Concrete Contractors in Belvue, KS

Belvue is a small Pottawatomie County town in the Wamego school district, and the concrete contractors who work here have to think about water first. At about 961 feet, Belvue sits lower than Manhattan, Wamego or St. Marys. Low ground collects runoff, holds moisture and gives a slab less margin for error. Get the drainage and base right, and concrete here lasts. Skip those steps, and it settles and cracks.

A small, long-settled town

Belvue was laid out in 1871, and its first post office opened in May of that year. It was incorporated in 1913. The 2010 census counted 205 residents and 80 housing units; by 2020 there were 177 residents and 69 units, on about 0.12 square miles. It is part of the Manhattan metropolitan area and is served by Wamego USD 320.

With so few homes, and housing units down from 80 to 69 in a decade, nearly every Belvue project involves replacing or upgrading older concrete. The usual list: a driveway broken by years of frost, steps that have dropped away from the porch, a walk that holds puddles, a patio that was never built.

Building on low, damp ground

Here is how we adapt our process for a low-lying lot:

Deeper excavation. We dig past damp topsoil and soft clay until we reach firm ground, then replace what we removed with crushed rock.

A thicker, compacted base. Crushed rock drains far better than clay. We place it in thin lifts and compact each one, so the base stays firm even when the soil around it is wet.

Positive slope. Every slab falls away from the house, and we look at where that water goes next. If it would pond at the end of the driveway or in a neighbor's yard, we adjust.

Downspouts and gutters. Roof water dumped onto a slab edge undermines it. We suggest extensions or a simple splash path to carry it away.

Isolation joints. Where a slab meets the house, steps or another slab, a joint lets each piece move on its own as the ground swells and shrinks.

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Winter on wet ground

Damp soil and freezing weather are a hard combination. Water under or inside a slab freezes, expands and can lift the concrete or break off its surface. Air-entrained concrete resists that damage at the surface, and a well-drained base keeps water from collecting underneath. Together they do more to protect a slab than anything else. We also recommend a penetrating sealer once the slab has cured, and sand instead of rock salt for traction in the first winter.

Projects we take on in Belvue

• Concrete driveways: replacement on a rebuilt base, with a slope that sheds water
• Concrete patios: broom, colored or stamped, set to drain away from the house
• Stamped concrete: decorative patios and front entries, sealed for winter
• Sidewalks and steps: new walks and steps on footings, with handrail anchors
• Garage and shed slabs: raised slightly above grade so water stays out
• Concrete repair and replacement: sunken, cracked or scaled sections repoured

Raising a shed or garage floor

On low ground, the floor of a shed or detached garage should sit a few inches above the surrounding yard. We build up the base under the slab, thicken the edges under the walls and slope the floor slightly toward the door. That keeps rainwater and snowmelt from running inside and keeps stored tools and equipment dry.

Before any work, we check with the city or county about permit needs. We walk the lot with you, point out where water goes today and explain how the new slab will handle it. Call (785) 509-7585 to schedule a visit to your Belvue property.