What it takes to hold a 10,000 pound camper on Aurora clay
A travel trailer doesn't sit on a pad the way a car sits on a driveway. All that weight lands on two or four small tires, and it stays there for months. We've broken out plenty of home-built RV pads around Aurora. Four inches of concrete, no steel, poured over a thin layer of sand on top of clay. The tire marks are plain as day: two dished-out ruts, cracks running between them, and the edge nearest the street broken off where the trailer swung in.
A pad that works is built differently from a standard slab. We dig out the soft ground and compact a deep layer of road base. Then we pour 5 to 6 inches of 4,000 PSI air-entrained concrete over a rebar grid. The edges get thickened, which means the slab is deeper around the perimeter, so the spot where tires roll on and off doesn't snap. Most of the work happens before the truck arrives.
Typical pricing runs $8 to $12 per sq ft. A 12x40 RV pad (480 sq ft) usually lands between $3,850 to $5,750. Pads that attach to an existing driveway, or need a new approach, are priced after we measure. For a smaller shed or hot tub base, look at our concrete slabs page instead. This work is part of our residential concrete services, and a standard concrete driveway is built a little lighter.
Do you need a new pad, or can the old one wait?
Gravel pads and thin slabs are common. Here's how we decide whether to pour something new.
Call soon if you see
- Ruts or low spots where the tires sit, especially if water pools in them
- Cracks running between the wheel paths that have opened up year over year
- A broken or crumbling edge where the trailer swings in and out
- A slab that rocks or thumps when you walk across it
- Gravel or dirt that turns to mud after a spring storm and traps the tires
Usually safe to watch
- Hairline cracks that have stayed the same width for a year or more
- A thick, well-built slab with a little surface wear
- Small stains from oil, rust, or tire marks
- Cracks that follow a control joint, which is where the slab was meant to crack
Common RV pad problems and how we build around them
Pads that are too thin
Four inches is fine for a sedan. It's not enough for a fifth wheel parked all summer. Point loads from tires crush the base and crack the slab right at the wheel line. We pour 5 to 6 inches and add rebar so the pad spreads the weight across more ground.
Broken edges and corners
The edge is the weakest part of any slab, and a trailer turning in puts a lot of weight on it. Thickening the edge, usually by digging a deeper trench around the perimeter, gives it the strength to take that load. It adds a little concrete and saves a lot of repair work later.
Sinking and heaving on clay
Aurora clay swells when it's wet and shrinks when it dries out. A pad without a deep base follows the soil up and down. Compacted road base and steel keep the slab moving as one piece. If you already have a pad that has settled, concrete leveling can lift it, but a badly cracked one is usually better replaced.
Water running to the wrong place
A pad needs a gentle slope, about a quarter inch per foot, so water leaves instead of sitting against a fence or a foundation. Next to a house, we always slope away from the walls. Sprinklers and downspouts that dump onto the edge get rerouted or extended before the pour.
Getting the trailer in: approach, side yards, and gates
The slab is only half the question. The other half is how you get a 30-foot rig onto it without taking out a fence post or the corner of the garage.
Approach from the driveway
Most RV pads connect to the existing driveway. The tie-in is where cracking starts if it isn't done right, because two slabs poured on different days move differently. We dowel into the old concrete or leave a clean joint, depending on its condition. If the old driveway is also failing, a combined pour with a driveway replacement often makes more sense than patching around it.
Side-yard access and gate width
Measure before you commit. A side-yard pad has to fit the trailer and also leave room for the tow vehicle to swing. Gates are the usual problem: a standard gate is too narrow for most campers, and a wider one changes the fence line. We lay out the turning path on the ground with paint before we form anything, so you can see it work.
Drainage away from the house
Next to a home, the pad should fall away from the foundation and out to the street, a swale, or a drain. We won't send runoff toward a basement wall. If a slope puts the pad above a neighbor's yard, we plan the water path so it doesn't become their problem.
How we pour an RV pad
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Walk the site and plan the layout
We measure the rig, the turning path, and the slope. We check where utilities, the sprinkler lines, and the gate sit. You get a written price before anything is scheduled.
