Des Moines flatwork problems change with the age of the neighborhood, the trees on the street, and how fast the suburb was built. This page covers the areas in the referral zone and what tends to go wrong with driveways, walks, and slabs in each.
Brick homes, mature trees, and older driveways and walks. Root lift, narrow lots with tight access, and garage floors that have seen decades of salt are the usual calls here.
Some of the oldest housing in the city, with walks, steps, and porch caps that may be generations old. Settlement near foundations and worn public sidewalks come up often.
A mix of owner homes and rentals near Drake University, with flatwork that ranges from well kept to long deferred. Cracked drive aprons and heaved front walks are common.
Postwar neighborhoods with original or once replaced driveways now reaching the end of their life. Joint separation and surface scaling are the patterns to watch.
Rolling ground and a wide range of home ages. Sloped driveways, drainage across lots, and patios settling toward the house show up regularly.
Established working neighborhoods with alleys, older garages, and plenty of flatwork poured before modern base practices. Garage floor replacement is a frequent request.
From older Valley Junction streets to newer subdivisions near Jordan Creek, the range is wide. Newer homes more often need patio additions and walk work; older sections need driveway replacement.
Fast growth on former farmland north of the city. Newer driveways can still crack early when the base was rushed, and builders grade lots are still settling in the first years.
Established suburbs with mature trees along Beaver Creek and the Des Moines River edges. Root lift, creek side drainage, and aging subdivision driveways are the themes.
East metro growth with a mix of older in town slabs and new construction. Wide driveways and three car garage floors make surface salt damage a common complaint.
Two of the fastest growing towns in Iowa, full of newer homes where homeowners are adding patios, widening drives, and fixing early settlement in walks and aprons.
Inner suburbs with homes from the middle of the last century onward. Greenbelt lots bring drainage questions, and many original sidewalks and drives are due for panel work.
Do not see your town listed? The referral area is the greater Des Moines metro in Polk and Dallas counties and nearby communities. Call (515) 800-8245 and ask. If your home is outside the area a contractor partner serves, we will tell you straight rather than take your information for nothing.