Concrete is an essential building material. It makes up our roadways, bridges, sidewalks, and even the foundation of our homes. Needless to say, the uses of concrete as vast. This is because it’s an extraordinarily durable, long-lasting, and versatile material. In fact, concrete is one of the strongest building materials available. Furthermore, since it can be poured and moulded to fit any shape, it’s a fantastic option for any construction project. For these reasons and more, you can find both structural and decorative uses for concrete all-around your home.
In this article, you can find the top 5 concrete companies. Calgary home and business owners looking to repair existing concrete, install new concrete features or improve their hardscaping should consider these outstanding companies.
Is concrete the same as cement?
No, concrete is not the same as cement! Although you may have heard concrete and cement used interchangeably, they are different materials. In fact, cement is one component of concrete, making up 10-15% of the total concrete mix. Concrete is a ubiquitous building material, whereas pure cement is not. Roads, sidewalks, backyard patios, and driveways are made of concrete, and concrete is the material of choice because it is incredibly durable and long-lasting. Unlike pure cement, concrete can last for hundreds of years. Today, we mainly use cement for grouting and binding concrete.
So what is concrete?
Concrete is a mixture of cement, water, and aggregate (sand, stone, and gravel). The aggregates make up 75% of the concrete. When water and cement mix, these aggregates bind together. The materials must be extremely clean because contamination can compromise the concrete’s strength. Generally, stronger concretes contain less water and larger aggregates.
Common uses of concrete
Everyone knows concrete makes up our roads, bridges, sidewalks, and parking lots. However, concrete also has many different uses inside and outside your home. Concrete countertops, sinks, and even floors have all become popular over recent years. When it comes to the exterior of your home, we associate concrete with driveways, walkways, foundations, and garage pads.
But this is only the beginning! Concrete in Calgary is also used for patios, pool decks, retaining walls, and hardscaping. Moreover, decorative concrete can add a unique beauty to regular concrete features. You get the chance to be creative and enjoy something entirely custom for your home.
Benefits of hardscaping with concrete
Hardscaping is any form of landscaping that uses non-living or non-vegetative elements. This includes work done with brick, stones, gravel, and concrete. On the other hand, softscaping is landscaping that includes greenery and vegetation.
Good landscape design involves an attractive combination of both hardscaping and softscaping. After all, variation and balance are key components of a visually pleasing yard. If you choose to focus solely on softscaping, you’re missing out. Hardscaping and softscaping complement one another to create a harmonious and interesting yard.
That being said, hardscaping has its own unique benefits over softscaping. Therefore, you may opt for including a bit more hardscaping in your yard.
Controls erosion
Concrete retaining walls and barriers direct water drainage. This can prevent excess water from eroding the topsoil in your flowerbeds or garden. This is good for the health of your plants and means you won’t have to replace the soil in your yard as frequently.
Manages weeds
Weeds need soil to grow. By choosing to have concrete over more of your yard, you limit where weeds can sprout. Concrete patios, pool decks, and outdoor living spaces are not conducive to weed growth. This means less weeding for you!
Guides traffic
Concrete walkways and paths let guests know where they should walk. This preserves your lawn and prevents unfortunate trampling. Additionally, these walkways provide leading eyes, guiding the eyes to different focal points in your yard.
Increases functional space
Patios, outdoor kitchens, and seating areas are all examples of hardscaping. Concrete or paving stones form the foundation for your outdoor activities. They provide a place to relax, gather, and entertain friends and family. Additionally, these spaces can be customized by your concrete contractor. Calgary homeowners who want to spend more time outside should consider using concrete to extend the functional and liveable space on their property.
Less maintenance
Softscaping elements require a lot of maintenance. They must be watered, fertilized, weeded, mowed, and trimmed. On the other, hardscaping needs next to no maintenance. All you have to do is occasionally sweep or power wash.
