Concrete Contractor in Cambridge, MA - Driveways, Patios and Steps on a Packed Base
M&K Cambridge Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Cambridge, MA. We pour driveways, patios, steps, walkways and foundations for houses across the city, and I'm on site with our crew for every job.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Cambridge concrete work on older homes and close lots
We're based in Cambridge, and most of our calls here are for the concrete around a house, like the driveway, the front steps, the back patio and the foundation. A lot of the city is older two- and three-family houses set close together, with a narrow driveway between neighbors, a short run of steps to the sidewalk and a small yard out back, and the streets in Somerville and Belmont next door look much the same to us.
On lots that tight, there's often no room for a truck to back in, so before the pour we plan how the concrete gets to the spot, where the rain will run once the slab is down and how close the new edge can sit to the house or a neighbor's fence.
Concrete services for Cambridge houses and lots
Concrete driveway building
Narrow driveways between Cambridge houses carry a car every day, so we dig out the old base and pack fresh stone instead of pouring over what failed.
Concrete patio construction
A small back yard often has one good spot for a patio, and we set the slab so rain runs away from your house and toward the yard.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walkway the look of stone or brick in one pour, which suits an older house and leaves no loose pavers to reset.
Concrete sidewalk building
Walkways from the street to your door crack and lift over the years, so we pour new ones with a broom finish, a brushed texture for grip.
Garage floor concrete
Older detached garages here often have a cracked, sunken floor, so we break it out, fix the base and pour a slab that drains to the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored or textured concrete lets a front entry or patio match the brick or stone already on the house, which matters on a street of older homes.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard drops to a driveway or a neighbor's lot, a concrete wall holds the dirt back, and we give water behind it a way out.
Concrete floor installation
Basements and additions in older houses need a new floor now and then, and we pour it over a packed base so it stays flat under a finished room.
Concrete pool decks
Where a Cambridge yard has room for a pool, we slope the deck away from the water and give it a textured top for bare feet.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps down to the sidewalk are among our most common calls here, and we rebuild them with even step heights on a solid footing.
Slab foundation building
A slab foundation suits a new garage, addition or small outbuilding on a level Cambridge lot, and we check the forms and grade before any concrete arrives.
Foundation installation
When an addition or rebuild needs full foundation walls, we pour them on proper footings and work around the houses close on either side.
Concrete parking lot building
Shared parking behind a three-family house or a small building takes more traffic, so we plan the slab thickness and drainage for several cars.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches and additions on older houses need footings that reach firm ground, and we dig and pour them to what the plans call for.
Foundation raising
When an older house has settled unevenly or its foundation has failed, we raise it so the concrete underneath can be repaired or replaced.
Concrete cutting
Cutting lets us open a basement floor for a drain line, take out one damaged section or widen an opening without breaking out more than needed.
Get a free estimate for your Cambridge concrete job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll come out, measure and write up a free estimate that lists what's included and what isn't, with no obligation.
(617) 613-6953- Based in
- Cambridge, MA 02139
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What a Cambridge concrete job goes through before we dig
Building permits in Cambridge are issued by a building inspector at the city's Inspectional Services Department, and a permit has to be in hand and posted at the job site before any work starts, so on permitted work the permit sets the earliest day we can dig. We check what each job needs with the building office, and when a permit applies we take it out ourselves as your contractor and keep it posted. If your house sits in a historic district or a neighborhood conservation district, is a designated landmark or is under a preservation restriction, the Cambridge Historical Commission has to approve the work as well, so tell me at the estimate and we'll plan for that time.
Before you hire anyone for concrete here, check the contractor's state registration, which the questions below explain, and check that a company working under a name other than the owner's own has filed a business certificate with the city. We're fully licensed and insured. The price of a Cambridge job moves with the size of the slab, how much old concrete and base comes out, the finish you pick and how easy it is to get concrete to the spot, which on a narrow lot or a busy street can matter as much as the slab itself. The schedule turns on the permit and the weather, and we meet the same lots and the same questions next door in Watertown.
Why older Cambridge houses end up needing new concrete
A lot of the concrete around houses here was poured decades ago, often on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so driveways sink, steps pull away from the house and walks tilt. When a slab falls toward the house, rain runs at the foundation instead of away from it, and water that gets underneath and freezes keeps lifting it each winter. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, pack a new base on top and set the slope so water heads for the yard or the street.
Weather is the other half. A slab poured in midday heat dries too fast on top and can turn weak and dusty a few years later, so in summer we start early and keep the surface damp, and we won't pour on frozen ground.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Cambridge
From your first call to the day we clean up, here's how a job goes with us and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send us a message
Call (617) 613-6953 or use the form and tell us what you're seeing, like a sinking driveway, cracked steps or a patio you want. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I come out and measure
I measure, check where the water runs and ask what you need, and it helps if you're home so we can walk the spot together. The estimate spells out what's included and what isn't, so you know what you're paying for before we start.
We plan the permit and pour
Once you're ready, we sort out any permit and pick a pour day around the weather. The city allows construction in residential areas Monday to Friday from 7 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday or holiday work needs a special permit from the Police Department.
We pour, finish and clean up
Our crew digs out, packs the base, sets forms, pours and cuts the joints, with me on site the whole time. Before we leave, we clean up and tell you when you can walk on the slab and when you can drive on it.
Questions about concrete work in Cambridge
Do I need a building permit to replace a concrete driveway or steps in Cambridge, MA?
Work that builds, alters, repairs or demolishes a structure needs a building permit from the city, and ordinary repairs as the Building Code defines them are exempt. The quick short-form permit only covers things like windows, doors, insulation and some interior remodels, so a foundation, footings or other changes to the house itself go through the regular permit. For a driveway, walkway or patio, we confirm with the building office on each job instead of assuming.
How do I get a building permit for concrete work in Cambridge?
Your contractor usually applies, because the city issues building permits to construction supervisors licensed by the city or the state. You can also apply yourself if the work is on a one- or two-unit house you live in or plan to live in. If you're not sure which way to go, ask me at the estimate.
Does a concrete contractor in Massachusetts need to be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor?
Yes, when the job is on an existing home you own and live in with one to four units, the state requires the contractor and any subcontractors to be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor. For work estimated at $1,000 or more, you and the contractor also need a written contract with the terms the law requires. Ask to see both before any work starts.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Cambridge, MA?
There's no set price, because I measure each Cambridge driveway and price it from what I find, especially how much old base has to come out. On older lots that hidden digging and packing is often where the money goes, and it's the first thing people want to cut. I'd rather you skip a fancy finish than skimp on the base, because a nice top on a bad base still sinks.
Will a new concrete driveway in Cambridge crack like the old one?
Concrete can crack as it shrinks and moves, so the goal is to keep it from sinking and to control where any crack goes. We pack the base, add rebar, steel bars that hold the slab together and keep cracks tight, where the job calls for it, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack. Most old slabs we tear out had a thin base and joints cut late or not at all.
How long does a new concrete driveway take before I can drive on it?
Usually you can walk on it well before you can drive on it, and I give you both dates for your slab before we pour. That wait is curing, the stretch when concrete hardens and gains its strength, and a car on it too early can crack it or mark the top. Heat and cold change how fast it cures, so the dates depend on the week we pour.
Cambridge, MA
Plan your Cambridge concrete job with us
Call (617) 613-6953 or send the form, because an early visit leaves time to sort out any permit or historic review before the pour date you have in mind.