Concrete driveway building in Dickinson ND - a slab that drains away from your house
What does building a concrete driveway in Dickinson involve?
At Vertex Dickinson Concrete, building a concrete driveway in Dickinson starts well before the pour. We clear out the plants and soft dirt, pack the base and set the grade so water runs away from your house, then pour a slab that spreads the weight of your cars and holds its shape in summer heat.
Most calls start with an old driveway that's cracked, sunk at the garage or holding puddles, or a gravel drive you're tired of fighting. The price mostly follows the size, what has to come out and how thick the slab needs to be, and the schedule follows the weather and the ground. I come out myself, give you your own number and tell you honestly if asphalt fits your plans better.
The part I care most about is the part you'll never see. If the base is raked flat instead of dug out and packed, the slab settles along with the dirt, and if nobody checks where the water runs, it can drain toward your house. We dig out, pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and grade it so water runs away from the house and garage.
Concrete can crack a little, and I'd rather you hear that from me now than find it in March. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, early enough that cracks usually land in them and not across the middle. If you're thinking about a concrete patio out back too, it's easy to plan both at once.
What the job takes
- Tearing out the old driveway
- Digging out soft dirt and roots
- Packing the subgrade the slab sits on
- Grading so water runs away
- Pouring on thawed ground
- Cutting control joints on time
What to weigh before your concrete driveway goes in
What sets the price
Most of what you pay for goes under the slab, the digging, the packed base and the thickness. If the budget's tight, I'd trim the finish before I'd skimp on the base.
When we can pour
We set the pour for thawed ground, because a slab on frozen dirt tends to settle and crack once it thaws. So the ground, not just the calendar, picks the date.
Broom finish or stamped
I usually steer people to a broom finish, light ridges that help tires and boots grip in winter. Stamped concrete looks fancier but costs more and can get slick.
Concrete driveway questions from Dickinson
How much does a concrete driveway cost in North Dakota?
A concrete driveway in North Dakota usually costs about $8 to $18 per square foot, and that's the going range across the state, not a quote from us. Where yours lands depends on the size, the tear-out, how thick the slab needs to be and the finish, and I'll work out your own number when I come out to look.
Is a concrete driveway better than asphalt in Dickinson?
Concrete usually wins over the long run, and asphalt wins on the first price. Concrete costs more up front and takes days to cure, but it routinely lasts decades with little more than joint care and an occasional seal, while asphalt is cheaper and easy to patch but needs seal coating and wears out sooner. If you're staying in the house a good while, I lean concrete, but I'll weigh both against your plans and budget honestly.
How long does a new concrete driveway need before I can drive on it?
Plan on about 7 days before you drive a car on it and closer to 28 days for heavier trucks and RVs, which is what one driveway guide advises. The slab is still curing that whole time, slowly hardening and gaining strength, so before we pour I'll tell you how long to park somewhere else, a bit longer if you've got a heavy truck or camper.
Who issues driveway permits in Dickinson, ND?
The City of Dickinson issues concrete, excavation and driveway permits for work in the city's right-of-way or on other city property, and it handles building permits for all of Stark County, so owners outside city limits work with the city too. If your driveway meets a state highway and goes in on a state transportation department permit, it isn't finished until the department checks and approves it. I check with the city on every job before we start, take care of the permits that fall to us and help you with any that fall to you.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in North Dakota?
Yes, once a job's cost, value or price is over $4,000, whoever does the work has to be licensed as a contractor with the state. We're licensed and insured, and our own crew does the work with me there running it.
How do I take care of a new concrete driveway its first winter?
Skip the deicers that first winter and spread sand for traction instead, which is what one concrete trade group's cold-weather guide calls for. Keep a bucket of sand by the garage door before the first ice, because new concrete needs gentle care while it's young.
Concrete driveways near you
We're based in Dickinson and build driveways in Dickinson and the cities around it. Pick your area below, or call (701) 495-9954 if yours isn't listed.
Other concrete work
- Concrete patio construction
- Stamped concrete services
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Slab foundation building
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
Get a free estimate on your driveway
Tell us the driveway's size, where it meets the street and what you park. We reply within one business day, then I come out for a free estimate, no obligation.