The Best Paving Contractors in Des Moines, IA
We graded 10 companies on seven things customers actually report: satisfaction, reliability, workmanship, value, momentum, track record and how owners handle complaints.
From 3,047 Google reviews of 33 top-rated paving contractors nationwide; 10 of them in Des Moines, IA. Updated November 9, 2026.
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Best paving contractors in Des Moines for retaining walls
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Colin Concrete Des MoinesHow Job match is calculatedBuilt only from reviews Google tagged “Retaining walls”:Stars on this job 55%4.38★Number of such jobs 25%8Overall Experts Score 20%90Job match= 68Stars are pulled toward the category average (4.86★) when a company has few tagged jobs, so 3 perfect reviews don’t beat 80 great ones. 4.3★ scores 0, 5.0★ scores full. Volume is compared with the busiest company for this job.68Job match = this company’s ★ on reviews Google tagged “Retaining walls” (shrunk toward the category average when there are few), how many such jobs it has done, and its overall Experts Score.
What customers said about retaining walls
Colin Concrete Des MoinesI had a 15x25 gravel patio built with an eight inch concrete retaining wall holding the rock and gravel. I also had two concrete pavers leading to my front steps replaced. I am happy with the services and the patio. They got in, did the work, and cleaned up well. I will probably extend my driveway width next year and will ask them for a bid.
Colin Concrete Des MoinesWe had a very difficult retaining wall project and a tight timeline. Jose was the *only* one I could find to help us out in time when our original contractor bailed on us. He came out the day after we spoke on the phone, had the estimate to me that night, and the crew started on Monday just a few days later. Not…
Colin Concrete Des MoinesBeautiful patio and retaining wall . We love it . Our whole neighborhood talks about how good it looks and the quality work these guys did . Jose and his crews are very good at what they do . Quality and craftsmanship is very visible. Absolutely beyond my expectation. I will definitely recommend these guys to any…
Colin Concrete Des MoinesWe contracted with Colin Concrete to install cement for a storage room under a porch. The project was complex and we wanted it done right. They started the project sooner than expected . The six man crew each had a job to do and worked very well together. They dug in footings and tied the new wall to the floor and…
Overall ratings
Experts Score 0–100Experts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. and a letter grade per factor (A = top 20% of paving contractors).
| # | Company | ScoreExperts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. | FactorsFactor grades, in orderSatisfaction (54%): Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.Reliability (24%): How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.Craft & service (0%): Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Value (14%): Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Momentum (0%): Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.Replies to reviews (7%): How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.One letter per factor score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = below 20. | ★Google star rating as shown on Google Maps. | Typical billMedian bill customers of this company reported in their reviews (needs 3+ priced reviews). |
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| 1 |  AFG ConcreteDes Moines, IA | A 98How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%99+58.1Reliability 26%96+25Value 15%100+15.2Experts Score= 98Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AA–AA– | 5.00 | — |
| 2 | Blackford IncDes Moines, IA | A 97How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%98+57.5Reliability 26%94+24.5Value 15%100+15.2Craft & service penalty95−0.5Experts Score= 97Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAA– | 5.00 | — |
| 3 |  GLC Construction LLCDes Moines, IA | A 97How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%98+57.5Reliability 26%95+24.8Value 15%98+14.9Experts Score= 97Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AA–AA– | 5.00 | — |
| 4 |  Outdoors by JKDes Moines, IA | A 95How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%95+51.8Reliability 24%92+22.3Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%91+6.4Craft & service penalty99−0.1Experts Score= 95Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAA | 4.93 | — |
| 5 |  Ewing Concrete Services LLCDes Moines, IA | A 95How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%95+55.8Reliability 26%92+24Value 15%100+15.2Craft & service penalty96−0.4Experts Score= 95Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAA– | 4.90 | — |
| 6 | Colin Concrete Des MoinesDes Moines, IA | A 90How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%90+49.1Reliability 24%88+21.3Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%100+7.1Craft & service penalty82−1.8Experts Score= 90Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAA | 4.90 | — |
| 7 |  CMC Solutions, LLCDes Moines, IA | A 88How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%90+52.8Reliability 26%77+20.1Value 15%100+15.2Craft & service penalty95−0.5Experts Score= 88Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | ABAA–– | 4.94 | — |
| 8 |  Primos Concrete LLCDes Moines, IA | A 86How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%88+48Reliability 24%88+21.3Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%100+7.1Craft & service penalty59−4.1Experts Score= 86Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AACAAA | 4.87 | — |
| 9 |  Garcia Concrete llcDes Moines, IA | C 51How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%59+32.2Reliability 24%30+7.3Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%53+3.7Craft & service penalty97−0.3Momentum penalty43−5.7Experts Score= 51Grade C: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | CDAACC | 4.76 | — |
| 10 |  I-80 DesignDes Moines, IA | C 49How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%63+34.4Reliability 24%39+9.5Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%14+1Craft & service penalty58−4.2Momentum penalty43−5.7Experts Score= 49Grade C: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | BDCACF | 4.70 | — |
What jobs cost
What customers paid, from the price Google asks reviewers to report.
| Job | Low25th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid less than this. | TypicalMedian of the bill customers reported in their Google review (Google asks reviewers for a price range; we use the middle of each range). | High75th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid more than this. | FairOf customers who rated the price, the share who chose “Great price” or “Reasonable” rather than “Overpriced”. |
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Paving Contractors in Des Moines, IA at a glance
How the 10 paving contractors we rated in Des Moines, IA compare, and what customers praise most.
Experts Score grades
A = score 80+, F = below 20.
- Grade A880%
- Grade B00%
- Grade C220%
- Grade D00%
- Grade F00%
Google ratings
Average stars per company.
- 4.90★ and up770%
- 4.80–4.89★110%
- 4.60–4.79★220%
- Below 4.60★00%
What customers praise
Share of Google review highlights.
- Quality71922%
- Professionalism72622%
- Responsiveness61619%
- Punctuality58818%
- Value59018%
Was the price fair?
All price verdicts left with reviews.
- Great price20346%
- Reasonable22652%
- Overpriced41%
- Not sure51%
Price verdicts by year
Share calling it great / reasonable / overpriced.
How we grade
Satisfaction (54%) — Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.
Reliability (24%) — How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.
Craft & service (penalty, up to −10) — Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.
Value (14%) — Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.
Momentum (penalty, up to −10) — Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.
Replies to reviews (7%) — How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.