Most cracked driveways weren't poured badly. They were poured on bad ground. We dig out, compact, and build a 6 inch rock base before a single truck shows up.
Poured onceDone rightFree site visitsLicensed and insured5 year crack warrantyNo subcontractors
Poured onceDone rightFree site visitsLicensed and insured5 year crack warrantyNo subcontractors
1,400+Slabs poured since 2012
14Iowa winters and counting
4,500PSI in every exterior mix
5 yrStructural crack warranty
01What we pour
Six jobs. Done properly.
Most booked01
Driveways
Tear out and replace, widen for a third stall, or pour new for a new build. Built on a real base so it stays flat.
From
$8 / sq ft
Crew days
2 to 4
Slab
5 in
02
Patios
Broom, exposed aggregate or stamped to look like slate or stone. Pitched away from the house so water never pools.
From
$8 / sq ft
Crew days
2 to 3
Slab
4 in
03
Sidewalks and steps
Front walks, city sidewalk replacement and formed steps with even risers. We pull the city permit for you.
From
$9 / sq ft
Crew days
1 to 2
Slab
4 in
04
Garage and shop slabs
Six inch slabs for garages, pole barns and shops. Power troweled smooth, with a vapor barrier where it counts.
From
$9 / sq ft
Crew days
2 to 5
Slab
6 in
05
Tear out and replace
We break out the old slab, haul it off and recycle it into crushed base. Your yard is protected with plywood runs.
Adds
$2 to 4 / ft
Crew days
+1
Haul
Included
06
Sealing and repair
Penetrating sealer that stops salt damage, plus crack routing and joint caulk to add years to a slab that's still sound.
From
$0.50 / ft
Crew days
1
Reseal
2 to 3 yr
Drag or swipe
Mix on site4,500 PSI · 6% air
02Why ours last
Cracks start underneath.
Iowa ground freezes and thaws dozens of times a winter. Clay swells, water pushes up, and a thin slab on loose dirt snaps. The fix isn't a thicker top. It's everything below it.
Spec
Quick pour
Coldset standard
Base
2 in or none
6 in crushed rock, compacted
Steel
None, or loose mesh
#3 rebar grid on chairs
Mix
3,000 PSI
4,500 PSI, air-entrained
Thickness
4 in
5 in, 6 in for trucks
Joints
Wherever it cracks
Saw cut every 10 ft
Warranty
1 year, if any
5 years on structural cracks
Built to spec
03How we pour
Six layers. Zero shortcuts.
Scroll through a Coldset driveway from the dirt up. Every layer is on your written quote, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
Detail A · Typical drivewayScale: NTS
Step 01 / 06 · Subgrade
01
Dig to firm ground
We pull out the old slab and any soft soil, then plate-compact the subgrade until it stops moving. Soft ground is the reason most driveways crack.
Compacted subgrade · 95% density
02
Build a real base
Six inches of crushed rock, laid in two lifts and compacted each time. It drains water away so frost has nothing to push against.
6 in crushed rock · 2 lifts
03
Steel on chairs
#3 rebar tied on an 18 inch grid and lifted on chairs, so it sits in the middle of the slab where it actually holds things together.
#3 rebar · 18 in on center
04
The pour
Five inches of 4,500 PSI air-entrained mix. Tiny air pockets give freezing water room to expand, so the top doesn't flake off after salt season.
4,500 PSI · 6% air
05
Cut the joints
All concrete cracks. We decide where. Saw cuts every 10 feet, a quarter of the slab deep, within a day of the pour.
Joints every 10 ft · 1/4 depth
06
Finish and seal
A broom finish for grip in January. Curing compound on day one, then a penetrating sealer once the slab has cured.
Broom finish · silane sealer
04Instant quote
Price it right now.
Pick your project and watch the ticket print. Sample pricing for the Des Moines metro. No email required.
COLDSETCONCRETE CO. · DES MOINES, IA (515) 555-0162
QUOTE CS-1483SAMPLE
DRIVEWAY5 IN · 4,500 PSI
SITE VISIT + LAYOUTMEASURE, SOIL CHECKFREE
BASE + POUR600 SQ FT × $8-12 · BROOM$4,800-7,200
PERMIT + CLEANUPCITY PERMIT WHERE NEEDEDINCL.
