Decorative concrete in Lafayette, LA - a slab with the color and texture you want
Plain gray concrete that looks tired or worn can take on color and a stamped texture, once we know the slab underneath is sound.
Can your old slab get a decorative finish, or does it need a new pour?
Decorative concrete adds color and texture to a slab, and in Lafayette, B&R Lafayette Concrete Construction does it two ways: a decorative overlay over the concrete you already have, or a new pour with color mixed into the concrete and a pattern stamped into it.
Most people who call us have a patio or pool deck that has gone plain, worn or cracked, and they want to know whether it can be covered or has to come out. That one question moves the price and the schedule more than anything else, because an overlay needs a slab in reasonably good condition, while a replacement means taking out the old concrete and building the base new. After that, the size of the area, the pattern and color you choose, and whether new concrete needs steel in it all move the number, and the permit check for your address decides when we can start. Your written estimate says which route fits your slab and why.
What happens when you call about decorative concrete in Lafayette?
Call and set a time
When you call or send the form, we set a time for me to come out and see the spot. I'll ask how you use the space, since a pool deck and a shaded patio need different surfaces.
I look over your slab
I check the condition of the concrete and look at where water goes, because water running toward the house or pooling on the slab changes what we build. You get a written estimate that lists what's included and what isn't, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
We check permits before scheduling
Before anything goes on the calendar, we check with the permit office for your address. If a permit is needed, we take care of the application and keep you informed.
Our crew lead runs the work
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. When we're done, we clean up and go over how long to keep off the new surface while it cures.
How we do decorative concrete, and the work that often goes with it
Before we suggest an overlay, I look closely at the slab you have now, because a badly cracked or sinking slab may need replacing instead of covering, and no topping fixes what's underneath it. When the slab is sound, our crew cleans it and puts down the decorative layer, and for patios, pool decks and other outdoor flatwork, the flat slabs around a house, I lean toward a stamped overlay, since it's thick enough for real outdoor use where a thin microtopping isn't. When the slab has to come out, the new pour starts underneath, with the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, dug out and packed instead of raked level, because concrete settles right along with whatever it sits on. That base is the part you never see on the last day and the first thing people want to trim from a budget, and I would rather simplify the pattern than cut corners there. The color goes into the mix, the crew stamps the pattern while the concrete can still take it, and we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, on time so cracks don't wander across the pattern. Then it cures, the wait while the concrete hardens and gains strength, and one maker's instructions call for stamped concrete to cure 72 hours or more before it's washed and sealed.
Decorative work often sits next to other concrete, so we plan it together. If your patio is cut into a slope, the concrete retaining walls that hold the ground back should be built with it so soil and runoff stay off the finished surface. If the slab you have in mind is indoors, concrete floor installation is the better place to start, because an interior floor is poured and finished for different use than a patio.
Get a written estimate for your decorative concrete
We reply to every call and message within one business day and set a time for me to come out and look at your slab. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation.
Decorative concrete questions in Lafayette
Can my cracked patio be resurfaced instead of replaced?
Often it can, as long as the concrete underneath is in reasonably good shape, because an overlay only holds as well as the slab it covers. Large cracks, heavy flaking on the surface, which we call spalling, or a slab that has settled badly usually mean replacing it instead. I'll tell you which one your patio needs at the estimate, and why.
How much does a stamped concrete patio cost in Lafayette, LA?
Pouring a stamped concrete patio in Lafayette usually costs about $8 to $16 per square foot, which is the going rate in the area and not our quote. Reinforced concrete, with rebar, the steel bars that help hold a slab together, costs more per square foot than concrete without it. Your written estimate gives your own figure and lists what it covers.
How long does a stamped overlay last, and how often does it need resealing?
Applied properly, a stamped overlay should last 10 to 20 years or more, so how carefully it goes on matters as much as the pattern you pick. It needs resealing every 2 to 5 years, depending on how much foot traffic and sun it gets, to keep its look and keep out moisture and UV damage.
Who handles construction permits in Lafayette, LA?
Lafayette's Development and Planning department handles construction permits, and the city says most construction needs a permit before work begins. Its permit list names residential building and swimming pool permits rather than decorative concrete, and it also covers floodplain development and land disturbance permits, each issued only after an application is approved. The same office handles zoning and historic property designations, and we check with it for your address before any work is scheduled.
Does a contractor need a license for decorative concrete work in Louisiana?
Louisiana's contractor board requires a registered home improvement contractor or a licensed contractor for home improvement projects over $7,500 and up to $50,000, and a licensed Residential Building Contractor for projects of $50,000 or more or any with structural work. That's the board's rule for home improvement projects, and we're fully licensed and insured.
What is the best way to make a decorative pool deck less slippery?
Slip resistance depends largely on the sealer, so a good question for any contractor is whether they offer non-slip additives for wet areas like a pool deck. A spray-down overlay, a thin topping sprayed onto the slab, also leaves a textured, slip-resistant surface and is used most often on pool decks and patios. We'll talk through both when I come out.
Other concrete work that often comes with it
Concrete retaining walls
When a patio or pool deck sits against a slope, a concrete wall holds the ground back so soil and runoff stay off your new surface.
Concrete floor installation
If the concrete you want finished is inside a garage, shop or room, a new interior floor is poured and finished for that use from the start.
Send us photos of your slab
When you call (337) 216-1997 or use the form, tell us the rough size in square feet, whether it's a patio or a pool deck, and send photos of any cracks or settling, so I arrive already knowing what to look for.