Concrete Contractors in Merriam, KS

Merriam gives homeowners a printed driveway brochure, and as concrete contractors in Merriam we build to it. The city's Community Development guide for single- and two-family homes sets minimum thickness, base, reinforcing and width limits. Here is what it says and how we apply it.

Construction specs

• Concrete and asphalt driveway slabs must be at least 4 inches thick
• Concrete driveways need a 4-inch gravel base
• ½-inch rebar at 30 inches on center each way is placed over the base before the pour
• The slope must be constant so water does not pond, and it must drain away from the house

Those are minimums. On driveways that carry heavier vehicles, or at the apron where plows and delivery trucks cross, we may recommend more thickness. We explain why before you decide.

Width and placement

The brochure limits a main driveway forward of the front building line to 24 feet wide, with up to two entrances and a combined entrance width of 24 feet at the front lot line. Extensions and circle drives are capped at 12 feet wide. Driveways and parking areas must be at least 3 feet from side lot lines and 7 feet from rear lot lines, and paving behind the rear building line can cover no more than 35 percent of that part of the lot. All driveways and parking areas must be paved. If you want a parking pad or a wider drive, we lay it out inside these limits.

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Keeping it in good repair

Merriam's brochure also says owners must keep driveways and parking areas free of cracks, potholes and other defects, and that failing to do so is a public nuisance under city code. That is a good reason not to let a broken apron or sunken panel sit for years. In 2021 the city moved to drop the right-of-way permit for residents repairing or replacing an existing driveway, while new driveways and expansions still need both permits, according to the Johnson County Post. We confirm the current rules for your project.

A small city on a big corridor

Merriam was incorporated in 1950 and covers only 4.32 square miles. It straddles about three miles of I-35, and Turkey Creek runs through town roughly parallel to the interstate. The population jumped from 5,084 in 1960 to 10,851 in 1970 and has stayed near 11,000 since. Most homes date from those postwar decades, so the concrete we replace here is often 50 years old or more.

Common Merriam jobs

On these older homes we often replace single-car driveways and widen them to the 24-foot limit, rebuild stoops and front steps, and replace patios that have tipped toward the house. Lots near Turkey Creek can be low, so grading and drainage get extra attention.

• Driveways built to the city's thickness, base and rebar specs
• Patios with proper slope away from the foundation
• Stamped concrete for patios and walks
• Sidewalks and steps
• Garage and shed slabs
• Concrete repair and replacement

Call (913) 355-6902 for a visit and a written quote.