ESTIMATE$4,800 to $7,200
CREW ON SITE3 DAYS
DRIVE ON ITDAY 7
0515 1483 2026
Sample figures for this demo. Real prices come after a free site visit.
#1449JohnstonGarage apron and approach300 sq ftBroomJun 2026
06Reviews
Neighbors noticed.
Our old driveway heaved every spring. Coldset dug out almost a foot of clay before they poured anything. Two winters in and not one new crack.
JM
Jenna M.Ankeny · Driveway replacement
They showed me the rebar and the gravel depth before the truck came. Nobody else I called even mentioned a base. The final bill matched the quote.
MT
Marcus T.Urbandale · Driveway and walk
The stamped patio looks like real slate. The crew showed up on time every day and the yard looked better when they left than when they got here.
PK
Priya and Dan K.West Des Moines · Stamped patio
They poured our shop floor in late October with blankets and heaters on it. Smooth as glass, and every joint line is dead straight.
RH
Rick H.Clive · 40 by 60 shop slab
01 / 04
Sample reviews written for this demo.
Dirk V. · Founder · 30 yrs finishing
07The crew
Family run. Iowa built.
Dirk Vandermeer poured his first sidewalk in 1994 on his uncle's crew in Pella. He started Coldset in 2012 with one truck and one rule: never pour on ground you haven't tested.
Today his son Luke runs the crews and Dirk still walks every job before the first truck rolls. No subcontractors and no day labor. The people who quote your driveway are the people who pour it.
9Full-time crew
0Subcontractors
100%Jobs walked by the owner
Licensed in IowaFully insuredWritten quotesFree site visits
08Service area
The whole metro. 15 miles out.
Our trucks leave the yard at 6:30. If you're on this list, a Coldset crew can be at your place the same morning.
Des Moines503xx0 MI
Pleasant Hill503275 MI
Urbandale503225 MI
Johnston501317 MI
West Des Moines502657 MI
Clive503258 MI
Norwalk502118 MI
Altoona500099 MI
Ankeny5002110 MI
Waukee5026313 MI
Not on the list? Call anyway. We go up to 40 miles for bigger jobs.
09Questions
Straight answers.
Q.01How much does a new driveway cost?
Most 2-car driveways in the metro land between $6,000 and $10,000 for a broom finish with tear out. Stamped and colored finishes cost more. Try the quote tool above with your size.
Q.02When can I drive on it?
Walk on it the next day. Cars after 7 days. Heavy trucks, trailers and RVs after 28 days, when the mix reaches full strength.
Q.03Can you pour in winter?
Yes, down to about 20°F with heated blankets, a warm base and the right mix. We never pour on frozen ground. Most of our work runs April through November.
Q.04Will my concrete crack?
Almost all concrete gets hairline cracks. Our saw-cut joints make sure they happen in the joints, not across your slab. Structural cracks that open wider than 1/8 inch or heave are covered for 5 years.
Q.05Do I need to seal it?
In Iowa, yes. Road salt and freeze-thaw eat unsealed concrete. We apply a penetrating sealer once the slab cures and recommend resealing every 2 to 3 years.
Q.06Do you pull permits?
Yes. We handle permits for driveway approaches and city sidewalks in every town we serve, and it's included in your quote.
Q.07How soon can you start?
Site visits happen within 3 business days. In season, pours are usually booked 2 to 4 weeks out.
Q.08What happens to my old concrete?
We break it out, haul it away and send it to a recycler, where it gets crushed into new base rock. Haul-off is part of every tear out price.
10Free site visit
Get your slab quoted.
We come out, measure, check your ground and hand you a written price before we leave. Usually within 3 business days.
No deposit to get a quote
Written price, no surprise add-ons
Owner walks every job
Got it.
On a real Coldset site, Dirk or Luke would call you back today to set up your visit.
Most booked
#1482AnkenyDriveway tear out and replace
#1479West Des MoinesStamped patio, slate pattern
#1471UrbandaleFront steps and walk
#1466WaukeeNew build driveway and walk
#1460CliveShop floor, 40 by 60
#1455AltoonaExposed aggregate driveway
#1449JohnstonGarage apron and approach
Dirk V. · Founder · 30 yrs finishing