Concrete Contractors in Calgary and Comparing the Materials

When it comes to outdoor surfaces, such as driveways, patios, and walkways, choosing the suitable material is crucial and acquiring assistance from concrete contractors in Calgary for professional inquiries, and advice can be helpful. While there are several options available, concrete stands out as a popular choice among homeowners and builders alike.

Learn more about the reasons why concrete is often preferred over other materials for outdoor surfaces.

Durability and Longevity

One of the primary reasons why concrete is a popular choice for outdoor surfaces is its exceptional durability and longevity. Concrete is known for its ability to withstand heavy loads, harsh weather conditions, and daily wear and tear. Unlike materials like wood or asphalt, concrete does not rot, warp, or crack easily. When properly installed and maintained, a concrete outdoor surface can last for decades, providing a long-lasting investment.

Versatility in Design

Another advantage of concrete is its versatility in design. Concrete can be moulded and shaped into various patterns, textures, and colours to complement the aesthetics of your outdoor space. Whether you prefer a sleek, modern look or a more traditional and rustic appeal, concrete can be customized to meet your specific design preferences. With concrete, you have the freedom to create unique and eye-catching outdoor surfaces that enhance the overall beauty of your property.

Low Maintenance

Compared to other materials like wood or pavers, concrete requires minimal maintenance. Once properly installed, a concrete surface typically only requires regular cleaning and occasional sealing to maintain its appearance and longevity. Unlike wood, there is no need for staining or painting, and unlike pavers, there is no need for re-levelling or replacing individual pieces. This makes concrete a convenient and cost-effective choice for outdoor surfaces, allowing you to spend more time enjoying your space and less time on upkeep.

Affordability

When considering outdoor surface options, the cost is often a significant factor. Concrete is generally more affordable compared to materials like natural stone or brick. The availability of concrete and its relatively simple installation process contributes to its affordability. By choosing concrete, homeowners can achieve a durable and visually appealing outdoor surface without breaking the bank.

Resilience to Weather

Outdoor surfaces are constantly exposed to changing weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, rain, and even snow. Concrete is known for its resilience to these weather elements. It can withstand high temperatures without warping or melting, and it does not get slippery when wet, making it a safe option for outdoor spaces. Additionally, concrete’s light colour reflects sunlight, reducing heat absorption and making it more comfortable to walk on during hot summer days.

Environmental Considerations

In recent years, environmental sustainability has become a significant consideration for many homeowners. Concrete is an environmentally friendly choice for outdoor surfaces. It can be made with recycled materials and requires fewer natural resources compared to materials like stone or wood. Furthermore, concrete’s durability and longevity mean fewer replacements over time, reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact.

Conclusion

When it comes to outdoor surfaces, concrete offers numerous benefits that make it a popular choice among homeowners and builders. Its durability, versatility in design, low maintenance requirements, affordability, resilience to weather, and environmental sustainability make it an attractive option for driveways, patios, and walkways. If you are looking for a reliable and long-lasting solution for your outdoor surfaces, concrete is undoubtedly worth considering. With proper installation from professional concrete contractors in Calgary and regular maintenance, concrete can provide you with an aesthetically pleasing and functional outdoor space that will stand the test of time.

As the leading concrete contractors in Calgary, Apex Concrete is ready to take your outdoor space to the next level. Our expertise, high-quality workmanship, and landscaping services will transform your home into the oasis you’ve always wanted. As the top-tier professional concrete company in Calgary, we know how to customize our services to suit your style and taste. Whether it’s forming a concrete patio for summer BBQs, relaying your concrete driveways, or adding the finishing touches to your home’s entrance, we can execute your plan to perfection. Our concrete and landscaping services will make you fall back in love with your home. Transform your home with our concrete contractors. Contact us at 403-333-6633 or [email protected] today.

When looking for concrete contractors in Calgary, one of the biggest inquiries most people have is pricing. For a concrete project to get done well, you want to anticipate how much money you need to budget out to make it happen. Get concrete answers on the price of concrete in Calgary this year down below!

