Concrete contractor in McAllen, TX - slabs that drain away from your house
Craftsman McAllen Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor in McAllen, TX, pouring driveways, patios, slabs and foundations. We're known for the jobs with a catch, like an odd slope, a tight entrance or an old slab nobody can explain.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
McAllen concrete jobs, from old slabs to new subdivisions
Most of our McAllen calls come from homeowners, with small business owners and builders in the mix. In the older neighborhoods we're usually replacing a driveway or patio that's cracked, sunk at a corner or tipped toward the house. In newer subdivisions it's more often a wider driveway, a patio off the back door or a slab for a builder. I learned concrete on a crew here, pouring flatwork, the driveways, patios and walks that lie flat on the ground, and foundations, before I started this business in 2017. We do the same work in Edinburg, Mission and the other cities around McAllen.
The ground here is mostly flat, so after a hard rain the water doesn't hurry anywhere. That's why a McAllen job starts below the surface, with what the slab sits on and which way it sheds water.
Concrete work we do on McAllen properties
Concrete driveway building
For a driveway that's cracked, sunk or pooling water by the garage. We break out the old concrete, pack a new base and slope it toward the street.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio on a flat McAllen lot needs a slight fall away from the back door, so rain runs to the yard instead of toward your house.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walkway the look of stone or brick in one pour, with the color and pattern set while the concrete is still workable.
Concrete sidewalk building
New or replacement walks from the driveway to the door, or along the side yard, set so they don't trap water against the house or trip anyone up.
Garage floor concrete
When a garage floor is cracked, stained or uneven, we replace the slab with steel inside and a smooth finish that's easy to sweep out.
Decorative concrete
Colored, scored or exposed-stone finishes for entries, patios and front walks, for when plain gray doesn't suit the house but you still want concrete underfoot.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps down or a driveway is cut into a grade, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back and keeps it off the slab.
Concrete floor installation
Interior concrete floors for shops, additions and small commercial spaces in McAllen, poured level over a packed base so equipment and shelving sit flat.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to shed splash and rain away from the pool and the house, with a texture that stays grippy when wet feet cross it.
Concrete steps construction
Front and back steps that have settled away from the house or crumbled at the edges, rebuilt with even risers and steel tying them in.
Slab foundation building
Slab foundations for new homes, additions and shops, with the ground prepared and the slab set high enough that water runs off it, not under it.
Foundation installation
For builders and owners starting from bare dirt, we lay out, dig, form and pour the foundation, and plan the schedule around any inspections it needs.
Concrete parking lot building
Parking areas for small businesses in McAllen, built thick enough for daily traffic and sloped so rain doesn't sit where customers park and walk.
Concrete footings
Footings for fences, columns, carports and additions, dug to firm ground and poured so the weight above them doesn't sink into soft soil.
Foundation raising
When a slab or part of a house has dropped, we find out why before lifting anything, because raising it without fixing the cause rarely lasts.
Concrete cutting
Clean saw cuts for new plumbing runs, doorways or removing a damaged section, so the rest of the slab stays whole instead of being broken out.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate in McAllen
We'll get back to you within one business day to set a time to see the job. The estimate is free, done at your property, and comes with no pressure and no obligation.
- Based in
- McAllen, TX 78501
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Working in McAllen: the permit office and the city line
Inside McAllen's city limits, building permits come from the city's Building Permits and Inspections Department, and that authority stops at the city line, so if you're not sure which side your address sits on, we check with the office that covers it. When a job needs a permit or an inspection, we help you line it up and plan the pour around it, because the paperwork has to be done before the concrete truck shows up. We're licensed and insured. The price mostly moves with the size, how much old concrete and soft dirt come out, the thickness and steel, and the finish, while the schedule turns on the permit, if there is one, and the weather on pour day. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own job.
