Concrete Contractors in Tempe, AZ

Tempe is different from the newer East Valley towns, and the work concrete contractors do in Tempe reflects that. The city is landlocked at about 40 square miles, so it cannot grow outward. Its housing is older: the Point2Homes summary of Census survey data lists a median construction year of 1984, with 11.5% of homes from the 1960s, 24.2% from the 1970s and 21.9% from the 1980s. Tempe went from 7,684 residents in 1950 to 63,550 in 1970 and 180,587 in 2020.

Replacement is the main job here

Many Tempe driveways, walks and patios are original to the house. Concrete that is 40 to 60 years old can still be serviceable, but by now it has usually been through root lift from mature trees, settlement near the garage, and decades of sun on the surface. In south and central Tempe, the conversation is more often about tearing out and repouring than about adding on.

What a replacement involves:

• Saw-cutting at a clean line so the new concrete meets the old neatly
• Breaking out and hauling off the old slab
• Regrading and compacting the base, often with added fill where the old slab sank
• New forms set to correct slope, and reinforcement sized for the use
• Control joints placed where they will actually control cracking

Owners and rentals

Only about 42.3% of Tempe homes are owner-occupied, according to the same Census data, and about 38.1% are detached single-family houses. Landlords and property managers often need help with cracked walkways that have become trip hazards, broken driveway aprons and worn rental patios. For rentals we focus on durable, low-maintenance work: plain or broom finishes, proper slopes and sealed surfaces that hold up to turnover.

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Heat, sun and a wide daily swing

Tempe's July mean high is 105.9 degrees, with an all-time record of 119. Wikipedia notes that Tempe sees greater daily temperature variation than Phoenix. Those daily swings mean concrete expands and contracts every day, and slabs without well-placed joints crack wherever they choose. Summer pours start early, and we cure the concrete right away so it does not dry out on the surface.

Mature trees and old walks

South of the denser core near ASU, Wikipedia describes Tempe as mostly single-family homes, strip malls and lower-density office parks. Neighborhoods of that age often have large shade trees, and roots are a common reason a walk or driveway panel lifts. When we replace a slab near a tree, we cut roots only where it is safe for the tree, recompact the base, and sometimes shift the slab edge or add a joint so the next round of root growth does less damage.

Pool decks that are easier on feet

Older Tempe pool decks are often bare gray concrete or a worn coating. Bare concrete in full sun can get hot enough to be uncomfortable. When we replace a deck, we suggest a lighter color and a textured finish that grips when wet, and we slope the deck away from the pool and the house so splash water and rain do not sit. When the deck is level and sound, resurfacing with a textured overlay can be a lower-cost option. Cracks that have shifted vertically are a sign the deck itself needs to come out.

Elevation and drainage

Tempe's elevation runs from about 1,140 feet at Tempe Town Lake to 1,495 feet atop Hayden Butte. Most residential lots are flat, which makes drainage a matter of careful slope. Average rainfall is about 8.80 inches a year. A replacement slab gives us the chance to fix an old one that pitched toward the house.

Call (480) 351-1697 for a written estimate in Tempe.