Concrete Cost Breakdown in Calgary for 2022

Creating Concrete Pricing

To get concrete pricing, you need to consider the factors that influence the cost of concrete. Without it, you won’t have a definite price for the work you wish to get done.

Check out down below some factors that amount to the cost of concrete:

Concrete thickness
Amount of labour
Need for certain equipment
Base of concrete
Materials used for concrete installation
Type of project & how intensive
Finish of the concrete installation

By bearing these factors in mind, you can get a more concrete idea of what the overall cost will be.

Concrete Pricing on Installation Labour

The cost of concrete itself is around $113 to $126 per cubic yard or between $2.83 to $3.57 per square foot. In which case, it explains why the average cost for a simple concrete slab is between $4 to $8 per square foot.

Homeowners will take advantage of the cost by usually spending around $5.35 to $6.17 per square foot or $113 to $126 per cubic yard for both materials and installation.

Meanwhile, the average cost of labour is $45 per hour or around $2.52 to $2.60 per square foot. If delivery is necessary, you can expect to pay $60 as well.

Therefore, you can expect the average cost for concrete work to get done to be $8,336

Scope of Concrete Project

Not all concrete work is done the same. In which case, you can expect the pricing to be vastly different depending on what you want. Furthermore, the size of the project matters to the overall price.

Here are the average prices of a few well-known concrete projects:

Shed: $670 – $930
Patio: $796 – $1,476
Driveway: $1,440 – $3,360
Garage: $3,058 – $5,944

As you can see, the size and complexity of a concrete job are reflected in the prices of each.

Possible Additional Concrete Costs

Naturally, if you require more out of your concrete project, then you can expect to pay more for it. In which case, you want to consider a few of the common additional costs that factor into the final price. One of which is the type of materials.

Check out these materials costs to see what one is right for you:

White mesh: $0.35 per square foot
Rebar: $1.60 per square foot
Vapour barrier: $0.50 per square foot
2-inch styrofoam under-slab: $0.50 per square foot

Furthermore, if your slab is in a hard-to-reach area for a concrete truck, you will need the services of a pump truck. They can cost approximately $900. Also, if your slabs require any thicker edges, you can expect an additional cost ranging between $1–$2 per square foot.

A common concern from landscaping projects that concrete contractors in Calgary hear from homeowners is the lifespan of certain materials used.

Typically, this is brought up during discussions with the contractor and homeowner about using concrete edging or other materials for the landscaping layout. These are valid concerns. Homeowners pay their fair share for a landscaping project. So, naturally, they wish it would last longer and make it worth every cent.

Learn what to expect from the lifespan of concrete edging, so you can make the right call for what’s best for your landscaping project!

What is Concrete Edging?

Concrete edging involves creating a border using concrete as a material between two types of ground. An example of this is the ground line between the garden and pawn. People opt for concrete edging for either practical or aesthetic reasons when landscaping.

Concrete edging can give homeowners the ability to organize their garden into a more attractive layout. However, some homeowners do so for its functionality in their garden. From concrete edging, it helps to deter grass from growing into flower beds.

Why Use Concrete Edging?

Concrete edging has increasingly become popular for landscaping projects. Why is that? It has a lot of benefits compared to other materials!

As you know, concrete as a material is rather durable. It’s why it’s the go-to choice for any means of construction. Knowing Calgary’s harsh winters, it can easily withstand any frost. You also don’t need to worry about damaging it if you accidentally bump it while mowing the lawn.

It can withstand all these conditions while still looking good for a long time – 15 to 20 years, to be exact! Because of this, it requires barely any maintenance to look nice. Plus, its price is manageable enough to make it worth having.

Is Concrete Edging Worth It?

Yes! There is a reason why it has been garnering popularity with homeowners. As you know, there are various benefits. To put those benefits into perspective is by seeing how this material adds value to your home.

