Concrete Pads Des Moines - Shed, Hot Tub, AC, Generator & RV Pads

Concrete pads in Des Moines give a shed, spa, condenser, standby generator or camper a flat, solid base that stays put through the frost.

Call (515) 585-4111 Request a Quote

Gray garden shed on a new concrete pad slightly larger than its footprint, edged with crushed stone in a fenced backyard

Small as they are, pads fail for the same reason big slabs do: what's underneath.

Request a site visit and itemized quote

Rather talk it through?

(515) 585-4111

Call anytime or send the form. Either way, you get a site visit and a written, itemized quote.

New concrete pads holding a covered hot tub and an air conditioning unit beside a house with gray siding

Pads We Pour

Shed pads. HomeGuide says most shed slabs are about 4 inches thick and don't usually need reinforcement or decoration, and it prices a 10' x 10' to 20' x 20' shed slab at $600 to $4,800 nationally.
Hot tub and swim spa pads. A filled spa is heavy. Angi's guidance for hot tubs is 6 to 8 inches of concrete with reinforcement. We also check where the electrical feed and disconnect will go before we form.
AC condenser and mini-split pads. Level matters here, so the unit doesn't vibrate or lean as the ground moves.
Standby generator pads. Sized to the manufacturer's footprint and clearance from the house. Bring the spec sheet.
RV, boat and trailer pads. HomeGuide lists RV pads of 200 to 700 square feet at $1,200 to $8,400. Thickness and steel depend on the weight, and we usually tie these into the driveway.
Trash-can and grill pads. Quick, inexpensive, and they put an end to mud by the side door.

Why Pads Heave

A pad poured right on topsoil or loose fill will move. Topsoil holds water, and in a Des Moines winter that water freezes and lifts the slab. We strip the topsoil, compact a stone base and pour on that. That keeps a shed door from binding in March and an AC unit from tipping.

Shoveled concrete driveway and sidewalk with sand for traction between snowbanks on a sunny winter morning

When a Pad Becomes a Foundation

A pad under a small shed is one thing. Anything that counts as a building, like a garage, a big shed or a three-season room, is a different job. The City of Des Moines lists a 42-inch frost line depth in its local design criteria, and structures generally need footings that go below it. Many suburbs also require a permit once a shed passes a set size. Tell us what's going on the pad and we'll check the rules for your address.

Worker running a plate compactor over a crushed stone base inside new driveway forms, with dark clay soil at the edges

Hiding the Pad

A gray rectangle in the middle of the lawn isn't always the look you want. We can line a pad up with an existing walk or patio, add a broom border, or tie it into a concrete patio so it reads as part of the yard.

New broom-finish concrete patio off a sliding door with a dining table and a grill in a fenced backyard

Get a Pad Quote

Tell us what's going on the pad, its footprint, and where it goes in the yard. A photo of the spot helps. Call (515) 585-4111 anytime or use the quote form.

Back to Des Moines Concrete Contractor.

We'll reply by phone or email. Sending this form doesn't sign you up for text messages.