Cracked, sunken or puddling patio out back? We dig out and pack the base, then pour a slab made to take an Aberdeen winter.
Concrete patio construction in Aberdeen comes down to four things. We dig out and pack a firm base, pour a mix made to handle freezing and thawing, give it a finish with good grip and let it cure, which is the wait that lets it harden before you use it. Done that way, you get a patio that stays flat and sheds water.
Most patio calls start with an old slab that's cracked, sunk toward the house or holds a puddle after every rain. Others start with a bare patch of yard where you want a table and a grill. Either way, most of the job is underneath, because the base and the slope decide how the slab holds up. If you'd like a walk leading out to it, we can build a new sidewalk at the same time.
The price mostly moves with the patio's size, how much digging and base work the spot needs, whether an old slab has to come out and the finish you pick. A stamped concrete pattern takes more work than a plain broom texture. The schedule turns on the weather and the ground. Your estimate spells out what's included, so you know your own number before we start.
Call (605) 824-9815 or use the form, and tell us roughly where the patio will sit and how big you're thinking. I'll get back to you and set a time to come out.
I walk the spot with you, check where the water runs and hear what you want from the patio. Then you get an estimate that lays out what's included, and I'll go over it line by line so the price doesn't catch you off guard.
Once you say go, we take care of any permit paperwork and pick a pour date that works with the weather. That date waits on the ground being ready, so in the cold months it can move.
Our crew digs out, packs the base, sets the forms, pours and finishes, and I'm on site from prep to the last pass. We clean up and tell you how to treat the slab while it cures.
The work starts below the slab. We dig out to firm ground and pack the base, because a base that's only raked level settles with the dirt and takes the patio with it. We set the forms so the slab falls away from your house. We also cut control joints on time. Those are shallow grooves that give the concrete a planned place to crack, so it doesn't crack where nobody chose.
For the mix, we order air-entrained concrete, which has tiny air bubbles mixed in on purpose so it stands up to freezing, thawing and ice melt. For the top, I'll show you outdoor finishes that give good grip. Euclid Chemical, a concrete products maker, steers outdoor slabs toward a broom or float texture, because a smooth steel trowel lowers the air right at the surface.
What your patio job includes:
If your patio has a few hairline cracks and still sits flat, it usually just needs the cracks cleaned out and filled. Once it has sunk, tipped toward the house or broken into pieces that rock when you step on them, I'd replace it. The trouble is in the base, and patching the top doesn't reach it. We'll look at it together, and I'll tell you which one I think it is.
Size and thickness set how much concrete we order. The bigger swings usually come from what's under and around the patio, like tearing out an old slab, hauling dirt, bringing in base rock or working where the truck can't back up close. The finish matters too. If something has to give, I'd keep the base and go plain on top, because the base is the one part you can't fix later without tearing it all out.
I learned this trade from an old-school contractor. He made me reset forms until they were dead straight, and he wouldn't let a truck pour on a base he hadn't walked himself. I started Aberdeen Concrete Company in 2023 to run jobs that same way, so I'm on your job from prep through the finish.
I'd also rather you understand the plan before we start. I'll tell you what's going under the slab and why, how we'll get in without tearing up more yard than we need to, and what the price covers. We leave the site cleaned up, and it's satisfaction guaranteed. Call (605) 824-9815 when you're ready to talk it over.
Good pour weather doesn't last all year here, so call (605) 824-9815 and we'll look at your spot while the ground's ready.
Add your address and where the patio will go, and I'll reply within one business day to set a visit. The on-site estimate is free and comes with no obligation.
The cost of a concrete patio in Aberdeen comes from its size, the base work your yard needs, whether an old slab comes out and the finish you choose. Those are the same things covered in the price section above. Your own number comes from the estimate after I've seen the spot.
Most cracking and sinking starts with a poorly prepared base. A base like that can settle, leave the slab thinner in spots and hold water, and all of those can lead to cracks. If you're comparing quotes, ask each contractor how they'll prepare the base, and I'll walk you through ours on your estimate.
The best time is when the ground isn't frozen. A cold-weather guide from the Michigan Concrete Association says to place concrete only on ground that's thawed and at least 40°F. That's why a late fall or early spring pour can slide a bit. We set the pour date by what the ground is doing, not by the calendar.
You apply at the city's Building Inspection office on the third floor of City Hall at 123 South Lincoln Street, which takes building permit applications and the fee. Its list names things like retaining walls and swings but not patios, so check with them about yours. Setbacks from your property line still have to be met, and the city's Community Development Department at 605-626-7017 can give you the setbacks for your zoning area. If your property falls under Brown County instead, the county's Planning & Zoning staff handle building permits there. We're licensed and fully insured, and we'll file the application for you if your patio needs one.
Euclid Chemical says a penetrating sealer typically protects for 5 to 10 years when it's applied properly, so plan on resealing as regular upkeep. The Michigan guide advises waiting 30 days or more after the pour before sealing. By then any curing compound has worn off.
Not the first winter. The Michigan guide says to use no deicers on new concrete that season and to use sand for traction instead. Ice melt is also the reason we order the freeze-thaw mix, since it's what eats at the top of a slab.
We're based in Aberdeen and pour patios in the cities around it too. Pick Aberdeen below, or call (605) 824-9815 if your city isn't listed.
