Concrete Contractors in Bloomington, MN

Bloomington's census table shows a city that filled in fast: 9,902 residents in 1950, 50,498 a decade later and 81,971 by 1970. Much of its housing, and the driveways in front of it, comes from that postwar run. For concrete contractors, that means plenty of original slabs at the end of their life, in a city with some of the most detailed driveway standards in the metro.

Bloomington's driveway handout, in plain terms

The city's residential driveway handout says a permit is required for the overlay, construction, replacement or alteration of a residential driveway, with limited repair exceptions, and work cannot start until the permit is issued. Key numbers from that handout:

• Minimum width: 10 feet
• Garage 30 feet wide or less: the driveway may be no wider than the garage
• No garage: 24 feet maximum
• Setbacks from property lines: 20 feet front, 5 feet side and rear
• Surfaces: portland cement concrete, asphalt or pavers with gaps no more than 1/4 inch; gravel is not permitted
• Impervious coverage: no more than 35 percent of the lot, less on some steep lots

New driveways and expansions must connect directly to a garage. Driveway permits and general questions go to the Planning Division at 952-563-8920; the approach, decorative materials in it and utility encroachments go to the Engineering Division at 952-563-4870.

What this means for your project

Many owners want a wider driveway or a parking pad beside the garage. In Bloomington, that is possible within limits: the handout allows off-drive parking when total driveway width on the site is 26 feet or less, with one parking area up to 12 feet wide. We measure the garage, the lot lines and the existing coverage first, then show you what fits. It is better to learn about a limit at the estimate than after the forms are set.

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Two sides of the city

Wikipedia describes I-35W as an informal line between West and East Bloomington. West of the freeway is mainly residential and newer; east of it holds more industry and retail along with most of the lower-cost housing. Along the north bank of the Minnesota River the ground changes too: a sand plain in the northeast, low hills in the west, and the river valley at the far south end.

That range shows up in our work. On the sandy northeast side, the ground drains well but needs good compaction under a slab. On the hilly west side, steps, walk slopes and driveway pitch take more planning.

Our six services in Bloomington

• Driveways torn out and replaced to the city's width, setback and surface rules
• Patios replacing cracked postwar slabs, sized with the 35 percent coverage limit in mind
• Stamped concrete for patios and entries
• Sidewalks and steps from the driveway to the door
• Garage and shed slabs, including replacement of cracked 1950s and 1960s garage floors
• Repair of individual panels, steps and joints

How a Bloomington replacement runs

We start with measurements and a sketch showing the garage width, lot lines and existing hard surface. Once the permit is issued, the old slab is broken out and hauled away. We check the base, dig out soft spots and compact new material in lifts. We pour an air-entrained mix to resist freeze-thaw, and the joints are laid out so any cracking follows straight, planned lines. The approach is built to the Engineering Division's standards.

Call (952) 209-8658 to set up a visit, or request an estimate online. You get the price in writing.