Between two lakes: what the ground does in Howard Lake
Howard Lake proper sits on the south shore of Howard Lake, and Dutch Lake, a 162-acre lake with about three miles of shoreline, wraps the south side of town. The lots closest to either lake tend to have a high water table in spring and soils that hold water longer than the till uplands between them. That matters for anything that has to stay flat. A driveway or patio poured on wet, uncompacted ground near a lake will heave, and the fix is thicker base, better drainage away from the slab, and sometimes drain tile.
Away from the lakes, Victor Township to the south and Middleville Township to the north are the same loamy glacial till we work with across western Wright County. Good bearing, predictable base prep, and the usual rule about getting footings below 42 inches into undisturbed soil.
What we pour most in Howard Lake
In-town work is mostly replacement: driveways, garage aprons, and front walks on the older homes near downtown and along 7th and 10th Avenues, which double as County Road 6 through town. Lake homes bring patios, stamped pool decks, and walkout foundations on lots that slope to the water. Out in the townships it's ag slabs, pole-building floors with in-floor heat, and foundations for new houses on acreage.
MnDOT rebuilt US-12 through Howard Lake, Waverly, and Montrose in 2025, with new curb, sidewalk, and pedestrian features along the highway. If your driveway meets the new highway, the approach has to match what MnDOT built, and the access permit runs through MnDOT rather than the city.
Permits: three offices, depending on which side of the line you're on
Howard Lake is unusual in that three different offices can end up issuing your permit. Inside city limits, applications go to Howard Lake City Hall on 8th Avenue. In Victor Township, south of town, permits come from Wright County Planning and Zoning in Buffalo, like most Wright County townships. Middleville Township, north of town, is one of three townships in the county that issue their own building permits, and applications are handled at the Middleville Town Hall on County Road 6 SW.
The wrong office costs you a trip and a week. We work in all three jurisdictions and will tell you which one your parcel falls under before you start any paperwork.
Driveways, slabs, and flatwork in Howard Lake
Most of our Howard Lake jobs are driveways, front walks, and garage slabs in town, plus pole building floors and shed slabs on the township acreage around it. The lakeshore lots on Howard Lake and Dutch Lake bring patios, steps, and walkways that have to handle a slope toward the water. Read the Concrete Driveways page for how the base and joints are done here; the Concrete Sidewalks and Concrete Floors and Slabs pages cover the rest. When a lakeshore rebuild needs a walkout foundation, the ICF and poured foundation pages explain the choice.
Start with concrete driveways, then sidewalks and walkways and floors and slabs. For a new build, the poured foundation and ICF pages cover that choice.
Where in Howard Lake we work
- Downtown Howard Lake
- Howard Lake (the lake)
- Dutch Lake
- Victor Township
- Middleville Township
Concrete services in Howard Lake
Howard Lake concrete questions
Which office issues building permits in Howard Lake?
It depends on the parcel. Inside city limits, Howard Lake City Hall. In Victor Township, Wright County Planning and Zoning in Buffalo. In Middleville Township, the township issues its own permits at the Middleville Town Hall on County Road 6 SW. Give us the address and we'll tell you which one before you fill anything out.
Can you pour a patio on a Dutch Lake or Howard Lake lot?
Yes. Lakeshore patios are a regular job for us here. Expect two things: setback and impervious-surface limits from the permitting office, and a thicker compacted base than an upland lot needs because the soil near the water holds moisture. We grade the slab to drain away from both the house and the lake.
Does my driveway need a MnDOT permit after the US-12 reconstruction?
If your driveway connects directly to US-12, yes. MnDOT rebuilt the highway through Howard Lake in 2025, and any new or altered approach to a state highway needs a MnDOT access permit and has to match the new curb line. Driveways that meet a city street go through Howard Lake City Hall instead.
Is there a travel charge to Howard Lake from Cokato?
No. Howard Lake is about 12 minutes east of our shop on US-12, well inside our home market. Quotes look the same as they do in Cokato: no travel line, our own crew and forms, and quick turnaround if something needs a look after the pour.
Do you pour pole-building floors in Victor Township?
Yes. Pole-building and shop floors on township acreage are some of the most common rural pours we do around Howard Lake. We compact the base, set insulation and rebar, tie in heat tubing if you want it, and finish with a ride-on trowel. Frost footings aren't required for a detached slab, but the base has to be right.
Nearby
We also pour in Cokato, Buffalo and Delano. See every town we serve.