Concrete parking lot building in Gautier MS - a slab sized for the traffic it carries
Cracked, sinking or broken-up pavement out front? We build a concrete lot sized for the cars and trucks that use it every day.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a concrete parking lot in Gautier?
Concrete parking lot building in Gautier, MS starts with the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, which we dig out and pack before we pour and finish a slab thick enough for the cars and trucks that will use it. Most of your wait comes after the pour, while the concrete cures.
Most people who call us have a lot that's cracked, sinking or worn past patching, or bare ground beside a new shop or office where customers need to park. The price mostly turns on the lot's size, how thick the concrete has to be for the traffic you describe, and how much ground has to come out and be replaced before we pour. The schedule turns on what the city or county needs before work starts, the weather on pour day and how long the lot stays closed while it cures. I'll put your own figure on paper after we walk the spot together.
How can you tell your parking lot needs replacing?
Cracks that keep spreading
Long cracks that run across parking spaces and get wider each year usually mean the slab is too thin for what drives on it, or the ground underneath has moved. Left alone, water gets into them, pieces break loose and a crack you could have watched turns into a section that has to come out.
Low spots where trucks turn
A dip where delivery trucks swing in, or a slab that has dropped below its neighbor, usually points to a base that was raked level instead of packed. Those spots keep sinking under every load, and the edge they leave behind catches tires and feet.
Crumbling edges and loose chunks
Broken edges along the curb or the street usually mean the concrete had nothing solid under it out there. Once chunks start coming loose they spread inward, and a broken edge is a tripping problem on a lot where customers walk every day.
How we build a concrete parking lot
We start with the traffic, because a lot that only sees cars and pickups is built differently from one where delivery trucks turn, so I'll ask what uses it and when you need it open again. Then we dig down to firm ground, pack the base and replace soft spots so the slab has the same support all the way across, set the forms and pour. We give the top a broom finish, a light ridged texture that gives tires and shoes grip when it's wet, and cut control joints, straight grooves that give the slab a place to crack, the same day so any cracks follow our lines instead of wandering. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather trim the finish work than the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it's what keeps the lot flat for years. Before we leave, we go over joint sealing so you know what upkeep comes down the road.
Some lots need work beside the slab. Light poles, sign bases and short curb walls sit on concrete footings, which we can pour as part of the same job. If the building the lot serves has settled out of level, foundation raising brings it back up, and it's worth doing first so the new lot meets the door at the right height.
A new lot for cars and pickups
This suits offices, shops and churches where the traffic is passenger vehicles. One even thickness across the lot keeps the job simpler and the price easier to plan.
Tearing out and replacing an old lot
This suits a lot that's cracked or sunk past patching. We break out the old pavement and fix the base under it before we pour, so the problem that ruined the old lot doesn't come back through the new one.
Get a free on-site estimate for your parking lot
We'll get back to you within one business day to set a visit. I'll walk the lot with you and explain what I see before I put anything on paper, with no pressure and no obligation.
- Based in
- Gautier, MS 39553
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about a parking lot in Gautier?
Here's how a lot goes from your first call to cars parking on it, and who's handling each part along the way.
Call and describe the traffic
You call (228) 263-3738 or send the form, and we set a time for me to come out. It helps to know which vehicles use the lot and the date you need it back.
Walk and measure the lot
I look, measure and ask how you'll use the space, then lay out your choices in plain words before any price goes on paper. I'll also point you to the city or county office for your address with permit questions before we set a date.
Prep, pour and cure
My crew and I prep the base, pour and finish the slab. Then I walk you through caring for the lot while it cures and how long to keep traffic off it.
Why Gautier property owners call Gautier Concrete for parking lots
The owner walks your lot
I come out to look at the job myself, and my crew of finishers and laborers works with me on site most days. The person who explained the plan to you is the one watching the base go in.
In business since 2017
We've been pouring flatwork and foundations for 9 years, and I learned the trade working beside older finishers. That's where I picked up the habit of explaining each step before anything gets poured.
Licensed and insured for lot work
Mississippi requires commercial and residential contractors to be licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors. We're fully licensed and insured, which matters on a lot where other people's cars and customers will be every day.
The part of a lot that matters most is the base you'll never see, so that's what I'll spend the most time explaining. Call or send us a note with the lot's size, the vehicles it carries and the date you need it open.
Building parking lots and the work around them in Gautier
In Gautier, building permits come from the city's Building Official, and the Planning and Building Department takes planning, building and zoning questions at 228-497-8000. Which reviews a new lot goes through depends on the property, so before we start we check with the city or county office for your address and walk you through the paperwork, so you know who's handling each piece. Bigger lots also fall under the state's stormwater rules from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, and disturbing one acre up to five acres of ground takes a stormwater permit. Those rules don't allow concrete washout water to run off the site unless it's controlled, so we keep truck and tool washout contained.
Summers here run long and hot, so we start pours early in the morning, because concrete finished in midday heat can end up with a weak, dusty top. We get the same calls for lots beside shops, offices and churches on jobs in Pascagoula and Moss Point, and we plan the work around when the business needs its parking.
Questions about concrete parking lots in Gautier
How thick should a concrete parking lot for cars be?
Industry design guidance says 4 inches of concrete without rebar, the steel bars some slabs carry to hold cracks tight, is usually enough for a lot that only sees cars, pickups and panel trucks. The right thickness goes up with heavier traffic, weaker ground or weaker concrete, which is why I ask what will drive on the lot before we plan it.
How long does a concrete parking lot last, and what upkeep does it need?
A properly designed concrete lot with well-spaced joints and good ground preparation can last 25 to 40 years. Upkeep is mostly resealing the joints and fixing the occasional crack. Hot-poured sealant lasts about 3 to 8 years, silicone 8 to 10 and preformed seals up to 20, with preformed costing the most up front and hot-poured the least.
How long before cars can park on a new concrete lot?
Plan on keeping traffic off for at least 7 days, and the concrete reaches full strength at about 28 days. If your business depends on the lot, tell us your reopening date at the first visit so we can plan the pour around that week of downtime.
How much does a concrete parking lot cost per square foot?
Commercial concrete flatwork such as parking lots usually costs about $6 to $14 per square foot across the US. That's a national market range, not our price, and where your lot lands depends on its size, the thickness your traffic calls for and how much ground prep it needs. Our free on-site estimate gives you the figure for your lot in Gautier.
Will a new concrete parking lot crack like my old one?
Concrete can still crack, but on a well-built lot the cracks usually land inside the control joints where you'll hardly notice them. Old lots tend to crack across the middle because the joints were cut late or skipped, or the ground underneath was raked level instead of packed. When I look at your old lot, I'll show you which of those caused the damage.
How do I plan a concrete parking lot for delivery trucks?
Mark where the trucks will drive, so those lanes get thicker concrete and the rest of the lot can be built for cars. On a large lot, building different areas for different loads can save a good amount of money, so bring your delivery routes to the site visit.
Concrete work that often goes with a parking lot
Concrete footings
Light poles, sign bases and curb walls around a lot need solid footings under them, and pouring them alongside the lot keeps everything at matching heights.
Foundation raising
When the building beside your lot has settled out of level, raising it first lets the new parking surface meet the doors and walkways where it should.
Cities where we build concrete parking lots
Gautier Concrete is based in Gautier, MS, and we build lots across Jackson County and the cities around it. The 12 cities listed here, including Ocean Springs and Biloxi, are some of the places we work, not the only ones.
Gautier, MS
Get your parking lot measured and priced
Calling before you pick a reopening date gives us room to plan the pour around the cure, so your customers aren't left without parking longer than they need to be.