Salt Lake County — Utah's Most Diverse Landscape Market

East Bench (Holladay, Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights): Clay-heavy soils, mature tree canopies, established landscapes that need renovation rather than starting from scratch. Irrigation systems are often 20–30 years old and underperforming. Retaining walls are common on the hillside lots transitioning from flat valley to canyon terrain.

South Valley (Sandy, Draper, South Jordan, Herriman, Riverton, Bluffdale): Mix of new construction and 1980s–2000s builds. Lot sizes are larger than the urban core. Outdoor living investment is high in this market — patios, outdoor kitchens, and fire features are among the most common project types. Newer construction often has compacted soil and minimal landscaping from the builder.

Urban Core (Salt Lake City, Murray, West Jordan): Smaller lots, more urban design constraints, strong demand for space-efficient outdoor design. Rooftop decks and elevated outdoor spaces are more common here than anywhere else in the county. Historic properties in Federal Heights and Avenues neighborhoods require sensitivity to neighborhood character.

With this much variety under one county designation, the most important thing we do before any Landscape Design project in Salt Lake County is site assessment — understanding the specific soils, drainage, existing vegetation, HOA restrictions, and intended use of the space. A landscape design that works perfectly in Draper may be completely wrong for a Federal Heights hillside lot. We don't apply county-wide assumptions when the conditions are this varied. Every Salt Lake County project starts with an on-site evaluation, and the design follows from what the site actually needs.

Concrete in Utah fails for one reason more than any other: the freeze-thaw cycle. Water infiltrates the surface, freezes, expands, and spalls the concrete from the inside out. A Salt Lake Valley concrete project that wasn't designed for this reality looks great for two winters and crumbles in the third.

We've poured concrete for over 417 projects across the Wasatch Front. Every pour starts with the right mix — air-entrained concrete that builds in microscopic air pockets to handle freeze-thaw expansion — combined with proper base depth, control joints at the right spacing, and curing practices matched to Utah's climate. These aren't upgrades. They're how we do it on every project.

We handle the full scope: site measurement and design, excavation and base prep, form work, pour, finish, and sealing. One crew, one contract, no subcontractor coordination on your end.

Most concrete failures in Utah trace back to one of three causes, all of which are preventable:

Inadequate base depth. Concrete laid on poorly compacted or shallow base material settles unevenly and cracks. Our standard base depth is 6–8 inches for patios and walkways, 10–12 inches for driveways. All base material is compacted in lifts with a plate compactor, not just dumped and screeded.

Missing or misplaced control joints. Concrete shrinks as it cures. Without control joints at regular intervals, that shrinkage produces random cracks in the middle of the slab. We cut or tool control joints every 10 feet (or less on wider slabs) to direct cracking to the joint where it's invisible and harmless.

Wrong concrete mix for the climate. Air-entrained concrete — specified to 5–7% air content — is standard practice in Utah. The air voids absorb freeze-thaw expansion that would otherwise spall a dense mix. We specify this mix on every residential pour, not as an upcharge.

We also seal every concrete surface at completion with a penetrating silane-siloxane sealer. It reduces water infiltration and extends the life of decorative finishes.

1. Free on-site estimate — We measure the area, assess existing grades and drainage, review finish options, and check for underground utilities before quoting.
2. Design and proposal — Written proposal covering dimensions, base depth, finish specification, control joint layout, and total cost. Fixed price — no change orders for normal site conditions.
3. Excavation and base prep — We excavate to required depth, haul off material, bring in road base, and compact in lifts. This phase determines the long-term performance of the finished slab.
4. Form work — Steel or wood forms set to grade and slope. Slope is critical — water should drain away from structures at a minimum 1/8 inch per foot.
5. Pour and finish — Concrete ordered to our spec (air-entrained, correct PSI for application). Poured, screeded, and finished to the agreed surface texture. Control joints cut within 24 hours of pour.
6. Curing and sealing — Curing compound or wet cure for the first 7 days. Penetrating sealer applied at 28 days after the concrete has reached design strength.

Most residential concrete projects run 1–3 days on-site. Larger driveways or multi-phase projects may run 5–7 days. We'll give you a specific schedule with your proposal.

Concrete pricing in Utah varies by finish type, base depth requirement, and project complexity:

• Broom finish patio (standard base): $10–$16 per square foot installed
• Exposed aggregate patio: $14–$20 per square foot
• Stamped concrete (single color): $16–$24 per square foot
• Stamped concrete (multiple colors or complex pattern): $22–$35 per square foot
• Standard driveway replacement: $12–$18 per square foot (heavier base included)

A typical 300 sq ft broom-finish patio runs $3,500–$5,500 installed. A full driveway replacement (600–900 sq ft) typically runs $8,000–$18,000 depending on size and grade complexity. We'll give you an exact price after the free on-site estimate — every site is different enough that square-foot ranges can mislead.