Loading...
Serving Normal, IL and surrounding areas. (309) 791-9230
Cracked, lifted, or draining the wrong way - we replace problem sidewalks in Normal with properly graded concrete that handles Illinois winters and stays level through the seasons.
Concrete sidewalk building in Normal starts with demolition of the old slab, proper base compaction to handle central Illinois clay soil, and a fresh pour that is graded to drain water away from your home - most residential projects take one to three days of active work, with normal foot traffic possible within a week. The finished surface is a standard four-inch broom-finished slab, thickened to six inches where vehicles will cross it.
A significant portion of Normal's housing stock was built in the mid-20th century - and many of those original sidewalks have never been replaced. If your home is in an older neighborhood near Illinois State University, near Uptown, or in a subdivision built before 1980, there is a good chance the walk is at or past the end of its useful life. Freeze-thaw cycles and McLean County clay soil accelerate that timeline. If you are also considering upgrading your driveway at the same time, our concrete driveway building service can be coordinated with a sidewalk project so grades and materials match.
The most common problem we see on failed sidewalks in Normal is not the concrete itself - it is the base. A slab poured over unprepared clay soil will heave and crack within a few years no matter how good the mix was. Getting the prep work right is what separates a sidewalk that lasts 30 years from one that needs to be replaced again in five.
If one slab panel is higher than the one next to it - even by half an inch - that is a tripping hazard and a sign the ground underneath has shifted. In Normal, this kind of heaving is common after a wet spring, when the clay soil swells and pushes slabs upward. Once a panel has tilted significantly, patching rarely holds; replacement is usually the right call.
If your sidewalk is shedding thin layers from the top - especially after a hard winter - that is surface scaling. It happens when water gets into the surface, freezes, and breaks off small chips. Scaling is very common in central Illinois, and once it starts, it tends to get worse each winter until the slab needs full replacement.
Hairline cracks are normal. But if you can fit a pencil into a crack, or if a crack runs all the way across a panel, water is getting in and the damage will accelerate. Cracks wider than a quarter inch are a strong signal that the slab has moved or settled and will not hold a patch reliably.
A properly built sidewalk is slightly sloped so water runs off to the side. If you notice puddles sitting on your walk after rain - or worse, water draining toward your foundation - the slab has either settled unevenly or was never graded correctly. This is both a safety issue and a potential water damage risk for your home.
We handle the full scope of concrete sidewalk work in Normal - from breaking up and hauling away the old slab through base preparation, forming, pouring, finishing, and applying a penetrating sealer to protect the surface through its first winter. If your walk connects to the public right-of-way and requires a Town of Normal permit, we handle that process on your behalf. For homeowners who want to extend their project, our garage floor concrete service uses the same base preparation standards and can be scheduled around the same project window.
Every sidewalk we build gets control joints cut into the surface at regular intervals. These are the planned grooves you see in finished concrete - they give the slab a place to flex with temperature changes instead of cracking randomly across the face. They are not a flaw. They are a sign the contractor knows what they are doing.
For homeowners replacing a cracked or heaved walk between the street and front door.
A functional concrete path along the side of your house for trash access, HVAC units, or garden use.
Coordinate your driveway and sidewalk replacement so grades match and curb appeal is consistent.
For walks between your property line and the street that require Town of Normal permitting.
Normal averages around 22 inches of snow per year, and winter temperatures regularly drop below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The freeze-thaw cycles here run from November through March - sometimes swinging above and below freezing multiple times in a single week. Every one of those cycles pushes a small amount of water deeper into any crack or surface pore. A sidewalk that was not sealed, or that was poured over a poorly compacted clay base, will not survive many of those cycles before it needs to come out. Older neighborhoods near Illinois State University see this pattern regularly - original 1950s and 1960s sidewalks that are now showing the cumulative result of decades of movement and weathering.
We serve homeowners across the area, including Bloomington and Lincoln, and the conditions are similar across central Illinois. The soil moves, the winters are hard, and sidewalks poured without proper prep do not last. Booking early in spring - before the busy season fills our schedule - is the best way to make sure your project gets done in the right weather window.
We come out, measure the walk, and assess the condition of the existing surface and base. You get a written quote that includes demolition, base prep, the pour, control joints, and sealing as separate line items - phone estimates for concrete work are rarely accurate, so we do not offer them.
If your project touches the public right-of-way, we submit the permit application to the Town of Normal on your behalf - this typically takes a few business days. Once permits are in hand, we confirm a start date. We respond to all inquiries within 1 business day.
On day one, we break up and haul away the old concrete, then grade and compact the base. The pour and finishing happen once the base is ready - usually on the same or next day for a standard residential walkway. We cut control joints before the surface fully hardens.
Stay off the surface for at least 24 to 48 hours after the pour, and plan for a full week before normal foot traffic. We do a final walkthrough with you to point out the control joints, explain the sealing timeline, and make sure everything looks right before we leave.
We respond within 1 business day. Getting an estimate is completely free and there is no obligation to book. After you submit, someone from our office will call you to schedule a free on-site visit so we can measure the walk and walk through your options in person.
(309) 791-9230We pull every required permit from the Town of Normal and handle all coordination with the building department. You never need to make a call to a government office or worry about paperwork holding up your project. That permit record also protects you if questions come up at resale.
We excavate to the right depth, compact the subgrade, and add gravel where drainage is needed - all before any concrete is poured. This step is what most failed sidewalks in Normal skipped or rushed. The surface you see is only as good as what is underneath it.
A properly graded sidewalk slopes slightly away from your foundation and toward the street. We confirm grade on every project - not just for aesthetics, but to protect your basement from water intrusion. Many older Normal sidewalks were never graded correctly, or have settled so the slope reversed over time.
Central Illinois residential sidewalk projects typically range from $8 to $15 per square foot depending on size, demolition scope, and base conditions. We put that breakdown in writing so you know exactly what is included and can compare our quote to any other you receive.
A sidewalk that is level, draining correctly, and built on a solid base is not something you should have to think about again for 30 years. That is the standard we hold every Normal project to.
For concrete construction standards and best practices, see the American Concrete Institute.
Upgrade your garage slab with the same durable concrete and base preparation we use on sidewalk projects.
Learn moreReplace your driveway at the same time as your walkway and coordinate both projects for a seamless finished look.
Learn moreSpring booking fills fast - reach out now and we will get your project scheduled before the season gets away from you and the summer heat sets in.