Decorative concrete in Mobile AL - the look of stone or brick on a solid base
Tired of a plain gray patio or walk? We give it a stamped, stained or topped finish, with the work underneath done right.
What does decorative concrete involve, and what drives the cost in Mobile?
Decorative concrete in Mobile is concrete finished to look like more than plain gray. We can stamp a pattern into a fresh pour, stain the surface or put a topping over a slab you already have, so a plain patio, walk or driveway ends up matching your house.
Most calls start with one of two things. Either a slab works fine but looks tired, or you're planning a new patio and want more than a broom finish, the light swept texture that gives you grip. These methods can be mixed, so a stamped field with a stained border is a common way to go. If the patio sits on a slope, it often goes with concrete retaining walls. For color inside the house, look at our concrete floor installation work.
The price mostly moves with the size of the area, the method, how many colors and patterns you pick, and whether an old slab has to come out first. The schedule turns on three things. The first is the weather. The second is curing, the wait while the concrete gains strength before you use it. The third is any permit, when the work meets the street. Your written estimate spells out what's included and what isn't.
Decorative concrete choices to understand first
Before we start, it helps to know which method fits your slab and where the money really goes. The finish is what you see, but the base decides how it holds up.
Stamped patterns
Stamping presses a pattern into fresh concrete so it looks like stone or brick paving. It can often cost less than real stone or brick.
Stain or topping on what's there
If your slab is sound, staining it or adding a decorative topping can save you tearing it out. Cracks need an honest look first, and the questions below cover that.
Base before finish
Low bids usually save money on the base, because nobody sees it on day one. We dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and slope it away from the house.
Joints and curing
We cut control joints on time. They're shallow grooves that tell the slab where to crack. Then we keep you off it while it cures and gains strength.
Decorative concrete questions from Mobile homeowners
How much does a stamped concrete patio cost in Mobile, AL?
A stamped concrete patio in Mobile usually costs about $8 to $16 per square foot, going by area pricing for Mobile. That's the market's going rate for a stamped patio, not a quote. Pattern, color and tear-out push a job toward one end of that range or the other. I'll put your own number in a written estimate once I've seen the job.
Can you put a decorative topping over a cracked concrete slab?
It can go on, but some cracks may still show through afterward. One topping maker says primers and crack repair products can't ensure cracking won't come back. Before we start, I'll tell you whether your cracks look likely to show back through, and whether tearing out and pouring new makes more sense.
How often does sealed decorative concrete need resealing?
Cure and seal products usually last 1 to 3 years. Some peeling and flaking is normal as they wear, especially under heavy traffic or direct sun. One sealer maker says to reseal only after the old coats have worn away, so count recoating as part of what the finish costs over time. I tell you that before we start, not after.
What is the best weather to put down a decorative concrete topping?
One topping maker says its decorative toppings go down best between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with relative humidity no higher than 75%. Outside that range, sealers can cure too slowly or too fast and then blister or change in gloss or color. It pays to plan the work for days that fit, even if that moves your start date.
Do I need a City of Mobile permit for driveway or sidewalk work?
Driveway and sidewalk work at the street goes through a right-of-way permit from the City of Mobile%20-%208-23-19.pdf). That permit covers placing, removing or repairing a residential driveway or sidewalk. The city inspects before fill goes over a driveway pipe and again before concrete is placed, and missing either can mean paying to remove and replace the work. If the work is in the county's right of way, the application goes to the Mobile County Engineering Office instead. Historic districts have their own sidewalk and granite curb standards, which the city explains at 251-208-6070. If tree roots are involved, the city asks you to call its Urban Forester at 251-208-1522 before work begins.
How do I know if a concrete contractor needs a license in Alabama?
Start with the size of the job. Alabama counts anyone who builds, remodels, repairs or improves a residential structure as a residential home builder when labor and materials cost more than $10,000, unless the work falls outside the state home builders licensing board's reach. On a large decorative job, ask every bidder, us included, where they stand with the board before you sign.
Why Mobile homeowners call Quickset Mobile Concrete Company for decorative concrete
You deal with the owner at the estimate and on the slab. You also get a plain explanation of why each step matters, so you can judge any bid for this work, ours included.
The owner writes your estimate
I come out myself to look at the job and write the estimate, so the person pricing it runs it too.
In business since 2013
I started this company in 2013 and kept the standards of an old boss who made us reset any form that was off.
Fully licensed and insured
That holds for every decorative job we take on, and I'm glad to answer questions about it before you sign.
Honest calls on toppings
I tell you up front if a topping may let your cracks show, and what the sealer will need later.
Me on site with our crew
Our finishers and form setters do the work with me on site running it, from digging out to the last coat.
Get a price on your decorative finish
Call (251) 219-6382 with the rough square footage, the finish you want and whether the work meets the street or touches tree roots. That way we can settle the permit question on the first call.
What happens after you call about decorative concrete in Mobile
We plan each decorative job around your slab, your schedule and the weather. You know what's in the price before any work starts.
You get in touch
Call (251) 219-6382 or send the form with the area's size and the finish you want. I'll get back to you myself.
We walk the slab
I look at the slab, the ground under it and where the water runs. Then I walk you through what the finish needs and why.
Your written estimate
You get it in writing, spelling out what's in and what isn't. We sort out any permit with the city or county office before work starts.
The work and the care
I run the job with our crew. When we're done, I show you how to look after the finish, sealer included.