or pulled away from the house are a common call on older homes, and we pour new ones on a footing with even rises.
Slab foundation building
For an addition, garage or new home on a sloping lot, we grade and pack the ground first, because a slab foundation is only as good as what's under it.
Foundation installation
Hillside lots can need a stepped foundation instead of a flat one, and we form and pour foundations for additions and new homes to the plans.
Concrete parking lot building
Churches and small businesses around McCalla need a lot that takes traffic, so we pour a thicker, reinforced slab and plan the drainage before the forms go in.
Concrete footings
Decks, carports, sheds and walls all need footings, the buried concrete that carries the load, dug down to firm ground so nothing shifts on a slope.
Foundation raising
Ground that settles on a sloped lot can tilt a slab or crack a foundation, so I look at what's moving and why before we lift and support it.
Concrete cutting
When you need a trench for a drain line or a bad section taken out cleanly, we saw-cut the concrete so the rest of the slab stays whole.
Get a free written estimate for your McCalla concrete job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the ground and write up a free estimate that shows what's included, with no obligation.
(205) 756-6874- Based in
- Northport, AL 35476
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
Working in McCalla: permits, licenses and what sets the price
For McCalla homes in Jefferson County, building permits come from the county's Development Services Department, and since McCalla crosses into Tuscaloosa County too, the first thing I do is check which office covers your address. When your job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork and set up the inspections, and we plan the pour date around them. If you're adding on, the county's addition permits include erosion control requirements, so keeping dirt from washing off your lot is part of the job from the first day. Before you hire anyone for bigger work on your house, you can check their state license with the state's home builders licensing board. We're licensed and fully insured.
What moves the price out here is mostly the ground. A sloped lot means more digging and packing for the subgrade, the dirt and gravel the slab sits on, and old concrete has to be broken out and hauled off before we start. A stamped or colored finish also costs more than a plain broom finish, the light texture that gives tires and shoes grip. If the budget's tight, I'd rather cut the fancy finish than the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but everybody sees what a bad one does a few years later. The schedule turns on dry weather and, when there's a permit, on the county's inspections, and the written estimate I leave you spells out what's included. We're a concrete contractor based in Northport, AL, and the same crew drives over for these jobs.
Why McCalla driveways and patios crack and sink
A lot of the driveways and patios we look at out here have dropped along one edge or cracked across the middle, and when we break them out, the base was usually just raked level instead of dug out and packed. On rolling ground that loose fill washes out and settles with every hard rain. If the slab was poured falling toward the house, the water ends up at your foundation too. We dig down to firm dirt, pack the base in layers and check where the water runs before we set a form, so the new slab drains away from your house.
Summer heat is the other problem. Concrete poured in the middle of a hot afternoon dries on top before it can cure, the slow hardening that gives it strength, and you get a weak, dusty surface later. We pour early in the day and cut control joints the same day. They're shallow grooves that tell the slab where to crack, so if it does crack, it cracks in a line we chose.
How a concrete job in McCalla goes, start to finish
Here's what happens from your first call to the final walk-through. Most of the time, the person you're dealing with is me.
Call us or send the form
Call (205) 756-6874 or send the form, tell us roughly what you're after, and we'll set a time for me to come out. You don't have to be home, but it helps if you are so we can talk it through on the spot.
I measure and check the ground
I measure, look at the ground and where the water runs, and talk through what you want, then write the estimate myself. It's written out so you can see what's included before you decide.
We set a date and pour
Once you say go, we set a date and take care of the permit and inspections if the job needs them. Our own crew does the forming, pouring and finishing with me on site, so the people who form it are the people who finish it.
Clean up and walk it
When the forms come off, we clean up and put your yard back the way we found it. Then we walk the finished job with you and go over how long to keep feet and cars off while it cures.
Concrete contractor questions from McCalla homeowners
How much does a concrete driveway cost in McCalla, AL?
Your price comes down to how long and wide the driveway is, how much old concrete has to come out and how easy it is to get a truck to the spot. Length matters out here, since a lot of McCalla driveways run a long way back from the road. If cutting out one bad section makes more sense than tearing out the whole thing, I'll tell you when I come out to measure.
Does my concrete contractor need a separate permit in Jefferson County, AL?
No. In Jefferson County, the person applying for the permit names the trade contractors, and they work under that construction permit instead of pulling separate ones. The county takes applications online through its ePermitJC portal, and when your job needs a permit, we handle that paperwork.
How much does a failed building inspection cost in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County charges $55 for each incomplete or failed inspection, and an inspection after hours costs $300 for up to 4 hours, plus $75 for each hour past that. The county inspects permitted work at different stages, so we have the base and forms ready before the inspector comes and book inspections during regular hours.
Does a home builder need a state license in Alabama?
Yes. Alabama requires residential home builders to be licensed every year by the Home Builders Licensure Board when they're paid to work on someone else's home and the job costs more than $10,000. That covers homes up to three floors and four units, so ask to see the license before you sign for bigger work.
How do I find out which building code applies to my project in McCalla?
For addresses in Jefferson County, start with the codes the county has adopted, which it posts along with its floodplain and zoning regulations on its regulations page. The state home builders board has a statewide residential code written for submission that would cover residential construction starting January 1, 2027, and it wouldn't override local codes adopted and enforced before then. When your job needs a permit, I check the code for your address before we plan the pour.
How do I check if my McCalla property is in a flood zone?
Search your address on AlabamaFlood, which shows the regulatory FEMA floodplain maps by address or county. Jefferson County also maps its FEMA flood zones on its open data map, and the county has its own floodplain regulations, so tell me what you find when I come out.
Other areas we serve
Northport, AL
Get your McCalla concrete job on the calendar
We pick up into the evening on weekdays and all weekend, so call (205) 756-6874 or send the form whenever it suits you.