As you might know, landscaping your home can help increase its value in the housing market. Concrete edging assures your landscaping look is preserved because of its resilient composition that will last for a long time. It appeals to homebuyers since it showcases your home and surrounding area as effortlessly attractive without needing long-term work. That’s great for homeowners that lead busy lives and can’t make time for maintenance but wish to have a nice property.

Concrete edging is worth it even for homeowners that aren’t selling since you can get the best of both worlds with this material. It guarantees a great look for many years that it practically pays itself. You can rest assured in using concrete edging for your landscaping project!

With summer here, people are keen to start any outdoor projects they’ve planned. One summer project has been garden edging. However, not everyone knows what’s the best concrete mix for it. Get the scoop on the best concrete mix for garden edging from the best concrete contractors in Calgary!

What is Garden Edging?

Garden edging helps create distinct lines between garden beds and surrounding areas. Typically, you can see garden edging in some people’s neighbourhoods from the visible lines between someone’s lawn and their adjoining garden. It helps to separate parts of your garden by presenting a certain layout to your liking.

Why Consider Garden Edging?

An organised garden can do wonders for how it looks and its health. Part of the work required of garden edging is to get rid of unwanted plants like weeds. With garden edging, you can keep pesky plants at bay from ruining your garden.

Beyond removing nasty weeds from your garden, the biggest benefit behind garden edging is how lovely it can make your garden look. Since you can choose how you can go about it, you can give your garden a layout that appeals to you.

For example, you can create a small pathway to your garden. Garden edging allows you to get creative with how to make your garden attractive but also is a great way to organise it simultaneously.

Why Use Concrete for Garden Edging?

With garden edging, there are various materials that you can use. People have used big stones as borders for their gardens. Others have used metal like aluminium to do the job. However, these materials can fall flat for various reasons.

Not everyone might want to find big stones to border their garden. They’re too heavy and don’t have a uniform shape. For those who are particular about that, it might not fit their vision of how they want their garden to look. As for metal, that can also be unsightly after a while. It might seem durable at first, but the elements will eventually get to it and result in rust appearing. It’s not exactly a great look!

Meanwhile, concrete is great for its versatility and durability. You can shape the edging however you want, allowing you to have creative freedom over your garden’s borders. Plus, the best part is that concrete can last for years. Using concrete instead, you can have fine garden edging for a long time.

What is the Best Concrete Mix?

If you’re planning any garden edging, the best concrete mix you can use would be from Quikrete’s Crack Resistant Concrete. Fibre-reinforced, this concrete is made with fibrous material that helps increase its structural integrity. So, you can guarantee that the borders of your design won’t fail you. Also, this type of concrete is compatible with available liquid cement colours that emulate colours such as red, brown, buff, charcoal and terra cotta. In this way, you can add a personal touch to your garden edging without compromising the vision of your garden’s overall aesthetic.

Concrete designs and concrete contractors Calgary

As warm weather looms and patio season officially begins, it is inevitable to start thinking about remodelling your outdoor area where friends and family gather. One of the many ways to quickly get your backyard summer-ready is to use concrete to carve out your perfect seasonal space. Concrete offers many varieties of textures and patterns, where you can emulate the appearance of other, more expensive materials, such as wood and brick. Concrete is the accessible option to make your backyard look opulent and inviting.

Find out all the varied concrete design options available for your backyard and contact your local concrete contractors Calgary, to see how you can customize your own yard.

Concrete blocks

Concrete is such a versatile material that can be modified in any way that you desire in your backyard. While some may think of a very plain patio design when it comes to concrete installation, there are actually a variety of different methods that can make a backyard look more luxurious and sleek. One of the ways this can happen is by using concrete blocks. With a raised patio and concrete steps, you can create a spacious patio for guests to sit, visit, and engage with one another. If desired, a concrete table and additional foundation can be added to this area.

The concrete patio accompanied by the lush decor and an outside table

Firepit

According to HGTV, installing a fire pit on concrete patios is an inexpensive and simple solution to utilize unused space in your yard. The concrete fire pit will enhance the look and feel of your home and increase your patio’s outward appeal. The firepit will immediately forge an inviting space for your guests to gather and is perfect for all seasons of the year, even when the temperatures drop.

