Concrete Contractor in Belmont, MA - Driveways, Patios and Steps Built on a Packed Base
M&K Cambridge Concrete Company is a concrete contractor working in Belmont, MA. We replace and build driveways, patios, walks, steps and foundations for Belmont homeowners, digging out and packing the base before anything gets poured.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Belmont homes, driveways and the ground under them
Belmont is mostly homes, single-family and two-family houses on streets that climb in places, with a few commercial blocks mixed in. It sits between Cambridge, Watertown and Arlington, so it's a short drive for a concrete contractor based in Cambridge, MA like us, and the calls we get here look a lot like the ones we get next door: a driveway that's split, a front walk that's tilted, steps pulling away from the porch.
Many of the slabs we tear out here were poured long ago on dirt that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, and they've settled right along with it. Add stone walls, narrow side drives and yards that slope toward the house, and a Belmont job turns on access and drainage as much as on the pour itself.
Concrete services for Belmont homes and lots
Concrete driveway building
When an old driveway has sunk or split, we tear it out, pack a new base and pour a slab pitched to drain away from the house.
Concrete patio construction
A back patio on a sloped Belmont yard needs its grade set so rain runs off into the lawn, not toward your foundation or back door.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick, which can suit older Belmont houses, and it still sits on a packed base.
Concrete sidewalk building
We replace front walks that have settled or tilted at the seams, so the path from your driveway to your door is level and stops catching toes.
Garage floor concrete
When a garage floor is cracked, dusty or pitched toward the back wall, we break it out and pour a new slab that sheds water to the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes help new concrete sit better beside older brick and stonework, and we talk through how each one wears before you choose.
Concrete retaining walls
Yards that drop toward the street often need a retaining wall, and we build it with drainage behind it so water doesn't build up and push on it.
Concrete floor installation
For basements, additions and workshops, we pour interior floors flat and level over a packed base, so flooring or equipment sits right on top.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck takes bare feet and splashing all summer, so we give it a textured finish for grip and slope it away from the pool edge.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older Belmont houses often settle away from the porch or crumble at the edges, and we rebuild them on footings with even step heights.
Slab foundation building
For a new garage, addition or outbuilding, we set the slab on a dug-out, compacted base with steel reinforcing so it carries the structure evenly.
Foundation installation
When you're adding on or building new in Belmont, we form and pour foundation walls to the plans, checking level and layout before any concrete arrives.
Concrete parking lot building
Small lots behind shops, churches and multi-family buildings need a thicker slab and planned drainage, because turning and parking cars wear concrete harder than a driveway.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches, additions and garden walls all stand on footings, the concrete base under a post or wall, and we pour them to firm ground so nothing shifts.
Foundation raising
If part of an older house has dropped and doors stick or floors slope, we look at the foundation first and tell you plainly what raising it involves.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches and clean edges in existing concrete, so a new walk can tie into an old slab or a utility line can pass through.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate for your Belmont property
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, measure and write up a free estimate that lists what's included and what isn't, with no obligation to go ahead.
(617) 613-6953- Based in
- Cambridge, MA 02139
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Belmont permits, contractor checks and what sets the price
In Belmont, the Town of Belmont's Building Division issues building permits for any work beyond ordinary repair, and the Engineering Department issues a Street Opening Permit for any job that uses more than a shovel, which takes in most driveway and slab replacements. Those approvals usually set the start date more than our calendar does. Before you hire anyone, ask for the contractor's Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor registration, which the state requires for work on an existing owner-occupied home of one to four units, and you can ask Belmont's Licensing Officer, who issues municipal business licenses, whether they hold one.
I check what each job needs with the Building Division and Engineering before we set a date, and when a permit applies we take it out ourselves as your contractor and keep it posted at the site. From there, the price comes down to how big the slab is, whether an old one has to be broken out and hauled off, how deep we dig to reach firm ground, how easily our equipment gets in past walls and tight drives, and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the approvals, the weather and the curing time, the days concrete needs to harden before you use it, and your estimate spells out what's included and what isn't.