Next door the rules change. Each city in Hidalgo County sets its own drainage standards for streets and storm sewers and has its own floodplain office, so a job in Pharr gets checked against Pharr's answers, and inside McAllen those questions go to the city. On a driveway, that shows up at the end where the concrete meets the street, so we tie into the curb and gutter so water keeps moving toward the storm drain instead of stopping at your driveway.
Why McAllen slabs sink, crack and hold water
Many of the driveways and patios we look at here hold puddles or lean back toward the house, which sends every rain against your foundation instead of out to the street. Before we set forms, we check where water runs on your lot and set the slope so it heads away from the house.
Most of the sunken slabs we break out failed from underneath, because the base was raked level instead of dug out and packed, and the concrete went down with the dirt as it settled. We dig out the soft dirt and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, because that decides how the concrete holds up. When a budget gets tight, the base is the first thing people want to cut since nobody sees it once the concrete is down, and I'd cut the decorative finish first. A plain finish can be dressed up later, but a bad base only gets fixed by tearing the slab out.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in McAllen
From your first call to the final walk-through, here's how a job goes and when it helps to have you home.
Call or send the form
You call (956) 331-0213 or send the form, and we set a time for me to come see the job. It helps if you're home for that visit so you can show me where water sits and what's bothering you.
I come out and measure
I look at the old slab, the ground and where the water runs, ask a lot of questions and take my own measurements. You get a written estimate with what's included spelled out, and if the job needs city paperwork or inspections, we help line them up.
Our crew does the work
Our crew digs out, packs the base, pours, finishes and cleans up, with me on the job the whole way. You don't need to be home for the pour, but you'll need to keep cars and feet off it afterward.
We walk it together
When we're done, I walk the finished job with you. I'll go over how long to stay off it while it cures and what to watch for in the first weeks.
Questions about concrete work in McAllen
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete driveway or patio in McAllen?
It may need one, so confirm before the pour. The city's general rule is that permits are required to erect, construct, alter, repair or improve, and the work it lists as needing no permit is finish work like painting, tiling, carpet and counter tops. Call the permit office at 956-681-1300 to check your job or ask us to check for you, and if it needs a permit, we help you line it up.
How are building permit fees figured in McAllen?
Residential permit fees in McAllen are set by the improvement value or by the square footage of new construction, with a minimum fee of $48.00. Remodels and new construction are figured differently, so check the city's permits page for the current amounts for your kind of job.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in McAllen?
The figure comes from what we measure on site, and the biggest swings are how much old concrete and soft dirt have to come out and how thick the slab needs to be. Most home driveways are poured about 4 inches thick, and going to 5 or 6 inches where trucks or trailers park adds concrete and cost but holds up better. Stamped or colored concrete costs more than a broom finish, the lightly brushed texture that gives tires and shoes some grip.
Why does water pond around McAllen homes that aren't in a flood zone?
Because hard rain can fall faster than the storm drains carry it off, so water pools locally even where the official flood maps show no risk. That kind of flooding happens often across Hidalgo County, and many homes take water this way. It's why we check where water runs on your lot before we set forms and slope new concrete away from the house.
How long does new concrete need to cure before I can drive on it?
Usually about a week before you park a car on it, and a day or two before you walk on it. Curing is the slow hardening concrete does as it holds onto its water, and it keeps getting stronger for weeks, so heavy trucks and trailers should wait longer. When we finish, I'll tell you the days for your slab.
How do I keep a new driveway from cracking like the old one?
You can't stop concrete from cracking entirely, but you can decide where it cracks and keep the pieces from moving. We cut control joints, straight grooves that give the slab a place to crack as it shrinks, and we cut them on time so cracks don't wander across the middle. We also set rebar, steel bars that hold the slab together, and pour early in the day so midday heat doesn't leave the top weak and dusty.
Get your McAllen concrete job looked at
Grade and drainage problems are cheapest to fix before the forms go in, so call (956) 331-0213 any day between 7 AM and 11 PM or send the form.