Concrete Contractor in Carencro, LA - Driveways and Walks Built From the Ground Up
B&R Lafayette Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Lafayette that pours driveways, patios, sidewalks, steps and slabs for homes and small businesses in Carencro, starting with the ground under the concrete.
Carencro, as we see it on our jobs
Carencro sits just north of Lafayette in Lafayette Parish, and on our jobs it reads as a small city with two sides. Near the little downtown, where St. Peter's church stands among decades-old buildings, we meet older homes with worn walks, tired front steps and driveways that have had years to settle. Farther out, the lots are larger and the houses newer, and the calls lean toward wider driveways, back patios and slabs for shops.
That mix decides where I start. On an older property I want to know what's under the old concrete before I price the new, and on a newer one I look hard at how the yard was graded, the same way we do nearby in Scott.
Services in Carencro, LA
Concrete driveway building
Older Carencro driveways often crack where the base was only raked flat. We dig out the soft dirt and pack a firm base before the pour.
Concrete sidewalk building
Walks at older homes near downtown have often sunk or lifted at the joints. Our concrete sidewalk building replaces them on a packed base.
Concrete patio construction
Many newer Carencro lots have a back door that opens straight onto grass. We set the patio's slope so water runs away from the house.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps at decades-old houses tend to pull away from the porch as the ground under them moves. We break them out and form new steps on footings.
Slab foundation building
New homes and shops on open Carencro lots need a slab that starts level. We grade and pack the ground and set the forms before any concrete arrives.
Concrete parking lot building
Small Carencro businesses call us about lots that crack and hold water after years of traffic. We rebuild the base and slope the lot to drain.
Permits, licensing and price for concrete work in Carencro
In Carencro, permits go through the city's Planning Department, which also handles inspections, and its forms include building permits for homes and commercial work as well as a driveway permit. That makes the city's answer the first thing on our calendar, because we don't start until we know whether your address needs a permit, and when it does we take care of the application and keep you informed. The same city permits page is where local business licensing starts, through its Occupational License Portal. We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask me about it when I come out.
The price mostly follows the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how much soft dirt we dig out and replace with packed base, and how close the truck can get to the pour. The schedule turns on the permit, the ground prep and curing, the wait while fresh concrete hardens enough to use. Your written estimate lays each of those out for your job, the same way we write them for homeowners in Youngsville and the other cities we serve.
Why concrete wears out on Carencro properties
Around Carencro's small downtown, where the buildings are decades old, we often find driveways and walks that have sunk at one end or split across the middle. Most of the time the concrete wasn't the problem. The base under it was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settled as the dirt did. We dig down to firm ground and pack new base before we pour, and if the budget is tight I'd keep that and choose a plain broom finish, the light texture that gives shoes and tires some grip, over a fancier surface, because no finish can save a slab that sinks.
Newer lots bring a different problem, which is water. A patio or driveway that falls toward the house, or holds a puddle in the middle, wears out early, so I walk the spot to see where water runs and we set the slope before any concrete arrives.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Carencro property
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out to your place in Carencro. The on-site estimate is free and comes with no obligation, and you'll get it in writing with what's included and what isn't.
How a concrete job in Carencro 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 your property in Carencro. Photos of the cracks or low spots help me come ready.
I come out and look
I see the spot, ask how you'll use it, from parked trucks to a grill on the patio, and look at where water goes. If you can, mark where you'd like the new edges so we can talk it over standing there.
You get a written estimate
The estimate lists what's included, like tear-out, base work and the finish, and it lists what isn't. Read it at your own pace and call me with any question.
We confirm the permit question
Before anything goes on the calendar, we check with the Planning Department for your address. If a permit is needed, the start date follows the city's review, and I'll tell you where it stands.
Our crew pours and finishes
On the work days our crew lead runs the job with our finishers. I come by to check the work and answer your questions.
Concrete questions we hear in Carencro
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Carencro, LA?
I can't give you a fair number until I've seen your driveway, because the cost comes from its size, what has to come out and what the ground under it needs. Tear-out, base work, rebar, the steel inside the slab that helps hold it together, and the finish you choose each show up as their own line on your written estimate. Call (337) 216-1997 and I'll come out to look.
How do I send a permit form to the City of Carencro?
Some of the city's permit forms can be filled out and sent online, and the paper ones are downloaded from the city's permits page, filled in and emailed to planning@carencro.org. If you'd rather go to City Hall, the city suggests calling (337) 896-7971 first to set an appointment for faster service. On our jobs we handle the application when a permit is needed, so this is mostly for your own reference.
Will my new concrete driveway in Carencro crack like the old one?
Concrete can still crack, but a slab on a packed base with control joints, shallow grooves we cut so it cracks along a straight line instead of across the middle, usually holds up far better than one poured on raked dirt. We cut those joints on time and in places we choose, so any crack that does come tends to stay inside a groove.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new driveway in Carencro?
You'll wait through curing, so walking on it comes first and driving on it comes later. We tell you both times for your slab on the day we pour, and I'd ask you to keep cars and heavy loads off until then, because the top and edges are weakest early on.
When did the latest flood map for Lafayette Parish take effect?
The most recent flood map FEMA updated for Lafayette Parish took effect on December 21, 2018, and that date applies to the whole parish, Carencro included. If you're planning a new slab, the city lists a Freeboard Elevation & Pre-Slab Survey form beside its building permit form, and we ask the Planning Department whether it applies to your lot before we pour.
Are there tax incentives for fixing up old buildings in Carencro?
Yes, a section of Carencro is a state-designated Cultural District, and that designation provides for state and federal tax incentives to revitalize old buildings that meet state guidelines. We don't decide who qualifies, so it's worth asking about before you plan concrete work around an older building downtown.
Call about your Carencro concrete project
Seeing the spot in person tells me whether the old base can stay or has to come out, so call (337) 216-1997 or send the form, and thank you for considering us.