Concrete Pads in Wilmington NC

A pad should be a little larger than the unit, usually by three or four inches on each side, and often more to leave room for service. Many central air units sit on pads between 30 by 30 inches and 36 by 36 inches. Larger units and heat pumps need bigger pads.

Check the maker's guide for any rules about clearance. We also leave room for the refrigerant lines, the power and the drain. The pad should sit a few inches above the ground, so water and wet sand do not splash the unit. Tell us the make and model, and we will plan the right size and thickness for your pad.

Tell us the make and model of the equipment and the date it will arrive, and we will plan the pad and the cure around that day. Ask us to confirm the pad height, since clearance matters for concrete pads that hold equipment.

Yes, if it is built for the load. A hot tub full of water and people can weigh several thousand pounds. The pad needs to be flat, strong and level, with steel inside. Most are at least four inches thick, and many are five or six inches. The base under the pad must be firm and well drained.

We ask for the size and weight of the tub, plus any rules from the maker. We also plan for the power line and a drain. See concrete slab installation for larger jobs. A good pad helps the tub stay level for many years, which protects the shell and the plumbing.

Keep an eye on clearance rules from the maker, since some units need open space on every side for air and for service. Tell us how the line sets, drains and wires will connect to the unit, so we can leave room for them in the concrete pads we pour.

Often not for a simple pad, but it depends on the use and the place. A pad for a generator, a propane tank or a large shed may need a permit or must meet distance rules from property lines and buildings. Flood zone rules can affect how high equipment must sit. Some neighborhoods have HOA rules about where equipment can go.

We help you check before we pour. Tell us the address and the equipment, and we explain what usually applies. We also call NC811 before digging, so buried lines are marked. If your equipment comes with a plan or setback rules, send them. We build the pad to match.

A small pad is quick, but we still compact the base and place steel, because even a light pad can crack if it sits on soft sand. Ask us to add a small gravel border or a drain, since good drainage keeps concrete pads clean and dry beside the house.

For light equipment, like an air conditioner, four inches is common. For heavier loads, like a hot tub, a large generator or a water tank, five or six inches with steel is wiser. A pad for a shed depends on what you store inside. Edges can be thickened for extra strength.

Thickness works together with the base. A thick pad on soft sand can still sink. We remove soft soil, compact a base and slope the pad so water runs away. We tell you the thickness, the steel and the base in your written estimate, so you can compare bids and be sure your equipment has the support it needs.

If you may add a second unit later, mention it now, and we can pour a larger pad with room to grow. Tell us if the pad sits in a low spot or near a downspout, and we will raise it and shape it so water cannot collect around your equipment.

Yes, with care. A pad next to the house should slope away from the wall, so water does not run toward the foundation. We leave a small gap or an expansion joint between the pad and the house. We keep the top of the pad below siding and brick.

In a low coastal yard, water near a foundation is a real concern, so we check gutters and downspouts too. If the equipment drains water, like an air conditioner, we plan where that water goes. If you already see cracks in a wall, see foundation repair. We suggest a position and a slope that protect your home.

We also leave a small gap or a joint where the pad meets a wall or a walk, so each part can move without cracking. Ask us how we cure small concrete pads in summer, since even a little pad needs damp curing to reach its full strength in coastal heat.

Light equipment can often go on after about three to seven days. Heavier loads, like a hot tub full of water or a large generator, should wait until the concrete has cured for about 28 days, or as long as the maker says. Concrete keeps getting stronger as it cures.

We tell you when your pad is ready for each kind of load. In summer heat, we keep the pad damp at the start, so it cures well. If you have a delivery date for your equipment, tell us early. We can plan the pour for a time that gives the concrete enough cure time before the equipment arrives.

Please keep sprinklers off the new pad for a few days, and tell your installer to wait until we say the concrete is ready. Ask for a short list of care steps, such as keeping leaves off and sprinklers away, so your concrete pads stay in good shape for years.