Altoona Concrete: Driveways, Patios & Pools — Quality concrete without the runaround

What does Altoona's ground ask of a new slab?

Altoona is flat ground on the metro's east side, where Iowa's open farm plains begin, and under it is Des Moines Lobe glacial till: clay-rich soil from the last glacier. Building codes here set frost depth at 42 inches. Freezing clay lifts whatever sits on it and lets it down again in the thaw, so a slab needs a firm, even base and a mix made to take the cycle.

That's why JLB pours its flatwork at 5 to 7 percent air entrainment, the range the American Concrete Institute recommends for freeze-thaw work; the tiny air pockets give the freeze room to expand, so the surface doesn't flake. Control joints, the cuts that tell a slab where to crack, are saw-cut at planned intervals, with the spacing matched to how thick the slab is.

What happens after Altoona marks your sidewalk?

In Altoona, the property owner maintains the public sidewalk next to the property, under Iowa Code 364.12 and Altoona City Code Chapter 136. The city's sidewalk program then runs in this order:

1. Inspection. City staff walk the public sidewalks, checking each one for eight possible deficiencies.
2. The mark. City staff mark each defective panel in fluorescent pink paint.
3. The notice. Staff compile the repair locations and mail a notice to each owner.
4. Your repair. The owner has the marked panels fixed, and a concrete contractor such as JLB can pour the new panels.
5. The city steps in. Any deficiency that isn't repaired is corrected by a contractor the city hires, and the city invoices the owner.
6. Unpaid invoices. An invoice still unpaid after 30 days is assessed against the property and collected like a property tax.