Ideas for hardscaping with concrete
Patio
An outdoor, concrete patio helps you get more out of your yard. It provides the perfect place to gather, entertain, and relax. This extra space increases the liveable area on your property, encouraging you to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine in the warmer months. Furthermore, you can customize your patio to suit your lifestyle. For example, add some furniture, a bbq, or outdoor lighting.
Outdoor kitchen
If you want to level up your entertaining, install an outdoor kitchen. It makes it that much easier to enjoy spending time outdoors with friends and family. Plus, you can design the majority of your outdoor kitchen with concrete. A concrete floor, concrete walls, and a concrete counter are durable enough to be outside.
Firepit
An outdoor fire pit is ideal for socializing. Additionally, it increases the usability of your concrete patio since it helps to keep you and your guests warm. Outdoor fire pits provide a useful focal point, which you can surround with outdoor sofas and bench-seating. If this sounds like just your style, contact one of the listed concrete companies. Calgary summers are short; an outdoor concrete fireplace can help you spend more time outside.
Pool deck
Concrete is a common material for pool decks. This is because it’s budget-friendly, safe, durable, and easy to maintain. Broomed finishes, and textured overlays make concrete more slip-resistant and, therefore, safer. Additionally, concrete reflects solar radiation, so it doesn’t heat up as much as other materials. Poured concrete pool decks also only need occasional cleaning.
In no particular order, here are the best concrete companies in Calgary:
1. Blue Lake Contracting
Blue Lake Contracting is a full-service landscaping and renovation company and a concrete contractor. Calgary homeowners and business owners rely on them for various services. For example, Blue Lake Contracting offers the following services to their residential clients: landscaping, deck & fence building, garage building, basement renovations, and major home improvements. In addition, commercial property owners look to them for landscaping, year-round maintenance, and snow removal. When it comes to concrete in Calgary, Blue Lake Contracting has a variety of affordable styles. They are experts in broom finished concrete, exposed concrete, stamped concrete, and coloured concrete. Furthermore, their designs are completely customizable.
Key Services & Features
– Concrete services for residential and commercial properties
– Offer different finishes, styles, and custom colours
– Retaining walls, driveways, patios, hot tub bases, garage pads, and more!
– Full-service landscaping and renovation company
– Other services include: basement renovations, fences, garage building
– Snow removal and lot maintenance for commercial clients
– Flexible financing options
– Free estimates
Customer Feedback
Blue Lake Contracting did a tear-out and a small coloured and stamped concrete sidewalk pour for us. We are very pleased with their approach and with the finished product. Their response to our inquiry, completing a site visit and quote submission was done quickly and professionally. The work was scheduled and completed as stated. The work crew was very courteous and minimized the mess and disruption. No hesitation in recommending Blue Lake.
– David, Google
2. J-Paul Construction Services Ltd.
J-Paul Construction Services is a residential and commercial general contracting and construction company. They also provide concrete in Calgary. Their custom concrete solutions are offered in conjunction with their design-build general contracting services. They can provide both structural and architectural concrete services because of their wealth of knowledge, experience, and technique. Before construction begins, they take clients through a preliminary investigation and assessment to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Their projects are always high-quality, on time, and within budget. Additionally, J-Paul Construction Services offer new construction and renovation general contracting for commercial and residential clients. They take clients from design to build and even cover building maintenance!
Key Services & Features
– Concrete services for residential and commercial properties
– Offer different finishes, styles, and custom colours
– Foundations, driveways, suspended slabs, pools, and more!
– Concrete sealing, finishing, cutting, and demolition
– Full service general contracting and construction company
– Other services include: design, permitting, building maintenance
– Free estimates
Customer Feedback
JP is so meticulous clean and takes such good care of us. He is clean and consistently provides value to our home. Would recommend him in a heartbeat.
– Laura, Facebook
3. SSD Landscaping & Construction
SSD Landscaping is a landscaping company that specializes in concrete in Calgary. Although they work with all types of concrete, they are best known for their stamped concrete. This includes various designs and colours to create a custom look. Additionally, they offer an exposed finish and a basic broom finish. Their concrete is sealed so it won’t fade or discolour over time. SSD Landscaping also installs decorative and load-bearing retaining walls and beautiful paving stones. Lastly, they provide lawn care services for residential and commercial clients. This includes weekly mowing, striping, and fertilizer application.
