Concrete Parking Lots & Paving
in Houston, TX

Is concrete or asphalt better for a parking lot in Houston?

For a commercial lot in Houston heat, concrete usually wins on the long run. Asphalt is cheaper to install, but it softens, ruts and shoves in the summer. Loaded trucks tear up the drive lanes and aprons fastest. Concrete costs more up front and lasts far longer with less patching. Many owners pour concrete only in the heavy-wear zones and keep asphalt in the light-parking bays. We build the concrete side: drive lanes, fire lanes and dock aprons, and full lots.

How much does a concrete parking lot cost in Houston?

There is no flat rate, because two lots the same size can price very differently. The concrete parking lot cost is driven by a few things:

• Slab thickness (drive lanes and truck aprons are thicker than parking bays)
• Subgrade treatment, since high-PI clay may need lime or select fill
• Curb, gutter and drainage footage
• ADA stall counts, ramps and striping
• Whether an old lot has to be torn out and hauled off

How many ADA parking spaces does my lot need?

The count comes off the total number of stalls, and at least one accessible space has to be van-accessible. As a rule, small lots need one accessible stall for the first 25 spaces, and the number climbs from there. Each accessible stall needs a striped access aisle, a curb ramp and slopes inside the ADA limits. We lay out the stalls, aisles and ADA ramps and walkways to the plan so it passes inspection. Send us the site plan and we will confirm the count for your lot.

How do you keep a Houston parking lot from cracking and ponding?

Two things: the subgrade and the joints. Houston clay swells and shrinks with the weather, so we treat or replace weak subgrade and compact it before we pour. Then we saw control joints early and set doweled joints at the edges to transfer the load from loaded trucks. For water, we grade the whole lot to the drainage plan. Then we tie in curbs and gutters and trench and slot drains so a heavy rain runs off the lot in minutes.

Do I need a permit to pave a commercial lot in Houston?

Yes, on almost any commercial paving job. Inside city limits the permit and plan review come from the City of Houston. The paving has to meet the Infrastructure Design Manual standards. Outside city limits it runs through Harris County Engineering, and the surrounding counties each have their own office. Fire lanes, detention and ADA stalls all get reviewed. On a lot in the Harris County floodplain, detention and fill rules weigh in, and a licensed engineer signs the drainage plan. We pull the permit and book every inspection.

Can you repave our lot without shutting down the business?

Usually, yes. We phase the pour so part of the lot, the entrances and the fire lanes stay open while we work the rest. We stage the tear-out, subgrade and pour section by section, and time the closures around your busy hours. Concrete needs to reach strength before traffic returns, so each phase is dated in the schedule. If a section carries loaded trucks or the loading dock, we plan that first. Call (832) 576-3278 and we will walk the phasing with you.