Textures and colours

Fortunately for homeowners interested in installing concrete in their yards, the concrete poured onto your yard doesn’t have to stay the monotonous grey. Through different types of paint, you will be able to create textures and colour schemes that suit the aesthetics of your home.

Lush concrete patio

Concrete patios can be further enhanced by incorporating greenery, trees, and neutral coloured patio furniture sets to make the backyard look quaint and comfortable for your guests. With the greenery and wholesome backyard decor used to soften the patio look, the concrete itself will take on a rustic and natural feel that will only enhance the aesthetic of the backyard.

Mixing materials

Your backyard doesn’t have to be limited to one material, and because of concrete’s neutral colour, anything can go with it and can still complement your backyard. For example, you can have an entire deck made solely from wood and a level down, you can still install a concrete patio where chairs and a table can be placed. These materials won’t clash and will actually exude a warm and inviting atmosphere in any backyard.

For more information on how to install a patio made from concrete in your backyard, contact your local concrete contractors Calgary.

The basis of all of these hip neighbourhoods in Calgary comes from creatively repurposing unconventional items. A good example of this is shipping containers turned into aesthetically pleasing public spaces.

Transform your landscaping like a shipping container through a few ideas!

Gardening

Concrete cinder blocks have become a popular trend in garden landscaping for their versatile use. The beauty comes from being able to raise your garden bed to whatever height you please – which helps avoid kneeling or bending constantly while gardening. Also, it helps others easily see the plants you’ve lovingly laboured over. They also step up your garden game as garden beds built with stacked cinder blocks drain naturally!

Walls

Building walls is what cinder blocks are made for – especially for separating your property! Not a fan of a cinder block’s grey pallor? Don’t worry about it! You can change that by painting over them. It’s a fun way to show off your creative side and choose whatever colours compliment your landscape. If you make mistakes or change your mind frequently, it can be solved through painting over and allowing yourself the freedom to change your landscaping style anytime.

Fire Pit

A fire pit is a great landscaping addition for roasting marshmallows to chatting with friends. Yet, many might hold themselves back due to the price of a fire pit. Instead of buying a fire pit, you can build yourself one with cinder blocks and save! Making a fire pit is quite straightforward – with many tutorials online on how to do so. If you’re apprehensive, you can always have a concrete contractor that can help while still being cost-effective. If you’re willing to tackle this DIY project, you can proudly relay to your friends and family how you did it around the fire pit that you built!

Structure

Think about cinder blocks like lego, and the possibilities to elevate your landscaping are endless. Many have created unique landscaping pieces like an outdoor bar or kitchen for the patio area.

If those ideas are too ambitious, here are two simple additions that can boost your landscaping:

Stairs and Pathways – The structurally sound nature of cinder blocks is great for incorporating stairs into your landscaping. Pathways give a fun and imagination element by making you and others feel like you’re going through a beautiful miniature journey.

Seating – You can build a chair, couch, or bench out of cinder blocks in creative ways. If you’re worried it won’t be comfortable, add seat cushions to add a little pop of colour to contrast with the cinder block’s plain grey colour.

Apex Concrete, as one of Calgary’s top concrete contractors, stands ready to improve your outdoor living experience. Our experience with high-quality construction and landscaping solutions will turn your property into the haven you call home. We’ll adapt our concrete pours to suit your style vision as the top-tier expert concrete business in Calgary. We can implement any idea to suit your hardscaping needs, whether it’s building a concrete patio for summer BBQs, mending your concrete roads, or putting the final adjustments to your home’s entrance. Our concrete and landscaping services can help you rediscover the joy of owning a house. With the help of our concrete contractors, you can completely transform your property. Call us today at 403-333-6633 or email us at [email protected]

One of the most interesting pathway designs is interlocking stone. You can combine exciting colours and unique designs to make an invitation to your home that is hard to miss. Plus, with proper landscaping and planning, you can genuinely improve the curb appeal of your home. However, the front of your house isn’t the only place for interlocking stone.