Key Services & Features
– Concrete services for residential and commercial properties
– Specialize in stamped concrete with different designs, colours, and finishes
– Retaining walls, walkways, driveway extensions, and more!
– Full-service landscaping and construction company
– Other services include: paver stones, lawn care, decorative rocks
– Free estimates
Customer Feedback
Highly recommend SDD landscaping and concrete. They were very professional & quick with their responses. Their work speaks for itself! I hired them to demolish my old patio and pour a new one. With the extremely rainy weather, plus the difficult placements of the patio, it made the project very challenging. But Sukh and his team had no problem going the extra mile to achieve exactly what we wanted! Final product was amazing for a very good price! Will definitely be calling them for any future projects!
– Gursharn, Google
4. YME Construction Ltd.
YME Construction Ltd specializes in roofing, siding, stucco, and concrete in Calgary. They install walkways, patios, stairs, pool areas, and basement floors are a concrete contractor. Calgary homeowners can even opt for a heated driveway to never have to shovel snow again! Additionally, they provide concrete ramps and curbs for businesses. YME Construction has also experienced roofers, offering both roof repair, installation, and replacement. Furthermore, they help maintain the outside appearance of your home with beautiful vinyl siding and stucco. All in all, YME Construction are expert in all things exterior.
Key Services & Features
– Concrete services for residential and commercial properties
– Offer different finishes, styles, and custom colours
– Patios, walkways, stairs, pool areas, basement floors, ramps, driveways, and more!
– Specialize in all things exterior
– Other services include: roofing, stucco, vinyl siding, soffit and fascia
– Free consultation and estimates
Customer Feedback
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5. Grizzly Creek Projects
Grizzly Creek Projects are experts in concrete. They have more than 20 years of experience producing high-quality concrete products that stand the test of time. If you have a project that involves concrete, Grizzly Creek Projects will have done it many times before. Furthermore, they know how to complete projects on time and on budget. Residential clients look to them for various services, including garage pads, driveways, hardscaping, decorative concrete, retaining walls, and more. They even provide concrete sport court installation. This sets them apart from other concrete companies. Calgary homeowners who dream of an outdoor court for tennis, pickleball, or basketball (or an outdoor rink!) should consider Grizzly Creek Projects. Additionally, they do sidewalks, plumbing cutouts, floor drain systems, and more for commercial properties.
Key Services & Features
– Concrete services for residential and commercial properties
– Offer different finishes, styles, and custom colours
– Driveways, stairs, sidewalks, curbs, patios, hot tub pads, and more!
– Sport court concrete installations
– Specialize in all things concrete
– Provide concrete renewal, repair, and removal
– Instant free quotes
Customer Feedback
Greg was amazing! He was very responsive, easy to work with and did exactly what he said he would do. The quality of his work was awesome. He treated our yard as if it was his and was always mindful of the surrounding. He built a sport court and retaining wall for us and if I was to do it again I would use Greg in a heartbeat. You will not be disappointed with the quality of the work or with the person you deal with. I wish every contractor was like Greg.
– Jeffrey, Google
Choosing a concrete contractor in Calgary
Before hiring any home improvement company to work on your home, you should always do your research. They should have experience, proper credentials, and an excellent reputation. Your research should include checking for provincial business licensing, insurance, and WCB coverage. In addition, look for companies with an affiliation or membership with third-party organizations. This affiliation ensures they are committed to upholding preset industry standards.
When you hire a Renovation Certified concrete contractor in Calgary, background checks have been taken care of. We hire a third-party organization to run extensive legal and financial background checks. Additionally, all companies in our directory have produced proof of licensing, insurance, and WCB coverage. The third party continues to monitor the companies to ensure they meet our high standards now and in the future.
Hire a RenovationFind Certified stucco contractor in Calgary today!
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