Concrete contractor in Saint Martinville, LA - slabs built on solid ground by the bayou
B&R Lafayette Concrete Construction pours driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs for homes and businesses in Saint Martinville, and we start with the ground underneath, digging it out and packing it before any concrete goes down.
Saint Martinville as we see it from the job site
Saint Martinville is a small city on Bayou Teche, between Breaux Bridge and New Iberia. The older blocks near the bayou and Evangeline Oak Park hold houses that have stood for generations, with narrow walks and short driveways, while the edges of town run to newer homes and wider country lots.
Those older blocks mean tight side yards, porches close to the walk and big oaks, so we often have less room to work and do more of the forming by hand. Out on the country lots it's the other way around, with long runs where getting the truck close to the pour takes some planning.
Services in Saint Martinville, LA
Concrete driveway building
Country lots at the edge of town often have long gravel drives that rut where the cars sit. We dig out the soft spots and pour on packed base.
Concrete steps construction
Steps on older houses near downtown often pull away from the porch as the ground under them settles. We remove them and set new steps on dug footings.
Concrete retaining walls
Yards that drop toward the bayou can slowly lose soil off the edge. We build concrete retaining walls on solid footings with drainage behind them.
Concrete sidewalk building
Old walks under big live oaks get lifted and split by the roots. We pour new walks with joints placed to control where cracks go.
Concrete patio construction
Flat backyards here often hold water right against the back of the house. We set each new patio with a gentle fall away from your walls.
Foundation raising
Older slab homes can settle unevenly, leaving sticking doors and a dip in the floor. We raise the low side back toward level before new concrete goes around it.
What to know about permits and pricing in Saint Martinville
The City of St. Martinville's inspector's office, at 337-886-6069, issues any permits the city requires for construction or renovation, and the application goes to the city's Permits department on the right form before the work begins. That means the permit, when one's needed, usually sets your start date, and we take care of the application and keep you informed while it's under review. The city's permits page also notes that under state law a contractor breaks the law by starting before the permit is issued, skipping required inspections or misstating the value or scope of the work. We're fully licensed and insured, and if you'd like to ask about a business's city license, the city's occupational license office takes questions at 337-394-2230 or planningandzoning@stmartinville.gov.
Your price here turns on the size and thickness of the slab, how deep we have to dig to reach firm ground, whether old concrete has to be broken out and hauled away, how close the truck can get, and the finish you choose. Past the permit, the schedule mostly waits on ground that's dry enough to dig and pack. We do the same work around Lafayette and out in Rayne, so the older houses and flat lots here are familiar ground for our crew.
Why concrete fails on Saint Martinville properties, and what we do about it
Many of the driveways and walks we replace here were poured long ago on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so they sank as the ground settled under them. The older blocks around the historic district have plenty of them. We dig to firm ground and pack the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, in layers before a form goes up, because a smooth surface can't make up for soft ground underneath.
Downtown, small business owners call us about walks out front and parking areas out back, where the concrete takes daily traffic and has to shed water toward the street, not the door. We set that slope before the pour and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a place to crack in a straight line, while the concrete is still fresh.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Saint Martinville property
Send the form, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out to Saint Martinville and look at the spot. The on-site estimate is free and comes with no obligation to go ahead.
How a Saint Martinville job runs once you call us
Call and set a visit
When you call (337) 216-1997 or send the form, we set a time for me to come out, see the spot and ask how you'll use it. I also look at where the water goes on your lot.
Read your written estimate
You get a written estimate that lists what's included and what isn't. If any line isn't clear, I'm glad to explain it.
Settle the permit, then schedule
Before anything goes on the calendar, we check with the permit office for your address. If the city needs a permit, your start date waits until it's issued.
Dig out, pack and pour
Our crew lead runs the work days with our finishers, digging to firm ground, packing the base, setting forms and pouring. The joints are cut while the concrete is fresh, and the site is cleaned up before we leave.
Owner check and curing time
I come by during the job to check the work and answer your questions. Before we go, we explain how to look after the new slab while it cures.
Questions about concrete work in Saint Martinville
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Saint Martinville?
The price of a driveway here is set by its size, the groundwork under it and the finish you choose, and your written estimate gives you the figure for yours. A plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives shoes and tires some grip, costs less than stamped or colored work and holds up just as well on a good base. If something has to give in the budget, I'd cut the decoration before the digging and packing, because a fancy top on soft ground still sinks.
What is the best way to keep a new patio from cracking in Saint Martinville?
Pack the base, slope the patio away from the house and cut the control joints on time, so any cracks that form run along the joints instead of across the middle. On slabs that carry weight, we add rebar, steel bars set inside the concrete that hold a crack tight if one opens. Concrete can still get fine hairline cracks, and I'd rather tell you that up front.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on a new driveway well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength after the pour, and that waiting period is called curing. I'll give you both dates on the day we pour, since the mix and the conditions that week change them. Parking on it early is one of the easiest ways to crack a new driveway.
What happens if concrete work is done without a permit in Saint Martinville?
The city doubles the fees for work done inside the city limits without the proper permits, according to its permits page. That makes it cheaper to settle the permit question before the forms go up than after the concrete is down.
How do I pay for a building permit in Saint Martinville?
City permits are cashless, so the city takes a check, money order or credit card. When we take care of the application for your job, we'll let you know what the city needs from you.
When does a Saint Martinville occupational license expire?
City occupational licenses expire in December each year and become delinquent after March 1 of the next year, when penalties apply. Businesses inside the city limits update their information with City Hall's Planning and Zoning department before renewal letters go out, and the occupational license office mentioned above can answer questions about a particular license.
Request your Saint Martinville concrete quote
We answer (337) 216-1997 until 11 PM on weekdays and 9 PM on weekends, so you can call after supper or send the request form, and thank you for considering us.