Concrete Contractors in Wheat Ridge, CO

Wheat Ridge is our neighbor to the north, and concrete contractors here deal with a housing stock that grew in steady waves. Until the 1960s, orchards and crop fields were the main land use, with homes scattered between them. The area became known as the Carnation City in the mid-1900s. The city incorporated on June 17, 1969, and today it is largely built out, with 32,398 residents counted in 2020 and about 15,470 housing units.

What 1950s and 1960s concrete looks like now

Residential areas of unincorporated Jefferson County grew in the 1950s to house Denver's workforce, and much of that growth landed in what is now Wheat Ridge. Concrete poured in that era is now 60 or more years old. It was often placed without air entrainment, sometimes thinner than today's norms, and on bases that were never fully compacted. Typical failures in slabs of that age:

• Driveways split into pieces with edges that lift and catch snow shovels
• Front walks sloping toward the house instead of away from it
• Patios that sank on one side as fill underneath settled
• Steps with surface flaking from decades of salt

Some of these can be repaired. Most of the time, a slab that has broken into several pieces and sunk is better replaced, because patching moves the problem a few feet rather than fixing it.

More snow than you might expect

Wheat Ridge's climate data lists 75.5 inches of average annual snowfall, with an average extreme snow depth of 11.6 inches. That is a lot of shoveling and a lot of melt running across driveways. On a replacement we slope the new drive so meltwater heads for the street, not into the garage. We also suggest a sealer after the concrete has cured, and we ask owners to skip rock salt for the first winter.

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Creek-side lots

Clear Creek flows east and then northeast through the city, and Lena Gulch runs northeast through the southwest part of Wheat Ridge to join it. Lakes and ponds sit along the creek corridor too, including West Lake, Tabor Lake and Prospect Lake. On lots near these waterways, soil can stay damp longer and the water table may be higher. We pay extra attention to drainage and base material there, using a thicker layer of compacted gravel so the slab is not sitting on soft ground.

Projects that suit Wheat Ridge homes

Driveway replacement makes sense on many of these homes, sometimes paired with a wider parking pad for a second car or a trailer. Patios fit well too, especially on larger lots where the old orchard ground left room for a generous backyard. Stamped concrete works well for owners who want a patio that looks like flagstone. We also build sidewalks and steps, pour garage and shed slabs for detached outbuildings, and handle repair and replacement of individual panels.

Garden paths and outbuildings

In May 2011 the City Council adopted Ordinance 1491 in support of urban agriculture; urban gardens are now allowed in every zone district, residential included. For a yard with raised beds, a coop or a potting shed, a simple concrete path between beds, or a level pad under a shed or greenhouse, keeps mud out of the house and gives a structure a stable base.

Before we start

We confirm with the City of Wheat Ridge whether your project needs a permit, especially for work at the curb or on the public walk. Then we schedule removal, base prep, forming and the pour, and we tell you when you can walk and drive on the new concrete.