Concrete Contractors in Manitowoc, WI

Manitowoc is the largest city in our service area after Sheboygan, about 24 miles up the lakeshore, and concrete contractors working here need to know the city's rules on driveway aprons as well as how to pour for lake winters. The city had 34,626 residents and 16,277 housing units at the 2020 census. We pour driveways and aprons, patios, stamped concrete, sidewalks and steps, and garage and shed slabs, and we repair or replace concrete that has failed.

What the city code says about aprons

Section 7.070 of the Manitowoc municipal code says no one may build or maintain a driveway across a sidewalk or curb without a permit from the City Engineer. All aprons that are built or rebuilt must be paved with concrete and may not extend past the face of the curb into the gutter. On residential lots the driveway can be no wider than 25 feet at the street edge of the sidewalk, and it must stay at least 3 feet from the property line. No driveway may be placed within 25 feet of a block corner, and the city will not issue an apron permit until curb and gutter are in on that street.

If your project touches the apron, we pull the city permit and build to those limits. If you want a wider drive, we tell you up front what the code allows.

A city that grew with its shipyards

Manitowoc sits at the mouth of the Manitowoc River on Lake Michigan and became the county seat in 1853. Its population went from 17,563 in 1920 to 32,275 in 1960, and Wikipedia says local yards built 28 submarines for the U.S. Navy during World War II. The submarine USS Cobia is moored in the harbor today. That mid-century boom left the city with many houses from the 1920s through the 1960s, and much of their original concrete has been replaced once already or is overdue.

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Lake winters

Wikipedia's climate data for Manitowoc lists average annual snowfall of 34.6 inches, a January mean low of 13.4 degrees and a record low of minus 27. That is a lot of freeze and thaw, plenty of plowing and a long salt season. We pour exterior concrete with air-entrained mixes on a compacted gravel base, cut joints at the right spacing and slope every surface to drain. We also suggest sealing driveways and walks after curing and avoiding salt on new concrete for the first winter.

Older neighborhoods

The Eighth Street Historic District includes buildings from the 1850s to the 1930s, and the Manitowoc County Courthouse dates from 1906. Residential blocks near downtown have narrow lots, older garages and walks that are often lifted by street trees. For these homes we focus on careful replacement: matching widths and finishes, protecting foundations, and planning access so the work fits a tight lot.

What we do in Manitowoc

• Driveways and aprons: replacements built to the city's apron rules
• Patios: broom-finish and stamped patios for back yards
• Sidewalks and steps: front walks, side walks, stoops and porch steps
• Garage and shed slabs: new floors for older detached garages
• Repair and replacement: settled panels, trip edges and scaled surfaces

Call (920) 635-2280 to set up a visit.