01Before the backfill
Below grade
Weeping tile, damp proofing, frost wall insulation, window wells and basement gravel: the work that keeps a new basement dry and the foundation sound.
01 · Below grade
Calgary, Alberta · Since 1956
From the footings to the front step.
A-1 Cement places the drainage, gravel and concrete a new home stands on, for Calgary’s home builders, homeowners and commercial builders.
What we do
Every new home starts below grade. We are there before the backfill and still there when the driveway goes in: weeping tile, damp proofing, gravel, slabs and finished flatwork, from one Calgary trade.
- 1956Phil VanderVeen Sr. starts out door to door, a wheelbarrow on the roof of his car.
- 14Concrete services, from weeping tile to pattern-stamp patios.
- 1999The year A-1 earned its COR safety certification, held ever since.
- 120ftReach of our Telebelt conveyors, turning a full 360°.
The build sequence
Built in the order your house is.
Our services follow the build. A builder can hand us the whole concrete scope, and a homeowner can see exactly what goes into theirs.
01 · Below grade02Inside the foundation
Slabs
Basement and garage slabs poured on compacted gravel, set to the right heights and slopes so water goes where it should.
02 · Slabs03The part everyone sees
Finished flatwork
Driveways, sidewalks, steps and patios in broom finish, exposed aggregate or pattern stamp, with Dura-Mix® on every exterior pour.
03 · Finished flatwork04Our own fleet
Placement equipment
Telebelt and stone slinger trucks that place concrete, gravel and sand over obstacles and into hard-to-reach spots.
04 · Placement equipment05After the build
Service & repair
Crack repair, cleaning and re-sealing that keep concrete surfaces in top condition for years.
05 · Service & repair
For home builders
One trade partner for the whole concrete scope.
Under Phil Jr., A-1 grew to serve home builders across Calgary and became one of the city’s leaders in concrete flatwork.
- 01
Crews by region
North, Central and South supervisors run our crews across the city.
- 02
Our own placement fleet
Slinger trucks and Telebelt conveyors place gravel and concrete where trucks and wheelbarrows can’t reach.
- 03
Safety on every site
COR certified since 1999. Crews complete pre-trip inspections and hazard assessments before work starts.
- 04
Service after the build
A service coordinator and technician look after repairs and maintenance.
Driveways & patiosFor homeowners
Driveways, patios and steps, finished properly.
Choose the finish and we prepare, form, reinforce and pour it. Dura-Mix® concrete is standard on every exterior pour.
- 01Broom finishThe classic textured finish.
- 02Exposed aggregateThe stone in the mix, brought to the surface.
- 03Pattern stampPattern and colour pressed into the concrete.
Since 1956
Three generations of the Vanderveen family.
Phil VanderVeen Sr. came from Holland in the early 1950s. In 1956, with his wife Lee keeping the books, he went door to door offering to install concrete. His son and grandson have led A-1 since, and it is still common to see brothers, sisters, nephews, sons and daughters working here.
Credentials
Certified, accredited, recognized.
Safety certified for more than 25 years and a member of the associations Calgary builds with.
- COR certified since 1999Alberta Construction Safety Association
- BILD Calgary RegionMember · 2023 awards finalist
- Best Trade PartnerWinner 2020 · Customer Insight
- Calgary Construction AssociationMember
- Concrete AlbertaMember
- Better Business BureauAccredited business
Planning a build or a project?
Tell us about the job and we will get back to you with a quote.