Royal Oak, MI Sidewalk, Step & Driveway Concrete

We pour concrete in Royal Oak, MI for public sidewalk replacement, front steps, narrow driveways, approaches and patios on the city's tight bungalow lots. In Royal Oak, property owners maintain the sidewalk abutting their property, and the city runs a Sidewalk Improvement Program from June through October. Owners may hire their own contractor before the city's contractor arrives, as long as the contractor pulls a Royal Oak Engineering Permit. We handle that permit, the performance guarantee and the inspection. Call (248) 453-1088 about your notice.

Royal Oak homes and lots

Much of Royal Oak was built from the 1920s through the 1950s, with brick and frame bungalows on narrow lots along streets like Washington, Normandy, Crooks and 13 Mile. Driveways are often a single lane running beside the house to a detached garage. Front steps are usually short concrete stoops, and the public sidewalk sits close to the house. After decades of tree roots and freeze-thaw, many walks and stoops are heaved, cracked or flaking.

Royal Oak sidewalk program and permits

Royal Oak's sidewalk FAQ explains that owners are responsible for maintaining abutting sidewalks under city ordinance. When the city's Sidewalk Improvement Program reaches your area, you may receive a notice listing flags to replace. You can let the city's contractor do it or hire your own before they arrive.

If you hire us, we pull an Engineering Permit through the city's online system. The Engineering Permit instructions call for a site plan with dimensions, proof of liability insurance and a performance guarantee: $1,000 for approach or sidewalk work, or $2,000 when a curb cut or approach and sidewalk are both involved. Local-street approaches must be at least 10 feet wide with 3-foot flares. Grinding is allowed only for trip hazards with an offset of 1 inch or less, one time, at no more than an 8 percent slope.

Sidewalks and walkways in Royal Oak

Public flags are typically replaced at the standard thickness, thicker where the walk crosses a driveway. We also replace the private front walk at the same time when owners want a matching look. Learn how public and private walks differ on our sidewalks and walkways in Royal Oak and beyond page.

Front steps and stoops

Short front stoops on Royal Oak bungalows often crumble at the edges or settle away from the house. We rebuild them with even risers, a level landing and air-entrained concrete. See concrete steps and porches for the process.

Narrow driveways

Single-lane drives beside the house leave little room for equipment. We break out and remove concrete in sections, protect the house and the neighbor's side, and pour in a sequence that keeps the truck off fresh concrete. A new approach is often part of the job, under the same engineering permit. More on concrete driveways and how we build them.

Places we work around Royal Oak

We work across the city, from the streets around downtown Main Street and the Royal Oak Farmers Market to the neighborhoods north of the Detroit Zoo along Woodward and 10 Mile. Homes near the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica on Woodward and 12 Mile often have older walks and steps due for replacement.

Tree roots and sidewalk flags

Royal Oak's mature street trees are part of its character, but their roots are a common cause of heaved sidewalk flags and driveways. When a root has lifted a flag, simply replacing the concrete may not last. We look at the root and the flag together. Sometimes the new flag can be set with a slight adjustment in grade. Sometimes the root needs attention from the city or an arborist, especially for trees in the right-of-way. We explain the options rather than pouring over a problem that will lift the concrete again.

Bungalow garages and aprons

Detached garages at the end of Royal Oak driveways often have thin slabs and broken aprons. Replacing the apron with the driveway gives a clean transition, and a new garage slab can be added when the old floor has heaved or sunk. Access is tight on these lots, so we break out in sections and use a line pump or wheelbarrows when the truck cannot reach the back of the lot.

Combining work under one permit

Many Royal Oak owners receive a sidewalk notice and decide to replace the approach and front walk at the same time. Combining work under one engineering permit and one inspection sequence keeps the process simple. We explain how the performance guarantee changes when both approach and sidewalk are included, so there are no surprises.

Nearby cities

Royal Oak borders Clawson to the northeast, where compact lots bring similar stoop and garage slab work. See concrete work in Clawson or browse all service areas.

Timing your sidewalk notice

Because the city program runs June through October, timing matters. If you want your own contractor, contact us soon after the notice arrives so we can get the permit approved and the work done before the city's contractor reaches your street. We schedule several Royal Oak jobs together in the same weeks when possible, which keeps the process efficient for everyone.