Carpentry & Concrete

Concrete in Metro Detroit

Concrete in Michigan either lasts thirty years or cracks in three, and the difference is all underground — base, reinforcement, and a freeze-thaw mix. We match Metro Detroit homeowners with concrete pros who pour flatwork built for our brutal winters.

Typical range: $6–$14 per sq ft

  • Licensed & insured local pros
  • Permit-ready for carpentry & concrete work
  • Free, no-obligation quotes

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Anyone can pour concrete; making it survive a Michigan winter is the hard part. Our freeze-thaw cycles drive water into the slab, freeze it, and pry the surface apart, so the work that decides longevity happens before the truck arrives: a compacted aggregate base for drainage, the right air-entrained mix, reinforcement sized to the load, and control joints cut where the slab wants to crack anyway. The concrete contractors in our network handle driveways, patios, walkways, garage and shed slabs, porches, and steps — and they get the unseen prep right, because that is what fails when it is wrong.

A driveway in Sterling Heights that carries a loaded truck needs a different thickness and rebar plan than a patio in Birmingham, and grading the pour to push water away from the foundation matters as much as the finish on top. We connect you with a licensed, insured pro who treats base, drainage, and mix design as seriously as the broom finish you see.

What’s included

  • Site assessment, grading plan, and drainage check
  • Excavation and compacted aggregate base for stability
  • Forming and grading to slope water away from the home
  • Steel reinforcement — rebar or mesh sized to the load
  • Freeze-thaw-rated, air-entrained concrete mix
  • Finish of choice — broom, exposed aggregate, or stamped
  • Control joints cut to manage cracking, plus cure and sealing guidance

A cracked, heaved, or spalling slab is a tear-out, not a patch. The concrete pros we match you with build the compacted base, use air-entrained mix, and cut control joints that keep Michigan’s freeze-thaw from destroying your pour — and they carry insurance for the heavy equipment it takes.

How it works

Assess & grade

A pro evaluates the soil, sets the grade to drain water away from your foundation, and confirms thickness and reinforcement for the load.

Excavate & compact base

The area is dug out and a compacted aggregate base is built — the foundation that prevents settling and gives meltwater somewhere to go.

Form & reinforce

Forms are set to the right slope and rebar or mesh is placed so the slab holds together under load and frost movement.

Pour & finish

Air-entrained, freeze-thaw-rated concrete is poured, screeded flat, and given your chosen finish — broom, exposed aggregate, or stamped.

Joint, cure & seal

Control joints are cut to direct cracking, the slab is cured properly, and sealing is recommended to fend off salt and water.

Concrete: common questions

How long before I can use new concrete?
You can typically walk on it after 24–48 hours, but wait about 7 days before driving a car on a new driveway and ideally avoid heavy vehicles for closer to a month while it reaches strength. Concrete keeps curing for weeks. Your contractor gives you firm dates for foot and vehicle traffic based on the mix and weather.
Why does concrete crack, and can it be prevented?
Some hairline cracking is normal as concrete cures and shrinks, which is exactly why control joints are cut — to steer cracks into straight, planned lines instead of random ones. Proper base prep, correct thickness, reinforcement, and joints prevent the structural cracking and heaving that ruin a slab. The base and joints are where good contractors earn their keep.
Do I need to seal my concrete in Michigan?
It is strongly recommended here. Sealing slows water absorption, which is what drives freeze-thaw spalling, and it helps the surface shrug off road salt tracked in over winter. A sealed driveway or patio lasts noticeably longer than a bare one. Most pros advise resealing every few years.
How thick should my concrete be?
It depends on the load. Patios and walkways are usually fine at 4 inches, while driveways that carry vehicles want 4–6 inches with reinforcement, and areas for heavy trucks or RVs need more. A pro sizes the thickness and steel to what the slab will actually carry, not a one-size guess.

Get matched with a concrete pro

Get matched with a vetted, licensed Metro Detroit pro today. Free quotes, no obligation.