Concrete Contractors in Dakota Ridge, CO

Dakota Ridge is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, right on Lakewood's southern edge, and it is close to home for our concrete contractors. The 2020 census counted 33,892 residents on about 9.4 square miles of land. Denver lies to the east, Lakewood to the north and Ken Caryl to the south. On the west, the community is bordered by the Dakota Hogback, a steep ridge of tilted rock layers that, near Morrison, goes by the name Dinosaur Ridge.

No city hall

Voters here turned down a proposal to incorporate in 1988, and the Census Bureau first defined Dakota Ridge as a census-designated place for the 2010 census. Without a city government, Jefferson County handles permits and roads. We check the county's current requirements for your project, and we ask about any neighborhood rules before we design a patio or driveway.

Life next to a ridge

Lots on the west side of the community sit closer to the hogback and often slope. Slopes bring a few concrete issues:

Runoff. Water moving downhill wants to cross your patio or run down your driveway. We pitch slabs and add swales so it goes around the house.

Uneven ground. Building a level patio on a slope means cutting on one side and filling on the other. Fill has to be compacted in layers, or it will settle and crack the slab.

Steps. A sloped front yard often needs several steps or a landing, built on footings so they do not drift.

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C-470 and quick access

State Highway 470 runs through the western part of Dakota Ridge, and downtown Denver is about 17 miles northeast. For a concrete job, easy highway access helps ready-mix trucks arrive on schedule, which matters because concrete has to be placed and finished within a set window. On larger pours, we time deliveries back-to-back so the whole slab is placed while it is still workable.

Typical projects on these lots

• Driveway replacement, often with a wider apron or an extra parking pad
• Backyard patios to take advantage of views toward the ridge
• Stamped concrete in stone patterns that suit the setting
• Front walks and steps for sloped yards
• Garage and shed slabs for storage and workshops
• Repair and replacement of cracked or sunken sections

Households and homes

The 2020 census counted 12,877 households in 13,182 housing units, with only 2.3 percent vacant, and a median age of 40.2. Addresses are split between Littleton (80127) and Morrison (80465) ZIP codes. Our concrete contractors cover both. On suburban lots like these, a typical list is a driveway that has cracked across its panels, a back patio that has dropped near the house, and a front walk lifted by a tree root or a frost-heaved panel.

Building near tilted rock

The hogback on the western edge is a steep ridge of tilted rock layers, and lots near it can have shallow rock or rocky fill. Excavation for a slab or step footing may hit stone, so we dig test spots at the estimate on lots close to the ridge. If rock is shallow, we adjust the base and footing depth to what is actually there instead of assuming a uniform subgrade.

Cold air drains downhill

On calm winter nights, cold air flows downhill and settles in low spots, so a patio at the bottom of a sloped yard can stay frozen longer than one near the house. We use air-entrained concrete on all exterior slabs and recommend sealing after curing, both of which help the surface handle repeated freezing.

Stamped concrete care

A stone pattern can suit the ridge setting, but stamped concrete does need upkeep. A sealer protects the color and keeps water out, and in strong Colorado sun it wears faster than on a shaded surface. Most stamped patios benefit from resealing every few years. We use a sealer suited to outdoor use and show you how to tell when it is time to reapply, usually when water stops beading on the surface.