Concrete Parking Lot Building in Lafayette LA - a lot sized for the traffic it carries
When your lot ruts, cracks or holds water, we build a concrete lot planned around the cars and trucks that actually park there.
What should I know before building a concrete parking lot in Lafayette?
Concrete parking lot building in Lafayette is the construction of the concrete pavement your customers, staff and deliveries park on. When it's planned around the vehicles that will use it, a concrete lot can give many years of service with little upkeep.
Most lot owners who call us have a gravel lot that ruts after every rain, an old lot that's cracked and holding water, or new ground that needs paving before the doors open. The price follows a few plain things: how big the lot is, how thick the slab has to be for the vehicles on it, how much work the soil needs, and what gets built along with it. The schedule mostly depends on getting the design and permit questions settled, and then on good weather for the pour. Your written estimate puts your own figure on all of it.
What happens after you call about a parking lot?
Call us and set a time
Call (337) 216-1997 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out to the property. If an engineer is already on the project, it helps to have their contact information handy.
I walk the lot with you
I look at the ground, ask how you'll use the lot and check where water runs now. Pavement that drains toward your building causes trouble for as long as it's there.
You get a written estimate
The estimate lists what's included and what isn't, so you can see what you're paying for before you decide. Before anything is scheduled, we check with the permit office for your address.
Our crew builds the lot
On the work days our crew lead runs the job with our finishers, and I come by to check the work and answer your questions. Once the slab has cured and the site is cleaned up, the lot is yours to use.
How we build a concrete parking lot, and the work that goes with it
We start by asking how many vehicles will use the lot now and later, and what kinds, because a lot for passenger cars and a lot that takes delivery trucks need different slabs. Then I work with your engineer on the points that are theirs to set. Industry guidance has a geotechnical engineer recommend the thickness from how firm the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, turns out to be, and a civil engineer set the concrete strength, the joint layout and the drainage. On site, our crew digs out the area and checks that the soil under the whole lot is even in type, moisture and firmness. Where a patch differs, we replace it with material like the rest, because all developed parts of Louisiana carry some risk of soil swelling, and a slab over mixed ground won't move evenly. We set the forms so water runs off the lot and away from the building. We pour in the cooler part of the day, so the top doesn't dry weak and dusty. We cut control joints, shallow saw cuts that give the concrete a straight place to crack, before it has a chance to crack on its own. A broom finish leaves a light texture for grip in the rain. Then the slab cures, which is the wait while it gains the strength to carry traffic. If a budget has to be trimmed, I would rather keep the ground work and simplify the finish, because the base is buried on the first day and it decides how the lot holds up for years.
A lot usually comes with other concrete work around it. Light poles, sign posts and the low walls around a dumpster pad sit on concrete footings, and we can pour those along with the lot so they line up with the pavement. If the building beside the lot has settled and its doorway no longer meets the new pavement cleanly, foundation raising brings it back up first. Where runoff is a concern, pervious concrete, a mix that lets water soak through, is worth asking your engineer about. It can shrink and sometimes remove the need for a separate retention pond, and it allows smaller storm sewers.
Ask for a written estimate on your parking lot
We reply to every message within one business day to set a time for me to come see the property. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation, and it lists what's included and what isn't.
Parking lot questions from Lafayette owners
How much does it cost to build a concrete parking lot in Lafayette, LA?
The cost of a concrete lot in Lafayette depends on its size and on choices you make with your engineer, so you get your own figure from a written estimate after I've seen the site. A lot for cars only can be thinner than one that takes delivery trucks, which keeps the concrete cost down. Soft or mixed ground that has to be replaced, footings for lights or walls, and the joint sealant you choose all add to it.
How thick should a concrete parking lot be?
For lots that only see passenger cars and pickup trucks, 4-inch concrete without steel is usually enough, while lots that see light trucks may need 5 or 6 inches. Thickness should follow the traffic, the soil underneath and the strength of the concrete. That's why your engineer sets the final figure, and why the vehicles you expect shape the slab you pay for.
Do I need a permit to build a parking lot in Lafayette?
Most construction in Lafayette needs a permit first, and the city's Development and Planning office handles all construction permitting. Its list names commercial building and land disturbance rather than parking lots specifically. The same list includes a floodplain development permit, and the city notes that construction may also fall under the state Department of Environmental Quality's stormwater permit rules. The permit check we make before scheduling covers this, whether your lot is in Lafayette or one of the cities around it. When a permit is needed, we take care of the application and keep you informed.
Which Louisiana contractor license covers parking lot paving?
The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors has a classification called Driveways, Parking Areas, Asphalt, & Concrete, and it covers concrete pavement, including parking areas. It's fair to ask any contractor you're considering about their license and insurance. We're fully licensed and insured.
How do I know if my business parking lot needs accessible spaces?
If your business, non-profit or government office provides a parking lot, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires accessible parking spaces in it. Plan them into the layout with your engineer from the beginning, because moving them after the pour means cutting concrete.
How long does joint sealant last on a concrete parking lot?
Joint sealant fills the joints between slabs. Federal highway guidance gives hot-poured sealant 3 to 8 years and silicone 8 to 10 years, while preformed seals may last up to 20 years. Those figures come from highway work, so treat them as a rough guide for a lot, and weigh them against cost, since hot-poured sealant is the cheapest and preformed seals cost the most.
Other concrete work around a parking lot
Concrete footings
Anything standing on or beside the lot, from a light pole to a dumpster enclosure, needs its own base in the ground so it stays plumb.
Foundation raising
If your building has dropped and its entry sits low or cracked, we can bring it back to level before new pavement is set against it.
Plan your concrete parking lot with us
Have your vehicle count, now and down the road, and the kinds of vehicles ready when you call (337) 216-1997 or email hello@lafayetteconcretemasonry.com, so your first estimate is built on your real traffic.