Poured & Finished Concrete in Des Moines, Iowa — Built for central Iowa frost and freeze-thaw
Census Bureau estimates put more than half of the homes in Des Moines before 1970, and a city sidewalk notice gives the owner 180 days to make repairs. JLB pours driveways, walks, patios, pool decks and walls citywide, and quotes each one free after seeing it.
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Concrete Services in Des Moines, Iowa
In Des Moines, JLB pours new driveways, tears out and repours sidewalks, and builds patios that can be stamped or stained. It installs fiberglass pools and pours their decks, builds retaining walls, and does parking lots, warehouse floors and ADA ramps for businesses. Each project stays with a single in-house crew, with no handoffs between trades.
Des Moines traces its origins to May 1843 and was incorporated as a city on September 22, 1851.
Need foundation repair or basement waterproofing instead? Visit the Des Moines foundation & waterproofing hub.
What sits under a Des Moines slab, and how old is yours likely to be?
The city stands on glacial ground: "pebbly clay" till that the ice sheet called the Des Moines Lobe laid down after reaching this spot roughly 14,000 years ago. Building codes here set the frost line at 42 inches, a depth that applies to structural footings, like the ones under a retaining wall or ramp. A driveway or sidewalk never goes that deep, so what decides its life is the bed it's poured on and the mix itself.
Age counts too. By Census Bureau estimates, over a quarter of the city's homes date from 1939 or earlier and nearly a third from 1940 to 1969, so plenty of the front walks and driveway approaches here have seen decades of winters. About one home in six is from 2000 or later.
What does a Des Moines sidewalk notice ask of a homeowner?
The adjacent owner must keep the public sidewalk "in a safe condition, in a state of good repair, and free from defects," and the city inspects "on a complaint-only basis." A repair notice arrives by certified mail, and these are the numbers behind it:
Des Moines sidewalk notices, by the numbers
- ¾ inchA vertical separation of three-fourths of an inch or more is a defect, and so is a gap or hole that size.City Code Sec. 102-43
- 180 daysHow long the owner has to make repairs.City sidewalk compliance page
- 360 daysThe longest the repair period can stretch, with extensions.Ordinance 15107
- $40The residential permit fee the city's page lists, applied for online; it's needed whether the owner or a hired contractor does the work.City sidewalk compliance page
- 30 daysIf an income-eligible owner is approved for subsidy assistance within 30 days of the notice, the city arranges the replacement.City sidewalk compliance page
- $35The fee Des Moines's right-of-way form lists for each sidewalk or drive approach inspection.Right-of-Way Obstruction/Excavation application
If the owner doesn't make the repair, the city engineer "may cause the sidewalk to be constructed, reconstructed or repaired," and "the cost shall be assessed to the property fronting thereon."
Two Ways to Pay Over Time
12 Months Same As Cash
Pay the full balance within 12 months and you pay no interest.
5 Years at 6.99% APR
A lower monthly payment, spread over 60 months.
On approved credit. Ask for full terms at your free estimate.
No need to put the project off another season.
Which Concrete Jobs Does JLB Take On in Des Moines?
Concrete Driveways
SUDAS, Iowa's statewide standards, specifies Class A or C concrete for driveways, with a 4,000 psi minimum at 28 days.
Driveways in Des Moines
Concrete Patios & Outdoor Spaces
Standard patio slabs run four inches, and they're thickened and reinforced beneath a spa or outdoor kitchen.
Patios in Des Moines
Concrete Sidewalks & Walkways
A public walk built to SUDAS is 4 inches thick or more and thickens to 6 at driveway crossings.
Sidewalks in Des Moines
Stamped Concrete
Integral color plus a color hardener, so a chip from a shovel doesn't expose plain gray.
Stamped Concrete in Des Moines
Concrete Pool Decks
Troweled concrete gets slippery when wet, so decks get a gripping finish instead.
Pool Decks in Des Moines
Stained & Colored Concrete
A sound older slab can be cleaned, profiled, stained and sealed, which costs less and goes faster than tearing it out.
Stained Concrete in Des Moines
Concrete Retaining Walls
Poured as one reinforced piece, so the earth's push travels down into the footing.
Retaining Walls in Des Moines
Pool Installation
Shells from Kisol, Exclusive Pools or Elegance by Kisol; on most projects, dig to swim takes four to eight weeks.
Pool Installation in Des Moines
Concrete Parking Lots
Reinforcing steel or fiber makes a lot behave as a single slab instead of separate broken sections.
Parking Lots in Des Moines
Warehouse & Industrial Floors
Steel goes where racking feet and forklift wheels concentrate their weight.
Industrial Floors in Des Moines
ADA Ramps & Compliance
"Only cast iron detectable warnings are allowed in the City of Des Moines," the city's specifications say.
ADA Ramps in Des MoinesTwo Ways to Pay for It
12 Months Same As Cash
Pay the full balance within 12 months and you pay no interest.
Best if you can pay it off within a year.
5 Years at 6.99% APR
A lower monthly payment, spread over 60 months.
Best for bigger projects.
On approved credit. Ask for full terms at your free estimate.
No need to put the project off another season.
What Else Do Des Moines Homeowners Ask About Concrete?
Owners and tenants clear it "within 48 hours following the end of a snowfall." The city lists a "$75 administrative penalty for a first offense."
Where no sidewalk exists, city code says "a permanent sidewalk section shall be constructed through the permanent driveway approach, unless the requirement for the sidewalk has been waived by the city engineer." Demolishing and rebuilding an approach onto a public street also takes a city permit.
SUDAS, with Des Moines's own supplemental specifications governing wherever the two differ. The city adopted the 2026 SUDAS editions on June 29, 2026.
Our Central Iowa Offices
JLB Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Repair — Des Moines
97 Indiana Ave Suite #1Des Moines, IA, 50314(515) 717-8560 View on Google Maps
Ready to Pour? Get a Free Estimate.
A free on-site estimate tells you exactly what your concrete project in Des Moines takes — and what it costs. Call (515) 717-8560.