Concrete contractors in Calgary would certainly give you different suggestions for how to use interlocking stone. They might suggest a patio area, fire pits, stairways, or even a lovely gazebo. Overall, if you can think of an area that would use concrete or stone, you could probably replace it with your own style of interlocking design. You can find inspiration for some of these unique tacts below.

Calgary Interlocking Concrete Stone Ideas

Patios

One of the best places for you to utilize the wonders of interlocking stone is on your patio. Don’t have a patio? No problem, make one from interlocking stones! Indeed, it is that simple. Plus, one of the best benefits of interlocking stone is that you can choose the exact dimensions of your area. This versatility lets you choose a patio that extends from one side of your home to the other, halfway, or straight out into your backyard.

Fire Pits

Another place where all types of interlocking stone shine is around a fire pit. First, you can make the firepit entirely out of stone, but you can also think bigger. For example, with the help of concrete contractors in Calgary, you could make a lovely border around the pit. Indeed, you may even enjoy extending it further out so that you can have a flat and comfortable sitting area.

Stairways

Stairways are another area vastly improved with interlocking stones. However, it is worth noting that exterior stairs are the better option for rock, as it may seem out of place inside your home. Although that does not diminish the value of them, as they make a fantastic greeting at the front or back of your domicile.

Gazebos

The final entry on our list is also the grandest. Gazebos are a wonderful way to enjoy the beauty of your property in relative comfort. The addition of interlocking stones only serves to better the experience. Plus, with such a large area, you can really get a variety of stones and colours that will entice the eye and ease pleasant conversation.

Get Started on Your Interlocking Stone Project!

Apex Concrete is ready to take your outdoor space to the next level. As a professional concrete company in Calgary, we know how to customize our services to suit your style and taste. All year round, Apex Concrete is here to help you. Call us today at 403-333-6633

Finding the right concrete contractor for your project can be challenging. Understandably, most people don’t know a lot about the process of pouring concrete; this makes it difficult to know how to find a good company. With the right questions, it’s easier to get the information you need to make a good decision.

Ask These 5 Questions To Your Calgary Concrete Company

1. How Long Have You Been A Concrete Company in Calgary?

Concrete companies that have been in the business for a while are more likely to know their stuff and do good work. Of course, that’s not always the case, but it’s a good place to start.

2. What Are The Most Important Parts of the Project?

Figuring out the most important parts of your project is a top priority. Ask concrete contractors in Calgary what they consider the most important and then talk about their response. Move on to nonessential things that could help the project to make sure you’re getting exactly what you want and need.

3. What’s Included In The Scope of Work?

Scope of work documents is confusing at times, especially if you aren’t familiar with them. This makes it difficult to compare bids from different concrete contractors. Make sure you understand exactly what’s included from each contractor.

4. Are There Any Additional Fees?

Hidden fees and additional charges can throw your budget off. Make sure the Calgary concrete company is providing all the information upfront so you won’t be surprised by extra charges during the project.

5.Will My Project Present Challenges For The Company?

Each project has certain challenges, and some are more difficult than others. Push concrete contractors in Calgary to thoughtfully consider any potential complications or challenges related to your specific project, and how they would deal with those challenges.

Before we begin, we have to remember how Calgary concrete driveways are somewhat permanent and low maintenance additions to the home. It can drastically improve the home’s appearance, and at the same time, it will give your kids a safe place where they can ride their bikes.

Continue reading “How to Update Your Driveway with Concrete Slabs”

Calgary concrete services can make the yard look its best in new ways. Stamped concrete has a special look that is hard to match. Home owners may take pride in the work that they have done. Calgary concrete services may be offered for those who need them most. Plan out a new set of slabs that will be laid on the outside area.

Continue reading “Revive Your Calgary Patio With Stamped Concrete”