Concrete Contractors in Walkerton, IN

Walkerton sits in Lincoln Township, St. Joseph County, and homeowners there who need concrete contractors usually want the job done once, without return trips from the city. The town was platted in 1856 and laid out by railroad surveyors. It is named for John Walker, a railroad promoter. The 2020 census counted 2,096 residents and 817 housing units on about 1.90 square miles.

Railroad grid, wartime housing

Towns laid out by railroad surveyors tend to have a tidy grid of narrow lots. In Walkerton that means many homes have short front walks, side driveways that run tight to the house and alleys or back lots with garages. During World War II, Wikipedia notes, the town housed some workers for the nearby Kingsbury Ordnance Plant, which loaded its first shells in August 1941. Homes from that period are now more than 80 years old, and much of the concrete around them has been patched more than once.

When a driveway runs tight to the house, we pay close attention to drainage. The slab needs to slope away from the foundation so water does not end up in the basement. If the old drive tipped toward the house, we correct the grade when we replace it.

What we do in Walkerton

• Concrete driveways: tear-out and replacement, widening and new aprons
• Sidewalks & steps: front walks, side walks to the back door and new steps on footings
• Concrete patios: plain broom-finish or with a smooth border
• Stamped concrete: patterned and colored patios and walks
• Garage & shed slabs: detached garages along alleys and back lots
• Concrete repair & replacement: saw-cut and replace the failed sections only

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Ground conditions

Walkerton is at about 725 feet, close to South Bend's elevation, and all of its 1.90 square miles is land with no mapped water area. That does not mean the ground drains itself. Clay layers can hold water right under a slab. We dig out soft or organic soil, compact a gravel base and set the forms so water leaves the slab. On garage slabs we add a thickened edge where the walls sit, so the structure has firm support.

Small jobs count too

Not every project is a full driveway. We also handle a single settled sidewalk square that has become a trip hazard, a new pad for a trash bin or air conditioner, a stoop at the back door and a short walk from the drive to a side entrance. Small jobs often get combined into one visit so the cost of mobilizing a crew is shared across the work.

Patios on narrow lots

Walkerton's railroad-grid lots are narrow, so a back patio has to fit between the house, the garage and the property line. We lay out the shape on the ground with stakes and string before forming, so you can see how much yard it takes. A broom finish is simplest; stamped concrete adds a pattern and color for a more finished look.

On the US 6 corridor

US 6 runs about 18 miles east from Walkerton to Bremen, and the town's 2020 census figures show 8.6 percent of housing units vacant. Older vacant houses that change hands usually need concrete work before anything else: a new walk, a set of steps that meets code and a driveway that drains away from the foundation. We pour from spring through fall, use an air-entrained mix and planned joints on every exterior slab, and recommend a sealer once it has cured.

We check with the Town of Walkerton about any permits before we begin. Call (574) 475-3419 for a free estimate.