Serving West Des Moines, IA and surrounding areas. (515) 706-9183
West Des Moines Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor serving Urbandale with retaining wall construction, tuckpointing, driveway pavers, and brick repair for homeowners throughout the city. We pull permits through Urbandale city offices, provide written estimates after every site visit, and respond within one business day.
Many Urbandale properties have grade changes where yards drop away from the house or between neighboring lots, and central Iowa clay soil makes proper drainage behind any wall a requirement rather than an option. Retaining wall construction in this soil type requires drainage integrated from the start - walls built without it typically begin leaning within a few wet seasons.
Urbandale's housing stock is dominated by single-family homes with attached garages and concrete driveways, and a large share of those driveways are from the 1970s through 1990s - old enough to show serious cracking and heaving after decades of Iowa freeze-thaw cycles. Paver installations provide a more durable result on Iowa clay than a plain replacement pour.
Ranch and split-level homes in Urbandale's older neighborhoods along and near Douglas Avenue often have original brick veneer with mortar joints that are now 40 to 50 years old. When those joints soften and open up, water gets behind the brick face and accelerates damage to both the brick and the wall structure behind it.
Spalling and cracked bricks are a consistent finding on Urbandale homes from the 1970s and 1980s. The original bricks on these homes are softer than modern production bricks, which makes them more susceptible to the pitting and face-pop damage that Iowa winters cause through repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Urbandale's clay-heavy soil shifts with every significant wet and dry season, and homes from the 1970s and 1980s have been through enough of those cycles to develop visible foundation movement. Horizontal cracks in block walls and stair-step cracks in poured concrete foundations are the most common early signs homeowners notice.
Many Urbandale homes have original poured concrete walkways from the same era as the house, and those surfaces have heaved, cracked, and settled unevenly over the years. Replacement walkways in concrete pavers or brick hold up better under ground movement than a fresh poured slab on the same clay base.
Urbandale grew quickly during the 1970s through 1990s, and the homes from that period are now 30 to 50 years old - right in the window where original masonry materials reach the end of their practical service life. Concrete driveways from the 1980s have been through 40 or more Iowa winters. Brick veneer joints installed in the 1970s are approaching the typical 50-year mark for mortar durability. Retaining walls built without proper drainage 30 years ago are starting to show lateral movement. None of this damage happens all at once - it accumulates season by season until the visible effects become hard to ignore.
Urbandale's clay-heavy soil compounds everything. Clay expands when it absorbs water and contracts when it dries out, putting constant pressure on foundations, concrete slabs, and any masonry structure in contact with the ground. The Iowa State University Extension notes that this soil movement is a primary cause of structural problems for Iowa homeowners. Contractors who understand that dynamic - and design and install accordingly - produce work that holds up. Those who do not will be back to fix it.
Our crew works throughout Urbandale regularly, and we understand the local conditions that affect masonry work here. Urbandale has its own building department and permit process, completely separate from Des Moines even though the cities share a border. We pull permits through the City of Urbandale for any structural work that requires them, and we know what the local inspectors look for. Homeowners should not have to navigate that on their own.
The Douglas Avenue corridor runs through the heart of Urbandale, and the neighborhoods on either side of it represent the city's established core - ranch and split-level homes from the 1960s through 1980s with aging masonry that we see regularly. Living History Farms on the northwest edge is a landmark most Urbandale homeowners know, and the neighborhoods nearby represent the newer construction the city added in the 2000s. Both types of homes generate different kinds of masonry work, and our crew is familiar with both.
We also serve Clive directly to the south, where the housing stock from the same era produces very similar masonry maintenance patterns. Homeowners in either city get the same crew and the same approach.
Call or submit the form with a description of what you are seeing and roughly when it started. We get back to all Urbandale homeowners within one business day to set up a site visit.
We come to your property, walk the site, and provide a written itemized estimate - not a ballpark over the phone. The assessment is free, and we explain our findings and recommendations before you make any decision.
For any work requiring a permit from the City of Urbandale, we file the application and coordinate the inspection. We confirm the work schedule with you in writing so you know exactly what to expect and when.
The crew finishes the work, cleans up the site, and walks you through the completed job. We cover the warranty terms and tell you what to monitor going forward - then inspection sign-off closes the project.
We serve Urbandale directly and respond to all inquiries within one business day. No commitment required - just a straight assessment of what your property needs.
(515) 706-9183Urbandale is a city of about 45,000 people on the northwest edge of Des Moines, covering roughly 23 square miles between Interstates 80 and 35. It is one of the more affluent suburbs in the Des Moines metro, with a median household income well above the state average and a strong tradition of homeownership - about 70 to 75 percent of homes are owner-occupied. The Urbandale Community School District is one of the main reasons families choose to settle here, and residents tend to stay for a long time - which means they invest in their properties.
The city's housing stock reflects two distinct eras: the older neighborhoods near Douglas Avenue filled with ranch and split-level homes from the 1960s through 1980s, and the newer subdivisions on the western edge with two-story homes built in the 2000s and 2010s. Both segments generate steady masonry work as original materials age and Iowa weather takes its toll. Urbandale shares a long border with Des Moines to the east, and many homeowners near that boundary call us for work on either side.
Restore structural integrity and stop foundation damage before it worsens.
Learn MoreBuild strong retaining walls that control erosion and define your landscape.
Learn MoreTransform any surface with the timeless look of natural or cultured stone.
Learn MoreConstruct solid, low-maintenance concrete block walls for any application.
Learn MoreInstall a reliable foundation block wall built for lasting structural support.
Learn MoreCreate an outdoor kitchen built from quality masonry for years of enjoyment.
Learn MoreDesign and build beautiful walkways that welcome guests to your property.
Learn MoreAdd classic brick walls that provide privacy, character, and lasting value.
Learn MoreCall now or send us a message - we cover Urbandale and the full western Des Moines metro and get back to you within one business day.
