Concrete Contractor in Brownsville, TX - Driveways and Slabs That Drain Right
Elite Brownsville Concrete Construction pours driveways, patios, steps, slabs, footings and lots for homes and small businesses in Brownsville, TX, with the base dug out, packed and sloped so water runs away from your house.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Brownsville homes, lots and the concrete under them
Most of our calls in Brownsville are for flatwork, the driveways, patios, walks and slabs that lie on the ground. The houses range from older neighborhoods near downtown to newer subdivisions toward the edges of the city. Builders and shop owners call us for slabs, footings and parking lots, and we take the same crew and the same planning out to Cameron Park and Los Fresnos.
In the older parts of town we often find thin driveways laid straight on the dirt, so the job usually starts with breaking out the old slab and digging down to firm ground.
Concrete work we do around Brownsville
Concrete driveway building
For a driveway that's sunk or holds water by the garage, we dig to firm ground and pour a slab that sheds rain toward the street.
Concrete patio construction
A back patio gets used most of the year here, so we slope it away from your door and broom the top so it grips when it's wet.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or tile in one pour, and a sealer helps the color hold up in the sun.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks in older neighborhoods often heave or break where roots push up, so we replace the bad sections and set them flush with what stays.
Garage floor concrete
A cracked or dusty garage floor gets a fresh slab on a packed base, poured thick enough to carry your vehicles and sloped toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored concrete, exposed aggregate and scored patterns dress up entries and patios on homes and storefronts around Brownsville without the upkeep of pavers.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps down or a raised bed sits by the drive, a poured wall holds the soil back, with drainage behind it so water can't build up.
Concrete floor installation
Shops, warehouses and additions need an inside floor that's flat and level, so we set the forms carefully and finish it for how you'll use the space.
Concrete pool decks
Pool decks take bare feet and splash water all summer, so we slope them away from the pool and give them a texture that grips when wet.
Concrete steps construction
When front steps crumble at the edges or pull away from the porch, we form and pour new ones with even risers and steel inside to tie them together.
Slab foundation building
For a new house, addition or shop, we prepare the pad, set the forms and steel, and pour once the plumber's lines underneath are in.
Foundation installation
Garages, sheds, additions and small commercial buildings start with a foundation laid out square on firm ground, and we plan it before the first truck shows up.
Concrete parking lot building
Small businesses and churches around the city call us for lots that drain to the right spot and carry daily traffic, poured thicker where trucks turn.
Concrete footings
Footings carry the weight of walls, posts and additions, so we dig them to the depth the plans call for and get them inspected when the permit requires it.
Foundation raising
When a slab or porch has settled and doors stick or water collects, we look at what's under it before deciding whether raising it makes sense.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut old concrete to tie in a new section, open a slab for plumbing work, or cut control joints, the planned lines that guide where cracks form.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Brownsville concrete job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out myself and write a free estimate at your property, with no pressure to book.
(956) 505-5331- Based in
- Brownsville, TX 78520
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–10 PM
Working in Brownsville: permits, access and what sets the price
Building work here runs through the City of Brownsville's Building Inspections and Permitting Office, which issues permits to build, alter or repair a building or structure and inspects permitted work when it's requested. Whether your job needs a permit is that office's call, so before we start I check which office covers your address, and if something's unclear we ask them instead of guessing. If plumbing or wiring is part of the job, the city registers those contractors and they turn in a state license and proof of insurance, so ask to see both. We're fully licensed and insured ourselves. Price moves with the size and thickness of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how much base work the ground needs and the finish you pick, while the schedule turns on the permit review, the weather and the cure. Your estimate lays out the scope in writing, so you can see exactly what's in.
Around downtown and in the older neighborhoods, lots are tight and the truck often can't back up to the forms, so we pump or wheel the concrete in, and that adds to the cost. On busier streets we time the delivery so the truck isn't blocking traffic longer than it has to. The newer subdivisions give us room to work, but yards drain into each other, so we look at your neighbor's water as well as yours. We plan jobs the same way up the road in San Benito and the other cities around Brownsville.
What Brownsville heat and flat ground do to concrete
Summers in the Valley are very hot and humid, and concrete poured in the midday sun dries on top before it's ready underneath, which leaves a weak, dusty surface that chips later. We pour early in the morning when we can and keep the slab damp while it cures, the slow hardening that gives concrete its strength, so the top isn't rushed.
On flat lots, water that pools against a slab works under the edges and softens the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, until the corners sink or the slab tips toward the house. We check where your water runs before we set the forms and give the slab enough fall to carry it away.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Brownsville
Here's what happens from your first call to the walk-through, so you know who you'll see and when you need to be home.
Call or send the form
You call (956) 505-5331 any day from 7 AM to 10 PM, or send the form, and we get back to you to set up a visit. We pick a time when you can be there.
I look at the site
I come out myself, look at the ground, where your water runs and how you'll use the slab, then write up an estimate that lists what's included and what isn't. That way you're comparing the full scope, not just a number.
Permits, base prep and pour
Once you say go, we line up the permit steps, and the city takes plans in weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm and says review should take no more than three to five business days when everything comes in complete. After that, our crew digs out and packs the base, and our lead runs the pour when the weather suits it.
Walk the finished work together
When the work's done, we walk it with you, check the slope and the joints, and haul off the forms and debris. Before we leave, you'll know when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for your car.
Questions about concrete work in Brownsville
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete slab or driveway in Brownsville?
Some concrete jobs do, and the city reviews plans for all new construction and remodeling, so a slab foundation, footings for an addition or a new shop floor will go through plan review. For a driveway, patio or walk, we find out what your address needs before we set a pour date.
How do I apply for a building permit in Brownsville?
You apply online, because the city's residential construction page says all projects go in through its Accela system. Have your plans and documents ready when you apply, since a complete application keeps the review moving. We help with the permit steps for our part of the job and get inspections on the calendar with you.
Who has to do the plumbing under a new concrete slab in Brownsville?
A licensed plumber, because state law and city ordinance require plumbing work to be done by one. We pour the slab and form around the lines, so we work out timing with your plumber and make sure the lines are in before the pour. You can check a plumber's license with the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners license lookup.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Brownsville?
Your written estimate after the visit gives the price for your driveway, and the biggest pieces are its size and thickness, tearing out and hauling off the old slab, and the base work underneath. Access matters too, as on the tight lots near downtown, and stamped or colored finishes cost more than a broom finish, the lightly brushed texture that gives grip. If the budget's tight, cut the finish before the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it's what keeps the slab from settling.
What causes new concrete to crack in Brownsville?
Concrete shrinks as it hardens, so some cracking is normal, and the cracks that hurt a slab usually come from a soft base or from control joints cut late or skipped. Control joints are the straight lines we cut into the slab so it cracks there instead of across the middle. We pack the base, cut the joints on time and keep the top damp in the heat, but I won't tell you concrete never cracks.
How long do I have to stay off a new concrete driveway or patio?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, because it keeps curing for days after the pour and a car puts far more weight on it than your feet do. The top can look dry while the slab is still gaining strength, so go by the dates we give you at the walk-through, not by how it looks. Until then, keep cars and heavy trucks off it, especially the edges.
Brownsville, TX
Call about your Brownsville concrete job
If you're not sure whether your job needs a permit, call and ask, and I'll tell you what I know and what we'll check with the city before anything gets poured.