Concrete Contractor in Somerville, MA - Driveways and Steps Built on a Solid Base
M&K Cambridge Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Cambridge, and we pour driveways, patios, steps, sidewalks and foundations for houses across Somerville, MA, from the dig-out and base work through the finish and cleanup.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Somerville houses and what they mean for concrete
Most of our Somerville calls come from older two- and three-family houses on narrow lots, where the driveway squeezes along the side of the house, the front steps land close to the sidewalk and a patio can take up most of the backyard. A lot of that concrete was poured decades ago, so we find cracked walks and driveways with sunken corners. We see the same kind of housing in Medford and back home in Cambridge.
Tight lots change how the job runs. When a truck can't get close, we move concrete by wheelbarrow or pump, and we stage the dig-out so a shared driveway isn't blocked longer than it has to be. Old yards also tend to hide fill and buried debris, so we dig until we reach firm soil before we pack the new base.
Concrete work we do on Somerville properties
Concrete driveway building
Narrow side driveways next to two- and three-family houses tend to sink at the edges, so we dig out the old base and pack new stone before pouring.
Concrete patio construction
A patio in a small Somerville backyard has to shed water away from the house and the neighbors, so we set the slope before we pour.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a small patio or front walk the look of brick or stone in one solid slab, which suits older houses with masonry trim.
Concrete sidewalk building
Walks from the front steps to the street take daily foot traffic and winter shoveling, so we give them a broom finish, a brushed texture for grip.
Garage floor concrete
Older detached garages often have cracked floors that hold water, so we replace the slab and pitch the new one toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored or textured concrete lets a small yard or entry look finished, and we pick a color that sits well with the brick or siding on the house.
Concrete retaining walls
Somerville's hills leave plenty of sloped yards, and a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back, with drainage behind it so water doesn't push the wall over.
Concrete floor installation
Basement floors in older houses are often thin, cracked or damp, so we pour a new slab on a packed base with plastic sheeting underneath to slow moisture.
Concrete pool decks
Pools are rare on tight city lots, but where one fits, we pour a textured deck for wet feet and slope it away from the water.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here often settle, crumble at the edges or pull away from the porch, so we rebuild them on footings with even step heights.
Slab foundation building
A slab foundation suits a new garage, shed or small addition on a compact lot, and we check the soil and drainage before forming it.
Foundation installation
When an addition or rebuilt porch needs a full foundation, we dig to firm soil and set rebar, steel rods that keep the concrete from pulling apart.
Concrete parking lot building
Small lots behind apartment buildings and corner shops take heavy turning traffic, so we pour them thicker over a deeper base and plan where the water goes.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches and additions on older houses need footings, the concrete pads that carry the weight, set deep enough that winter frost won't lift them.
Foundation raising
When a corner of an older house or garage has dropped, raising the foundation can bring it back toward level before cracks spread into walls and doorframes.
Concrete cutting
Older basements here often need new drain lines, so we cut clean openings in the slab without breaking up more concrete than the job needs.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Somerville concrete job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out myself to 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
Working in Somerville: permits, paperwork and what sets the price
Building permits here come from the city's Inspectional Services Department, and a permit has to be issued before work starts and posted where it's easy to see at the job site, so on a permitted job the city's approval sets the earliest day we can begin. We check what your job needs with the city, and when a permit applies, we take it out ourselves as your contractor and keep it posted. On your side, it's worth checking that whoever you hire holds a state Home Improvement Contractor registration, which is separate from a Construction Supervisor License. The business certificate the City Clerk's Office files for a company with a trade name is a different thing, and the city says it isn't a license to operate.
On narrow streets lined with parked cars, where the truck can stand and how far the concrete travels from there shows up in the price, along with the slab's size and thickness, how much old concrete comes out and how deep the base has to go. A stamped or colored finish adds to it. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather and the curing time before you can use the slab, and your own figures come in the written estimate. We price and plan work the same way in Brookline and the other cities around Cambridge.
Older slabs and winter wear on Somerville properties
Many Somerville houses have driveways, walks and steps that were poured long ago and have since settled, and the most common problem we find is a slab that now tips toward the foundation, so rain and snowmelt run right at the basement wall. Before we pour a replacement, I check where the water goes across the whole lot, then set the slope of the new surface so water runs away from the house and toward the street or a spot that can take it.
Winter is the other reason we get called, because shoveling, salt and frost go after a weak top surface first. On hot days we keep the pour out of the midday heat, since concrete that dries too fast on top turns dusty and starts to chip later.
How a Somerville concrete job runs, start to finish
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the day you can use the new concrete, with me as the person you deal with throughout.
Call or send a message
Call (617) 613-6953 or send the form with a few lines about the job, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit. You don't need measurements or photos, because I'll see the site in person.
I measure and write it up
I come out myself, measure, check the grade and drainage, and ask what you need, so it helps if you can walk the area with me. The written estimate lists what's included and what isn't, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
Permit first, then the pour
If the job needs a building permit, we take it out and post it at the site, so your start date follows the city's approval. We plan the pour around the weather, and I'm on site with our crew from the dig-out through the finish.
Curing before you use it
The new slab has to cure, slowly hardening for days after the pour, before it can take weight. We tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for a car, and we clean up before we leave.
Questions about concrete work in Somerville
Do I need a building permit for concrete work on my house in Somerville?
For work on the house itself, usually yes, because the city requires a building permit for all interior and exterior work on a house except painting, tiling and flooring. For a driveway, patio or walk, we check with the city before the schedule is set. If you'd like to ask yourself, the city's building office answers questions at 617-625-6600 ext. 5600 and can set up a meeting with a building inspector.
Can a homeowner get their own building permit in Somerville?
Yes, if you own a one- or two-family house and live in it, the city lets you take out the building permit for it yourself. For a house with three or more units, a licensed contractor has to apply. When you hire us, we take out the permit as your contractor, so you don't have to handle the application.
Does my concrete contractor need HIC registration in Massachusetts?
Yes, if the work is on an existing home of one to four units that the owner lives in, because the state requires anyone who bids on or does that work to be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor. The registration number has to appear on the permit, the contract and the contractor's ads, and on jobs of $1,000 or more the state requires a written contract with certain terms in it.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Somerville?
A Somerville driveway is priced on the things covered above, mainly its size, how much old concrete comes out and how hard the spot is to reach, and your figure comes in the written estimate after I've measured. If the budget's tight, I'd drop a stamped or colored finish before I'd skimp on the base, because the base is what keeps the slab from settling, and it's the one part you can't fix later without tearing the driveway out.
What causes concrete driveways and steps to crack and sink?
Most sinking and cracking starts with the subgrade, the soil and stone the slab sits on, when it was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settles along with the dirt. The other usual cause is control joints, the grooves cut so the slab cracks along a line we chose, being cut late or skipped. Concrete can still crack, but we dig out and pack the base and cut the joints on time so any cracks land where they're meant to.
How do I get approval for concrete work on a historic house in Somerville?
If your property is in a Local Historic District, proposed work goes through a Historic Permit application on the city's CitizenServe system. The same application applies when a building 75 years old or older, such as an old garage, is coming down. Tell me at the estimate if your house might be in a district, so that approval goes into the plan before we set a date.
Cambridge, MA
Plan your Somerville concrete job with us
Call (617) 613-6953 or send the form, and I'll walk the site with you and show you what's causing the cracks or pooling before you decide anything.