Concrete driveways, sidewalks and repair in Ralston
Small lots, alleys, big old trees, and driveways that have been in the ground since about 1955. Ralston is replacement work, and we like it.
Concrete work in Ralston, Nebraska
Ralston is small and pretty much built out. Post-war houses, a tight grid, alleys behind a lot of the older blocks, and mature trees on every street. Most of the driveways, sidewalks and front steps went in between the late 40s and 1970, so a lot of it is due.
Most of our Ralston work is replacing things: driveways, sidewalk panels the tree roots pushed up, front steps that have sunk or crumbled, garage floors, and old back patios. We pour new stuff too, like patios and parking pads off the alley, but this is mainly a tear-out-and-redo town.
Roots, alleys and old concrete
The trees are the obvious problem. Silver maples and elms planted in the 50s now have roots that go straight for the damp ground under your sidewalk. A two-inch root under a thin panel will lift it, and once there's a half-inch lip, it's a trip hazard and a spot where water sits and freezes. Grinding the lip down is a fine short-term fix. For the long term, we cut out the panel, trim the roots back without hurting the tree, add a root barrier and repour.
The concrete itself is the other issue. A lot of what was poured here in the 50s was three inches thick with no steel and no air in the mix. Air bubbles give freezing water somewhere to go. Without them, every winter pops off a little more of the surface. After seventy years you get the sandy, crumbly driveway you see all over town.
Alleys change how we work. If your garage is off the alley, the truck and the broken-up concrete go there too. We keep it passable for the neighbors and figure out the poles and utility boxes ahead of time.
Parts of Ralston we work in
Pretty much all of it, including Downtown Ralston, Main Street, 72nd Street, 84th Street, Q Street, Wildewood, Seymour Smith Park area and Ralston High area. If you're in or near Ralston and don't see your street, call (531) 236-6623 and ask. It takes about thirty seconds.
Ralston questions
Who's responsible for the sidewalk in front of my house?
In most of the metro, the homeowner is, even though it's public right-of-way. So if a panel's heaved up, it's usually on you to fix, with a permit and an inspection. One or two panels isn't an expensive job, and it's a lot cheaper than someone tripping on it.
Can you replace one bad panel instead of the whole walk?
Yes, and that's often the right call. We saw-cut at the joints, pull the bad panel, fix whatever caused it (usually a root), and pour a new one. It'll look lighter for a season or two and then blend in.
What does a Ralston driveway replacement cost?
Driveways here are short, usually 300 to 500 square feet, so tearing out and replacing one is normally $3,000 to $7,000. The apron at the street adds $1,200 to $3,000. Doing the driveway, walk and steps on one trip costs noticeably less than three separate jobs.