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Excavate and compact the base
We dig out topsoil and soft fill, then lay and compact road base in layers. On heavy clay we go deeper. A thick base keeps the pad from sinking under tire load.
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Forms, thickened edges, and rebar
Forms set the shape and the slope. We trench the perimeter for the thickened edge, then tie a rebar grid held up on chairs so the steel ends up in the middle of the slab.
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Pour, finish, and cut joints
We place a 4,000 PSI air-entrained mix at 5 to 6 inches thick and finish it with a broom for traction. Control joints go in so any cracking follows straight lines.
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Cure before you park
Walk on it the next day. A car can go on after about 7 days. The camper should wait closer to 28 days, when the concrete is near full strength.
What affects the price of an RV pad
Most pads land between $8 to $12 per sq ft. Here's what moves a job up or down that range.
- Size
The pad needs to be longer and wider than the rig so you can walk around it. Bigger pads cost less per square foot, but the total goes up quickly.
- Site prep
Flat ground with good soil is quick. Slopes, deep clay, or lots of fill to dig out add labor and base material.
- Removing old concrete or gravel
Breaking out an old slab and hauling it away runs about $3 to $7 per sq ft. Gravel removal is priced after we see how deep it goes.
- Thickness and reinforcement
A 5 inch pad with rebar costs less than a 6 inch pad with a tighter grid and thicker edges. The right choice depends on what's parked on it, so tell us the weight.
- Access
If the truck can back right up to the forms, the job moves quickly. A narrow side yard means pumping or wheelbarrowing, which adds time.
Pouring an RV pad through Aurora’s seasons
Winter
We can pour on a mild stretch, but the concrete needs blankets and can't freeze in its first days. If the camper is stored for the winter anyway, it's easy to wait for spring.
Spring
Spring is the busy season, just as people start planning trips. Wet clay can delay excavation after a big storm, so we check the ground before we pour.
Summer
Hot, dry, windy afternoons pull water out of fresh concrete too quickly. We pour early in the day and get curing compound on right away.
Fall
Fall is a good window if you get started early. Seal the pad before the first snow and keep deicers off it through the first winter.
Aurora soil, HOAs, and city rules for RV parking
Expansive clay soil
Much of Aurora sits on clay that swells in wet weather and shrinks when it's dry. That's why a heavy load on a thin pad turns into ruts. A deep compacted base and a reinforced slab let the pad move as one piece.
Deicing salt
If the pad ties into a driveway, deicers from the street will reach it. They are hardest on concrete in its first winter. Air-entrained mix and a penetrating sealer give the most protection.
HOA rules on RV parking
RV and trailer parking is one of the most common things an HOA regulates. Some neighborhoods ban RVs in view of the street, others require screening or a side-yard location. Read your covenants and get approval in writing before you pour.
City of Aurora rules
The City of Aurora also has rules about where RVs and trailers can be parked on residential lots. Check the current requirements with the city before you build, so the pad you pay for is one you can use. If any part of the work touches the public right-of-way, such as a curb cut, a city permit is needed. We confirm with City of Aurora Public Works before we schedule.
RV and Parking Pads FAQs
How thick should a concrete RV pad be?
Five to 6 inches, with rebar and thickened edges. A standard 4 inch driveway slab isn't built for the point loads from a loaded trailer parked for months.
How much does an RV pad cost in Aurora?
Most pads run $8 to $12 per sq ft. A 12x40 RV pad (480 sq ft) is typically $3,850 to $5,750. Removing old concrete, a new driveway approach, and tough access add to that.
Can I park an RV on my driveway or do I need a separate pad?
It depends on the driveway. A standard 4 inch slab may crack under a heavy rig. Check your HOA covenants and City of Aurora rules before you pour, since many places limit where RVs can be parked. We can add thickness at the parking spot or pour a separate pad.
Do I need a permit for an RV pad?
It depends on where it goes and what it connects to. Work in the public right-of-way, such as a new curb cut, needs a city permit. We confirm requirements with City of Aurora Public Works for your address before we schedule.
How long until I can park the camper on it?
Wait about 28 days for a heavy rig. Cars can go on after about 7 days, and you can walk on the pad the next day.