Concrete Contractors in Wakarusa, IN

Wakarusa is a small town in Elkhart County, about 12 miles south of Elkhart and 25 miles southeast of South Bend, and the concrete contractors who travel here handle driveways, patios, steps, slabs and repairs. The village was first called Salem, but the name changed to Wakarusa in 1859 because Indiana already had a Salem. At the 2020 census Wakarusa had 1,998 residents and 771 housing units on about 2.28 square miles.

A growing small town

Wakarusa's population went from 1,758 in 2010 to 1,998 in 2020. Newer homes bring their own concrete needs: patios the builder left off, short driveways that need widening and pads next to the garage. Older homes near the center of town have the usual list of tired walks, settled steps and cracked drives.

Industry and what it means for homes

The Wabash rail line opened in spring 1893, and a lumber mill opened in 1866, long before that. On July 17, 2008, Monaco Coach Corporation announced it was closing its Wakarusa plant and laid off about 1,400 workers. Thor Industries later bought the complex, and Forest River also employs about 600 people in town. Many homes here have changed hands over the years. New owners often want to fix up the outside, and new concrete in front of a house is one of the most visible upgrades.

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Ground conditions

Wakarusa sits at about 850 feet, well above South Bend. Some of its area is water, about 0.077 square miles. Lots near low spots or water can hold moisture, which leads to frost heave. On every job we check drainage first and build the base to match.

The steps we follow on a typical driveway: 1. Remove the old slab and haul it away 2. Strip soft soil and compact the subgrade 3. Place and compact a gravel base 4. Set forms to the right grade and slope 5. Pour air-entrained concrete and finish it 6. Cut control joints at the right spacing 7. Cure the slab before use

Patios and back yards

Wakarusa lots often have room for a good-sized patio. Before we pour, we talk about how you plan to use the space: a table and grill, a fire pit, a hot tub or an outdoor kitchen. A hot tub needs a thicker section, and conduit for power or gas is much easier to set before the concrete goes in. We slope the patio away from the house and cut joints in a pattern that suits the shape.

Stamped concrete is a popular upgrade for back patios here. It can look like slate, flagstone or brick, and a contrasting border frames the space. We seal it after curing and recommend resealing every few years.

Maple syrup and a town center

Wakarusa sits on Indiana 19 just north of Indiana 119. Its Maple Syrup Festival, started in 1969, now runs at the end of April, and the historic town center draws a growing number of regional visitors. Homes near the center are older, often with original walks and steps facing streets that see festival foot traffic. A level walk with no lips, steps with even risers and a broom finish for grip make the biggest difference there. The town's homeowner vacancy rate was just 0.5 percent in 2020, so houses here change hands quickly when they do.

Services

Driveways built for daily cars and winter plowing.

Patios, plain or stamped with a pattern and color.

Sidewalks and steps, with even risers and a broom finish for grip.

Garage and shed slabs, with thickened edges and anchor bolts.

Repair and replacement of failed sections when the rest is sound.

Northern Indiana winters bring snow, cold and many freeze-thaw cycles. We recommend sealing exterior slabs once they are ready and skipping deicers in the first winter.

We check with the Town of Wakarusa about any permit your project needs. Call (574) 475-3419 for a free estimate.