What is different about concrete work in Flint
- Driveways tight to the house. On a narrow city lot the driveway often runs a few feet from the foundation on its way to a garage out back. After decades of settling, many now tilt toward the house and send water at the basement wall. A replacement should be graded so water runs to the street.
- Ribbon driveways. Two concrete strips with grass between them are common in the older neighborhoods. They can be replaced as strips, which keeps the look and uses less concrete, or as one full-width slab.
- Shared driveways. Where one driveway serves two houses, it usually straddles the lot line. Talk to your neighbor before you ask for prices. Replacing only half leaves a seam down the middle and rarely drains well.
- Street trees. Mature trees between the sidewalk and the curb lift sidewalk slabs and the ends of driveways. The root has to be dealt with or the new concrete will lift too.
- Side lots. If you have bought the vacant lot next door and want to add parking or a wider drive, check with the city's zoning office first. Zoning controls where you can pave and park.
Permits in the City of Flint
The street, the curb, the drive approach and the public sidewalk belong to the city. Flint's code requires a permit before a sidewalk or drive approach is built or repaired, and it requires that work to be done by a contractor who is licensed and bonded with the city for it.
Before work starts: confirm the current requirements and fees with the City of Flint Department of Public Works, and ask the contractor whether they hold the city license for sidewalk and approach work.
A mailing address that says "Flint" does not always mean the City of Flint. Flint Township, Mt. Morris Township, Genesee Township and the City of Burton are separate governments with their own rules. In the townships, the approach is handled by the Genesee County Road Commission.
Getting an estimate in Flint
We are a referral service. Send a request and it goes to one local concrete contractor who works in Flint. They contact you, look at the job and give you a price. It helps to mention whether the driveway is shared, whether a tree is involved and where water goes now when it rains.
Free estimate
Want a price on your project?
Tell us the town and what you need done. We pass it to one local concrete contractor, who contacts you with a free estimate.