Garage Floor Slabs in Thornton, CO
We pour new concrete garage floors and replace cracked or sunken ones in Thornton, Colorado.
- Quotes in writing
- 18 areas covered
Thornton Concrete Driveway pours garage floor slabs for homes across Thornton. We look at the old floor with you, measure the garage, and give you a written quote before any work starts.
What we mean by a garage floor slab
When we say garage floor slab, we mean the flat layer of concrete your car sits on inside the garage. We pour new ones in new garages, and we break out and replace old floors that have cracked, sunk or tipped the wrong way.
How we pour a garage floor
First we walk the garage with you and check where the walls, the door and any drains sit. If an old floor is there, we saw it into pieces, break it out and haul it away.
OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, says cutting, sawing and crushing concrete creates very small particles of crystalline silica. It says workers who breathe them in are at higher risk of serious diseases, including silicosis, an incurable lung disease. We keep kids and pets well back, and out of the garage, while we saw.
Next we dig out any soft ground, lay a new base and pack it down hard. We pour the slab, finish the top and slope it a little toward the garage door, so melted snow off the car runs out and not back toward the house. We cut lines across the slab as we go, so that when the concrete cracks, it cracks in the line.
Permits for a garage floor in Thornton
The City of Thornton keeps a list of outside projects that need a building permit. Attached garages and detached garages are both on it.
If we're pouring the floor for a new garage, that garage needs a permit, and we tell you who applies for it. If we're only replacing the floor in a garage you already have, we check with the city first. The city says its list is not a complete list of all types of projects, and its Building Inspection Division can give you information about your own project. The number it gives is 303-538-7250.
Oil, soap and the storm drain
Garage floors collect oil and grease, so we keep our wash water and spare concrete out of the street gutter. The City of Thornton says runoff picks up oil, grease, litter and chemicals as it flows over the ground and carries them to creeks like Big Dry Creek without treatment, and all of them flow to the South Platte River. The city also lists soaps, cleaning products and wastes from washing as pollutants.
What to get in writing
Ask for these in writing, whoever you hire:
- The size of the floor, and whether the old one comes out.
- How thick the concrete will be and what goes under it.
- Which way the floor slopes, and how it meets the driveway at the door.
- Where the cut lines go.
- Who checks with the city, and who applies for any permit.
- Where the old concrete is going.
- The start date, and when you can drive on the new floor.
Questions about garage floor slabs in Thornton
Can I keep a car that doesn't run in the garage?
The City of Thornton says cars and trucks that are not licensed or are not running must be parked in an enclosed garage, so a project car belongs in the garage, not on the driveway.
Should I think about radon when the garage floor goes in?
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says about half the homes in Colorado have radon levels higher than the level at which the EPA recommends action. It lists cracks in foundations and openings around drains among the most common ways radon gets into a home. It says all homes should test for radon, wherever they are.
Can you pour the driveway at the same time?
Yes, we can pour a new concrete driveway right up to the garage door in the same visit, and we price both on the same quote.
Can I take the old floor away with the city's bulky item pickup?
The City of Thornton's Click & Haul pickup for large items does not take driveway concrete, wall blocks or gravel, and it does not take dirt or sod. We haul the old floor off ourselves as part of the job, and the EPA says old concrete can be recycled as fill or as bedding for a driveway.
Can I pour the garage floor myself?
The City of Thornton says homeowners working on their own main home are not counted as contractors and do not need a contractor license. If you'd rather not mix and finish that much concrete yourself, we can do it.
How should I pay for a garage floor?
The City of Thornton says never to pay in full before the job begins. It says to hold back 15 to 20 percent of the total price until you are happy with the job and all inspections have been approved.
How many quotes should I get?
The City of Thornton says to get several written bids, and that 3 is the usual number. We give you ours in writing after we look at the garage.
Get a quote for a garage floor
Call us, or send the quote form with your ZIP code and a note about your garage. We'll come out and measure, go through the options with you, and give you a written quote. To see the other work we do, go to the Thornton Concrete Driveway home page.
Ready to talk about your concrete driveway job?
Send the quote form with your ZIP code and what you need. We will get back to you with a written quote.