Questions Meridian homeowners ask us
Registration, permits, prices, the builder's driveway, foam lifting, hardpan, RV parking, ice melt and sidewalks: the short answers. Anything we missed, call and ask.
Are you registered and insured?
Yes. Idaho requires contractor registration for most jobs of $2,000 or more, with at least $300,000 in general liability. The crews that work through us are registered and carry liability and workers' comp, and work in ACHD's right-of-way is done by a contractor carrying ACHD's $25,000 bond and $500,000 in liability insurance.
Do I need a permit for a driveway?
Not from the City of Meridian for a driveway at grade; the residential code exempts driveways and sidewalks. Anything in ACHD's right-of-way, such as the approach, curb cut or public sidewalk, needs ACHD's permit. Your HOA may also want to approve it.
How much does a driveway cost?
About $8 to $12 per square foot, reinforced and air-entrained on a compacted gravel base, so a 24-by-40 two-car driveway is roughly $7,700 to $11,500, plus $1.50 to $2.50 a square foot to tear out the old one. An approach in ACHD's right-of-way is priced separately.
Do you charge for estimates?
No. An estimator measures the job, digs a test hole where it matters, checks the plat and the irrigation lines, and leaves a written price good for 30 days.
Do you require a deposit?
Not until you've approved the written price and we've scheduled the work. Flatwork is paid on completion; foundation work may be staged at the inspections.
Why is my 2005 driveway scaling and cracking?
Most boom-era driveways went in thin, often on little or no base, and not always with air-entrained concrete. Add about 92 freeze-thaw days a year and road deicer dripping off cars, and the surface flakes and the panels move. A replacement gets the base, the steel and the right mix.
Can you fix a sunken slab without replacing it?
If the concrete is sound, yes. Polyurethane foam lifting raises a sunk garage apron, walk or stoop in a morning, and you can drive on it the same day. If it's broken into pieces or scaled to the stone, replacement is better money.
What is the hard layer under my yard?
A duripan, a silica-cemented hardpan. The soil survey puts it at about 24 inches in Purdam soil, the most common soil in Meridian, and about 31 inches in Elijah soil. It mostly matters for footings, which go to the 24-inch frost line.
Can I park my RV in my driveway?
Meridian allows one RV or trailer with current registration in the street yard, under 16,000 pounds, as long as it doesn't overhang the sidewalk. The street yard has to be paved. Your HOA may be stricter.
What ice melt is safe?
None in the first winter; use sand. After that, a little plain rock salt on a sealed slab. Never magnesium chloride or ammonium-based products.
Who fixes the sidewalk in front of my house?
ACHD repairs most public sidewalks, but owners are responsible for carriage walks, driveway approaches, decorative concrete in the right-of-way and damage from their own trees. A ¾-inch offset is a hazard under ACHD's code.
Where does the old concrete go?
To a recycler that crushes it into base wherever one will take it. That's usually cheaper than a landfill.
How soon can I use new concrete?
Walk on it the next day, drive cars on it after about seven days, and wait two to four weeks for trucks and RVs. Foam-lifted slabs are usable the same day.
Do you serve Boise, Nampa and Eagle?
Yes, and Kuna, Star, Caldwell, Garden City, Middleton and all of Meridian. Each city has its own permit rules, and outside Ada County ACHD doesn't apply, so we check whose approval your job needs.
Do you really answer at night?
Yes, 24 hours a day, every day. An estimator calls back the next business morning.