The path from the curb to the door
Front walks, side paths, steps and landings, poured level and drained so they do not become a trip hazard.
Small pours where the detail is the job
A walkway is not much concrete. It is a lot of edges, and every one of them is at eye level from three feet away. The line of a curve, the width of a joint, the consistency of the broom, the way a path meets a step: that is the whole visible product, and there is nowhere to hide a sloppy one.
Concrete sidewalk building is on our Google profile and walkways are in our own description. A customer describes two walkways on declines at different heights, poured to spec after we worked through the right solution with them. That is what these jobs usually are. Not a rectangle, a problem.
Slope, cross fall, and the trip hazard
A walkway needs fall along its length to shed water and a slight cross fall so it does not hold a sheet of it. Where it runs alongside a house, the water goes away from the foundation, not toward it.
The other rule is the vertical edge. Anything over a quarter inch of lip between two slabs is a trip hazard, on a public sidewalk it is a code issue, and on your own front walk it is the thing that catches a heel at night. Joints are placed so they can move without stepping, and where an old path has already lifted, that is a leveling or a replacement conversation rather than something to pour up against.
Steps and landings
Risers have to be even. Not roughly even, even, because the human foot measures the first step and assumes the rest. A quarter inch of variation between risers is the most common cause of a fall on a set of exterior steps.
Landings get their own fall so water leaves rather than sitting against a door, and the tread surface gets a broom or a texture with real grip, because a set of smooth exterior steps in a Carolina winter is a genuine hazard.
ADA work, and why the numbers are exact
On commercial frontage and public walkways the numbers are not guidance. Running slope no steeper than 1:20 without becoming a ramp, cross slope no more than 1:48, minimum widths, level landings at doors, detectable warning surfaces at curb ramps.
They read as bureaucracy until you watch somebody in a wheelchair on a walkway with a 1:30 cross slope. Then it is just a path that fights you the whole way. If your job is public frontage, tell us at the estimate so it gets designed rather than corrected.
Tying into what is already there
Most walkways join something: an existing drive, a porch, a curb, a neighbor's slab. That joint gets an isolation joint so the two can move independently, because they will, and tying them rigidly together just decides which one cracks.
Matching an existing finish and color on a repair or an extension is a real constraint and it is worth being honest about. New concrete beside old concrete will not match on day one. It closes most of the gap over the first year as the new slab weathers.
Not sure this is the work you need?
What 21 homeowners said
Every quote below is a real review, word for word, from our Google profile.
At the recommendation of our neighbor we used Ivan and company @ I.V Concrete Services to have a much needed driveway installed. The guys were on time, maintained an open line of communication with us throughout the process and did an absolutely phenomenal job. This is by far the best looking concrete work I have ever had done.
I am very happy with the work that IV Concrete services provided. They were able to complete a massive driveway within only 2 days. Very good finish and didn't skimp out on material thickness. Ivan is great to work with. Very reasonable prices for the work provided.
They did a fantastic job to help decide on the right solution for two walkways that are at declines at different heights. They then poured the concrete the way it was specified with the higher strength concrete mix. Grading was done very well on a sloped lot and areas of water were identified for the right runoff to ensure longevity and mitigate any erosion. Price was very competitive over other bids.
They arrived on time, communicated clearly about the process, and took the time to understand exactly what I wanted. The quality of their work exceeded my expectations. The concrete was smooth, perfectly poured, and looks fantastic. Not only was the job completed quickly, but the attention to detail really stood out.
Hired IV Concrete to do a pad for a shop. Awesome work, great finish, great job overall. Left no mess behind, extremely clean job. Ivan is a pleasure to work with. Cant wait to work with him again in the future!
If you need concrete work done, this gentleman did what he said for the price we agreed and completed job on time. Owner is a perfectionist as well as honest and humble.
Think you have a problem up there? We will look at it, free.
Three feet is the practical minimum. Four feet lets two people walk side by side and is what most front walks want. Anything narrower than three feet looks pinched and gets used single file whether you intended that or not.
Yes, and it is a lot of what we do here. A slope means working out where the water goes before anything is formed. A customer on our profile describes exactly that job: two walks at declines at different heights, with the runoff and the erosion risk sorted out first.
We can match the finish and get close on the color. We cannot make new concrete look the same age as concrete that has been outside for fifteen years. It gets closer over the first year. Anyone promising an invisible match on day one is selling you something.
Usually not. If the slab itself is sound and only one section has moved, leveling it is normally cheaper and faster than a replacement. If the slab is cracked through or the base has washed out under it, leveling just buys a season. We will tell you which one you have.
We photograph the work and show you. If sidewalks and walkways is not what you actually need, we say so and quote the work that is.
We cover concrete driveways, patios and stamped concrete, slabs and foundations, sidewalks and walkways, concrete repairs and leveling and concrete cutting and removal. Every one of them has its own page with what is included.
Get a free onsite estimate.
Tell us what you need poured. We come out, look at the ground, and give you a real number.