Concrete Contractors in Zilker, Austin
Ace Concrete Contractors Austin builds and replaces patios, driveways, walks, and backyard slabs across Zilker, the 78704 neighborhood next to Zilker Park and Barton Springs. Many lots here fall under tighter watershed rules, so every job starts with how much of the lot is already paved and where the water goes.
Zilker mixes small 1930s to 1950s cottages with modern infill, often side by side. Owners want more outdoor living space, but on these lots, the rules on paved area can matter as much as the yard itself. The work here is about fitting the most useful concrete into what the lot allows.
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Watershed rules and paved area
Zilker sits close to Barton Creek and Barton Springs, and parts of the neighborhood fall inside the Barton Springs watershed, where the City limits how much of a lot can be covered by roofs, driveways, patios, and walks. Other lots fall under the standard citywide limits. Which one applies depends on your address.
Every square foot of new concrete counts against that limit, and a big new house may already use most of it. Before we design anything, we check what’s already on the lot and what’s left. Our guide to watershed paving limits explains how the numbers work, and our 78704 area coverage covers the wider area around Zilker.
Patios that fit the lot
The most common Zilker request is a backyard patio, either new or replacing an old cracked one. When paved area is tight, the answer is often a smarter patio rather than a bigger one: sized to how you’ll use it, placed where it gets shade, and laid out so water runs into the yard instead of off the lot.
Replacing an old patio in the same footprint usually doesn’t add paved area, which makes it the simplest project. Removing an unused walk or old slab elsewhere on the lot can free up room for a new patio. Our backyard patio builds page walks through layout, base, joints, and the broom finish every patio gets.
Water near the springs
Rain that runs off a Zilker lot ends up in the creeks, and the City cares about how fast it gets there. A patio or driveway that sheds water into planted areas, rather than straight to the street, is better for the lot and often easier to approve. Pitch, edges, and downspout outlets are all planned before the forms go in.
Water also matters for the concrete itself. Downspouts dumping onto a slab, or a patio that tips toward the house, will undercut the base over time. Our patio water planning guide covers grading in more detail.
Driveways on older lots
Many Zilker driveways are original to the cottages, poured thin and straight on the dirt. They crack across the middle, drop at the street, or break up where roots run underneath. A replacement goes in on a compacted gravel base, with steel set mid-slab and joints cut the same day.
Where paved area is tight, a narrower driveway or ribbon strips can free up room for a patio out back. Our cottage driveway replacement page covers tear-out, layout, and the apron at the street.
Slabs for studios and sheds
Backyard studios, sheds, and workshops are popular here, and each needs a slab sized to what sits on it. On a lot with a tight paving limit, the slab footprint is part of that math too, so the building and its slab get planned together. Our studio slab builds page covers base, edges, and thickness.
Front walks and side yards
Zilker front walks are often original too, with panels pushed out of line by roots or sunk where water collects beside the steps. Replacing them is usually a small job, and keeping the walk narrow saves paved area for the backyard. Side-yard paths from the driveway to the back gate are another common request, and they make a narrow lot much easier to use. Each one goes in on a compacted base with a broom finish, pitched so water runs into the planting beds rather than along the house.
How a Zilker job runs
Send your address and a photo, and we’ll reply the same business day. The measuring visit looks at what’s already paved, the watershed rules for your address, drainage, trees, and access for the truck. After that, you’ll get a written, itemized scope with tear-out, base, steel, joints, finish, and cleanup, each on its own line. When a permit is needed, we coordinate it through a permitting partner.
Ace is veteran-owned, our own crew does the pouring, and the person who measured your job is on site when it’s poured. Next door, we also work in Barton Hills’ sloped lots to the west and among Bouldin Creek’s older homes to the east.
Concrete questions from Zilker homeowners
Does the Barton Springs watershed limit a new patio?
It can. Lots inside the Barton Springs watershed have tighter limits on how much of the lot can be paved, and a new patio counts toward that total. Lots outside it follow the citywide limits. We check which rules apply to your address at the measuring visit, before anything is designed or quoted.
How do I find out how much of my lot is already paved?
Start with your survey or site plan, which often shows the house, driveway, and other hard surfaces. We also measure what’s on the ground at the visit, including walks and old slabs people forget about. Comparing that to your lot’s limit shows how much room a new patio or slab has.
Can an old patio be replaced in the same footprint?
Usually, yes, and it’s often the simplest project on a tight lot. Replacing a patio at the same size and in the same spot generally doesn’t add paved area. We break out the old slab, rebuild the base, and pour the new patio with better drainage and joints, so it lasts longer than the one it replaces.
Can I remove old concrete to make room for a new patio?
Often, yes. Taking out an unused walk, an old slab, or part of a wide driveway can free up paved area for a patio somewhere more useful. We include the removal as its own line in the scope, so you can see what’s coming out and what’s going in.
Can a patio drain into the yard instead of the street?
Yes, and on most Zilker lots it should. The patio is pitched toward a planted area or lawn that can soak up the water, away from the house and the neighbor’s lot. Downspout outlets are placed with the same goal in mind, so roof water doesn’t land on the new concrete.
Is a patio near Barton Creek built differently?
The concrete itself is built the same way: compacted base, steel, joints, and a broom finish. What changes is the planning. Paved-area limits, drainage into the yard, and protecting nearby trees all carry more weight close to the creek, so they’re settled before the forms go in, and written into the scope.
Request a Free Estimate and send a few photos of the area. We’ll reply the same business day.