Concrete contractor in Abbeville, LA - driveways and slabs built for wet ground
B&R Lafayette Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Lafayette that builds driveways, patios, steps, slabs and foundations for homes and small businesses in Abbeville, starting with the ground underneath so the concrete holds up.
Abbeville as we see it on the job
Abbeville's downtown grows out from Magdalen Square and the courthouse, with homes, churches and shops set close together on the older streets around them. Farther out, the lots open up, with longer driveways, ditches along the road and room for a patio or a shop slab out back. We get calls from both ends of town, from homeowners who want worn steps or a cracked driveway replaced and from small business owners who need a lot or a walk. The same crew that works in New Iberia and Youngsville comes out here.
Those two kinds of lots ask different things of us. Tight downtown lots mean careful forming right against the house and less room for the truck, and the open lots farther out mean more ground to prepare before anything is poured.
Services in Abbeville, LA
Concrete driveway building
Driveways here often cross a roadside ditch on damp ground, so we pack the base first. We cut control joints, grooves that tell cracks where to run.
Concrete patio construction
Backyards here hold rain, so a flat patio ends up with standing water. We slope each one away from the house toward where water can drain.
Concrete steps construction
Older houses near downtown often have steps that sank or pulled from the porch. We remove them, firm the ground, and pour steps fitted to the house.
Concrete sidewalk building
Walks along older Abbeville lots often heave where oak roots run underneath. We replace the failed sections and set the new walk level with what stays.
Foundation installation
Additions and new homes here go up on low, damp lots. Our foundation installation starts with dug-out, packed ground and steel set before the pour.
Concrete parking lot building
Small businesses here need lots that shed heavy rain and take daily traffic. We build a deeper packed base and slope the lot so water leaves it.
What we've learned working in Abbeville
In Abbeville, building permits come from the city's Permit Department at City Hall. Its list names new construction, additions and modular homes rather than driveways or patios, so I check with that office for your address before we schedule any pour. When a permit is needed, we take care of the application and keep you informed, and the city's review then sets the start date more than our calendar does. Two things are worth checking on any contractor here. The city's permit application for a new structure includes a copy of the builder's Louisiana contractor license, and the city's Tax and Permits Department answers questions about occupational licenses. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm glad to show you.
We're based in Lafayette, and we run Abbeville jobs the same careful way. The price here moves most with the size of the slab, how much soft ground has to come out before we pack the base, and the finish you pick. A broom finish, the light texture that keeps feet and tires from slipping, costs less than stamped or colored work. The schedule turns on the permit check, the rain and the curing time, which is the stretch of days when new concrete is kept damp and left alone so it can gain strength. Your written estimate spells out what's included and what isn't, so you'll know what you're paying for.
What Abbeville's ground and water mean for your concrete
Water is never far off in Abbeville. The Vermilion River runs through downtown, and canals and coulees, the small drainage channels you see around town, run through other parts of the city, so a lot of ground here stays damp and most streets have a ditch alongside. Concrete poured on a soft subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on, will settle unevenly unless the weak layer is dug out and a firm base is packed in its place. That's where we spend our time, and we slope every slab so water runs away from your house. If the budget has to give somewhere, I'd rather you choose a plainer finish than a thinner base, because nobody sees the base on pour day, yet it decides whether the slab stays level.
On older houses near downtown, we often find steps and walks that have sunk, along with slabs poured years ago with no joints at all. We break out what has failed, fix the ground under it and match the new work to the house as it stands.
Request a free written estimate for your Abbeville concrete work
We reply to every call and message within one business day. Then we set a time for me to come to your Abbeville property, look at the spot and write the estimate. It's free, done on site, and there's no obligation.
How a concrete job in Abbeville goes once you call
Call or send the form
Call (337) 216-1997 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out to Abbeville. It helps if you know roughly where you want the concrete and how you'll use it.
Walk the site with me
I look at the spot, ask how you'll use it and check where the water goes, including any ditch along the street. If you've noticed puddles that linger after a storm, please show me.
Read your written estimate
You get a written estimate that lists what's included and what isn't. I'm happy to go through each line with you and explain the reason for it.
We check the permit first
Before anything is scheduled, we check with the permit office for your address. For a new home or an addition, the city reviews and approves the construction drawings before it issues the permit, so the start date waits on that review.
Our crew lead runs the work
Our crew lead runs the job with our finishers, and I come by to check the work and answer your questions. When the pour is done, we tell you when the slab is ready to walk on and when it's ready to drive on.
Abbeville concrete questions we hear
Do I need a permit to cover a ditch for my driveway in Abbeville?
Yes. The city requires a culvert permit if you cover any ditch, and you can apply online or at the Permit Department at City Hall. That covers the common case of a driveway that crosses the roadside ditch to reach the street. We plan the culvert into the job and handle the application before we schedule the pour.
What inspections does a new home or addition get in Abbeville?
Once construction begins, the city's guideline calls for foundation, plumbing, open-wall, electrical, roof, mechanical and fuel gas, and final inspections, all done by Primeaux, Touchet & Associates. The city provides final electricity and water and sewer service only after it receives those inspections. Our part is the foundation, so we have the forms, the packed base and the rebar, the steel that holds the slab together, ready for that first inspection before any concrete arrives.
How do I know if my Abbeville remodel has to meet the residential building code?
Under Louisiana law, the residential code is mandatory for new construction, reconstruction, additions to homes previously built to that code, and extensive alterations. An extensive alteration is one where all the work areas together cover more than half of the home's area. If your plans include an addition on a new slab, we'll confirm what applies with the city before the forms go in.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Abbeville, LA?
The cost comes down to the driveway's size and thickness, whether old concrete has to be broken out and hauled away first, and whether it crosses a ditch that needs a culvert. Ground that's soft after a wet season takes more digging and base material, and a tight downtown lot where the truck can't reach the forms adds labor. I'll walk the spot with you and put it all in writing in a free estimate, line by line.
What is the best time of year to pour concrete in Abbeville?
Late fall through spring is usually the easier stretch, because Abbeville gets fairly heavy rain all year, and June through September brings twice the rainy days of winter. We pour in summer too, but we watch the forecast closely and start early in the morning, since a pour in midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top. Whatever the season, please keep traffic off the new slab until we tell you it has cured enough.
Are there incentives for restoring a historic home in Abbeville?
Yes. The city states that incentives are available for restoring and rehabilitating historic property in Abbeville, and its historic preservation page is the place to start asking. Projects in the Main Street or Historic District also need approval from Planning & Zoning, so we plan new steps, walks or foundation work around that approval.
Plan your Abbeville concrete project with us
We take calls every day and into the evening at (337) 216-1997, or you can send us the contact form, and thank you for considering us.