Concrete Contractor in McCandless, PA

Ultimate Concrete Service covers McCandless and the surrounding North Hills, about thirty miles from our shop in Beaver. McCandless is a post war suburb, and the concrete tells that story clearly. Most of the residential flatwork here was poured during the decades when these neighborhoods were built out, which means an enormous amount of it hit the end of its service life at roughly the same time. Dave Felouzis has spent over twenty-five years replacing exactly this kind of concrete.

The Mid Century Replacement Wave

Concrete has a service life. On a well built slab in this climate, that is a long time, but it is not forever, and a neighborhood that was built out over a fifteen year window will see its concrete fail over a similar window several decades later.

That is where much of McCandless sits. Driveways, front walks, garage floors, and porch steps that went in with the original houses have now been through more than fifty Western Pennsylvania winters. A lot of that concrete predates air entrainment being standard practice, which is the mix property that gives freezing water somewhere to expand. Without it, the surface eventually breaks down no matter how well the rest was done.

The upside is that replacement now is straightforward work on relatively level suburban lots with good access. The jobs price well here compared with hillside or tight urban sites. If your neighbors are replacing their driveways, there is a reason, and it is not coincidence.

Split Level Entries and the Steps That Serve Them

The split level and raised ranch designs that dominate a lot of McCandless streets create a specific concrete condition worth understanding.

These houses sit above grade at the entry, which means a run of exterior steps and a landing at the front door on nearly every property. Those steps take the heaviest foot traffic on the house, they sit right at the foundation where roof and downspout water concentrates, and they are the concrete most likely to separate and drop as the soil beside the foundation settles.

Repouring them without correcting the water is why some homeowners are on their second or third set. We look at downspout discharge before we look at the steps themselves, because the water is the cause and the concrete is the symptom.

Concrete Services We Provide

Concrete Driveways, Sidewalks & Steps, Concrete Patios, Stamped & Decorative Concrete, Retaining Walls, Pool Decks, Fire Pits, Commercial & Industrial Concrete, Concrete Repair & Resurfacing, Garage Floors & Structural Slabs

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does it seem like everyone on my street is replacing their driveway at once?
Because they went in at once. A neighborhood built out over fifteen years sees its concrete reach end of life over a similar window decades later. It is not coincidence and it is not a sign anything unusual is happening.
My front steps have separated from the house twice now. Why does it keep happening?
Because the cause is water, not concrete. Roof and downspout discharge concentrates beside the foundation, the soil there settles, and the steps follow it down. Correcting the drainage is what makes the third set the last set.
Is fifty year old concrete worth repairing?
Sometimes. If the deterioration is at the surface on an otherwise sound slab, resurfacing is real value. If it is through the thickness, or the slab has broken into sections that move, replacement is the honest answer. Dave tells you which.
Does McCandless price better than other areas you work?
Generally yes. The lots are relatively level with good truck access, which keeps labor down compared with hillside or tight urban sites where concrete moves by hand.
How far is McCandless from your shop?
About thirty miles from our shop in Beaver.

Original concrete finally giving out? Call (412) 983-3445 for a free written estimate in McCandless.