Concrete and stamped concrete in Charleston
Concrete is the least expensive hard surface per foot and the least forgiving one to put in. We set the forms, the base and the reinforcement, pour and finish it, and cut the control joints before the slab can crack on its own, so the cracks run where we planned them.
We price concrete by the square foot, the finish and what has to come out first. Send a photo and rough measurements, and you get the number the same day.
- We pour
- Patios, driveways, walks, pads and slabs
- Finishes
- Broom, smooth, exposed aggregate and stamped
- Joints
- Cut to control where it cracks
- Warranty
- Two years on our workmanship
- Part of
- Our hardscaping work
Concrete work, from the forms to the final cut.
- Forms set to line and grade, with a fall that sheds water
- A compacted gravel base under the slab
- Reinforcement sized to what the slab carries
- Poured, finished and textured: broom, smooth, exposed aggregate or stamped
- Control joints cut in a pattern instead of left to chance
- Cured and sealed where the finish needs it, with the lawn and beds put back around the edge
Plus stamping, color and tear-out. The finish sets the range.
What concrete costs in Charleston: the finish sets the range.
Plain concrete is the least expensive hard surface there is. Pattern, color and texture each add to it, and so does breaking out what is there now.
Old slabs hide surprises: thicker concrete than expected, buried rebar, a pipe underneath. If we hit one, you hear about it and the price for it before we keep going.
Concrete, stamped concrete or pavers
Poured concrete costs less up front and gives you one clean surface with no joints to weed. It also cracks. Control joints decide where, and a crew that places them well makes the cracks run straight and hide in the joints. Pavers cost more, move with the ground and come up in sections, which matters over roots and pipes.
Stamped concrete sits between the two: the look of stone or brick for less than the real thing, with a sealer you reapply every few years to hold the color.
Historic districts, aprons and Charleston heat
Downtown has rules for concrete. The Board of Architectural Review’s hardscaping policy does not allow plain poured concrete driveways in the historic districts, and it bars concrete worked to look like brick or stone. Where concrete is allowed there, it stays plain concrete. We plan downtown work to that from the start.
The apron needs a yes. A concrete apron in the public right of way needs the city’s approval in the City of Charleston, and on a road SCDOT maintains, the request goes through the local SCDOT office.
Heat speeds up a pour. Concrete that dries too fast cracks. In summer we pour early in the day and keep the slab damp while it cures.
- Where we build
- Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, James Island, Johns Island, West Ashley, Daniel Island, Summerville, Hanahan and Goose Creek.
Concrete questions Charleston homeowners ask us.
Why does concrete crack?
Concrete shrinks as it cures and moves with the ground under it, so it cracks. Control joints give those cracks a straight line to follow. A slab without them cracks wherever it likes.
Stamped concrete or pavers?
Stamped concrete costs less and has no joints to weed. Pavers cost more, handle settling and roots better, and a section can come up and go back down. Inside the historic districts, the city does not allow concrete stamped to look like brick or stone.
How long before I can drive on new concrete?
About a week for a car, and longer for anything heavy. You can walk on it in a day or two.
Do I need to seal concrete?
Plain broom-finished concrete can go without. Stamped and colored concrete should be sealed once it cures and again every few years to hold the color.
Can you pour a pad for a shed, an AC unit or a hot tub?
Yes. A pad gets the same base and reinforcement as a patio, sized to what sits on it.
How long does a concrete patio take?
Forming and pouring take a day or two, then the slab cures. Stamped work adds a day for the pattern and the sealer.
Send the slab, take the price.
A photo, rough measurements and the finish you want. That is enough for a real number the same day.