Why Belmont driveways and patios settle and crack
Most of the sinking and pooling water we see on Belmont properties traces back to the base. An old slab poured on raked dirt drops as that dirt settles, and one that tips toward the house sends rain to your foundation instead of the yard. We dig out to firm subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, pack a new base in layers and set the slope before any forms go in, because that's the one part nobody can fix once the concrete is down. It's also the first thing people want to cut from a budget, and I'll talk you out of it, since a nice finish on a weak base just settles and cracks on a nicer surface.
Belmont also pays attention to water on bigger projects, since its stormwater and erosion bylaw covers new homes and substantial renovation or construction on one-, two- and three-family houses. If you're planning an addition or a new foundation, we work out the grade and drainage with that in mind from the first visit.
How a Belmont concrete job runs from call to cure
Here's how it goes once you reach out, from the first reply to the day you can use your new driveway, patio or steps.
Call or send a message
Phone (617) 613-6953 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit. Tell us your street when you write, so we can check early whether any Belmont approvals apply.
I measure and write it up
I come out myself, measure, look at the grade and drainage and ask what you need, and it helps if you're home so we can walk it together. The estimate lists what's included and what isn't, so you know what you're paying for before we start.
We handle permits and timing
Once you're ready, we take out any permit the job needs and plan the pour around the weather. Approval time is up to Belmont's offices, so we'll keep you posted as things move.
We pour with me on site
Our crew digs out, packs the base, pours, finishes and cuts the joints, and I'm on site while the work gets done. Before we leave, I'll tell you when you can walk on it and when you can drive on it.
Questions about concrete work in Belmont
Do I need a permit to widen my driveway in Belmont, MA?
Yes, Belmont requires a Driveway Expansion Application to expand an existing driveway, and a Driveway Resurfacing Application if you're resurfacing one instead. That's on top of the street opening permit that comes with heavy equipment, so we check which ones apply before we quote and take care of them as your contractor.
What if my Belmont house is in the Historic District or on Somerset Street?
Then a Belmont board has to approve the work before we pour. The Historic District Commission must approve any exterior work in the Historic District, and the Planning Board must approve new or widened driveway openings in stone walls next to Somerset Street, a designated scenic road. Work near wetlands or rivers needs Conservation Commission approval too, so give us your address early and we'll build that time into the plan.
Does a concrete contractor need to be registered in Massachusetts?
For most home jobs, yes, because anyone bidding on or doing work on an existing owner-occupied home with one to four units has to be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor. That registration number has to appear on the building permit, the contract and their advertising, and for work estimated at $1,000 or more the law requires a written contract with certain terms. Some projects also need a licensed construction supervisor, and you can check a supervisor's license on the state's site.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Belmont?
Your price comes from what I measure on site, because Belmont driveways vary too much for a fair guess over the phone. The biggest swings here are usually breaking out and hauling away an old slab, digging deeper where the ground under it is soft, and getting equipment in past stone walls or a narrow side drive. A stamped or colored finish costs more than a plain broom finish, the light texture that gives tires and shoes grip, and the written estimate breaks each piece out.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway in Belmont?
You'll be walking on it well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps curing and gaining strength for days after the pour. The exact days depend on the mix and the weather that week, so I'll give you both dates before we leave. If the driveway is your only way in, we'll work out where to park until it's ready.
What causes a concrete patio to crack or sink, and will a new one do the same?
Most sinking comes from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, and most random cracks come from control joints, the grooves that give a slab a straight line to crack along as it shrinks, cut too late or skipped. We pack the base, cut the joints on time and pour early in the day rather than in midday heat, which can leave a weak, dusty top. Any slab can crack, but done this way the cracks usually stay in the joints where you won't notice them.
Cambridge, MA
Call about your Belmont driveway or patio
Getting on the schedule early leaves room for Belmont's approvals, so your pour doesn't get pushed into a stretch of bad weather.