Concrete Slabs in Pembroke Pines, FL

Concrete Slabs hold up a lot of what sits outside a Pembroke Pines home: storage sheds, standby generators, AC and pool equipment, outdoor kitchens, trash can areas and extra parking. These are simple pours compared with a full driveway, but they still need the right size, thickness and base. A slab that settles or tilts can pull utility lines, rack a shed door or leave equipment sitting in water.

Common slab projects

• Shed foundations, from small storage sheds to workshops
• Standby generator pads
• Pads for AC condensers and pool pumps and heaters
• Outdoor kitchen and grill bases
• Parking pads for a boat, trailer or extra car
• Trash and recycling bin pads along the side of the house

Size and thickness

HomeGuide lists a 4-inch slab at about $6 to $8 per square foot and a 6-inch slab at $8 to $10. Four inches is common for sheds, walkways and light equipment. Pads for boats on trailers, heavy equipment or vehicles get thicker concrete and more reinforcement. Before we price a slab, we ask what will sit on it, how heavy it is, and whether it will ever move.

Generator and equipment pads

When Hurricane Wilma came through in 2005, Wikipedia notes, most of Pembroke Pines was without power for days. Outages like that are why some owners add a standby generator, and a generator needs a level pad in the right spot for the gas line, the electrical work and the clearances the manufacturer requires. We pour to the size and location your electrician or installer gives us, so check those details with them first.

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Base and drainage on flat ground

With much of the city at about sea level, slabs here should sit a little above the surrounding grade so rain does not pool around them. We remove sod and organic soil, compact the ground, and add a rock base where the soil is soft. HomeGuide notes gravel bases run $1 to $3 per square foot and help prevent shifting and cracking. The top of the slab is set so water runs off and away.

Reinforcement and joints

Wire mesh or rebar holds a slab together if it cracks, and thickened edges carry heavier loads at the perimeter. Larger slabs get control joints so shrinkage cracks form in straight lines. Small equipment pads may not need joints at all.

Permits and HOA rules

Sheds, generators and some outdoor kitchens may need a permit, and many HOAs control shed size and placement. Requirements depend on the structure and your address, so we check before we quote and tell you what is needed. The slab itself is usually the first inspection step for anything built on top of it.