Concrete Contractor in Cambridge, MA - Driveways and Steps Planned Before the Pour
Formcraft Medford Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Medford that builds driveways, patios, steps, walkways and garage floors for Cambridge homeowners, plus slab and foundation work for property owners across the city.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Cambridge houses and the concrete around them
On our jobs in Cambridge, we mostly see older houses set close together, with plenty of two- and three-family homes, narrow driveways and small back yards. Most calls are to replace concrete that has simply worn out, like front steps, short driveways, walkways and back patios on houses that have been around a long time. The houses and lots look a lot like what we see in Somerville and Arlington, and so does the work.
Room to work shapes nearly every job here. With a house on each side and cars parked out front, we plan how the concrete gets from the truck to the forms, and where the old slab goes, before we set a date.
Concrete work we do for Cambridge homes
Concrete driveway building
A narrow driveway beside an older house usually needs the old slab broken out and the base dug and packed again, so the new one doesn't sink.
Concrete patio construction
When a small back yard is your main outdoor space, we set the patio's slope so rain runs out into the yard and away from your foundation.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete pressed with a brick or stone pattern gives a small patio or front walk an older look that sits well beside the houses here.
Concrete sidewalk building
We replace front walks and side paths that have heaved into trip hazards, and we brush the top as it sets so shoes grip when it's wet.
Garage floor concrete
Older detached garages often have cracked floors that hold puddles, so we pour a new slab pitched slightly toward the door to let water run out.
Decorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes let a front entry, step landing or courtyard pick up the brick and trim of an older house.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard drops toward the street or the next lot, a poured wall holds the dirt back so the patio or driveway above it stays put.
Concrete floor installation
We pour new basement and ground-floor slabs in older buildings when the old floor has cracked, sunk or been torn up during a renovation.
Concrete pool decks
Where a back yard has room for a pool, we pour the deck around it with a textured top for bare feet and a slope that sheds water.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps that have crumbled at the edges or settled away from the door get formed and poured new, sized to the doorway and the sidewalk.
Slab foundation building
A garage, addition or outbuilding on a tight lot starts with a slab that's dug, formed and poured to the plan before anyone frames on it.
Foundation installation
An addition to an older home needs new foundation walls tied into what's already there, so we plan the dig around the existing house and the lot line.
Concrete parking lot building
Multi-family buildings and small businesses with a shared lot get a slab thick enough for daily traffic, sloped so water runs off instead of pooling.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches and small additions sit on footings, the concrete pads that carry the weight into the ground, and we pour them before framing starts.
Foundation raising
When part of an older house has settled and the floors slope or the doors stick, we look at what's underneath and raise that section back up.
Concrete cutting
In tight basements we saw a clean strip out of the slab for a new drain line, or cut a wall opening, without breaking up the whole floor.
Get a free written estimate for your Cambridge concrete job
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out, look at the site and send you a written estimate that's free, spells out what's included and comes with no obligation.
(781) 628-7780- estimates@medfordconcreteconstruction.com
- Based in
- Medford, MA 02155
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Working in Cambridge: permits, access and what to check
In Cambridge, building permits come from a building inspector at the city's Inspectional Services Department, and the permit has to be issued and posted at the job before any work starts, so the pour date waits on it. Whether your job needs one is the building official's call, so I check with the office before I put it on the schedule, and when it does need one, we handle the application and tell you up front that we're the ones pulling it. If the house is a designated landmark or sits in a historic or neighborhood conservation district, the Cambridge Historical Commission has to approve the work as well, which adds a step before any date is set. When you're comparing contractors, ask to see their state Home Improvement Contractor registration, and know that a business working in Cambridge under a name other than its owner's has to file a business certificate with the city. We're licensed and insured.
Here, the price mostly follows access and what's under the old concrete. A driveway between two houses, or a back patio you can only reach through a side gate, means more hand work and sometimes a pump to get the concrete to the forms. An old slab full of rebar, the steel bars set inside to hold it together, takes longer to break out and haul off. The schedule turns on the permit, any historic review and the weather on pour day, and your estimate shows what the number covers. On busy residential streets we plan where the truck parks and keep the sidewalk open, the same way we work in Winchester and the other cities around Medford.
Why concrete around Cambridge houses sinks and cracks
A lot of the concrete around Cambridge houses went in decades ago on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it has settled along with the ground under it. That's usually where sinking steps, walks that tip toward the house and patios that hold water come from. We dig down to firm ground, pack the subgrade, the layer the slab sits on, and check where the water runs before we set the forms, so the new slab falls away from your foundation.
Winter does the rest. Water that gets into a crack freezes and pries it wider, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack instead of a random one, while the concrete is still fresh. We also pour in the morning rather than in midday heat, which leaves a weak, dusty top.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Cambridge
Here's the order things happen in, from your first call to the day we clean up and hand the driveway or patio back to you.
Call us or send the form
Call (781) 628-7780 or send the form with a few lines about the job, and we get back to you to set a time for the visit. It helps if you can be home so we can walk the spot together.
Walk the site together
I look at the old concrete, how we'll get to it and where the water runs, ask what you're after and send you a written estimate. It spells out what's included and what isn't, so you know what the number covers before you decide.
Line up permits and pour
If you go ahead, I line up any permit, the materials and the pour date, and I tell you the order things happen in, with the work kept to the city's construction hours. A permit review or a rainy forecast can push the date, and I'll tell you when it does.
Let it cure, then clean up
After the pour we keep traffic off while the slab cures, the time it needs to harden before it can take weight, and we clean up and haul away what's left. I keep you posted until the job's done and you're back on it.
Questions about concrete work in Cambridge
Do I need a building permit for concrete work in Cambridge, MA?
Cambridge requires a building permit to build, alter, repair or demolish a structure, and it lists ordinary repairs, as the Building Code defines them, and small sheds as work that needs no permit. An addition or alteration to an existing building, such as a new foundation or an addition's slab, needs a regular building permit, because the city's short form is limited to things like window replacement and interior remodels. For a driveway, patio or walk, we confirm with the city before we schedule, and you can read the rules on Cambridge's building permits page.
How do I get a building permit for a concrete project in Cambridge?
Cambridge issues building permits to construction supervisors licensed by the city or the state, and to homeowners doing work on a one- or two-unit house they live in or plan to live in. On our jobs, the application is ours to file, as noted above, so you aren't the one chasing it.
Does a concrete contractor need to be registered in Massachusetts?
Yes, if the work is on an existing, owner-occupied home with one to four units, Massachusetts requires the contractor and any subcontractors to be registered as Home Improvement Contractors. When the job is estimated at $1,000 or more, the law also requires a written contract between you and the contractor that includes certain terms.
What hours can contractors work in Cambridge residential areas?
In residential areas, Cambridge allows construction Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Work on Sundays or holidays takes a special permit from the Police Department, so we schedule breakouts and pours inside the weekday and Saturday hours.
What affects the cost of a concrete driveway in Cambridge?
The cost of a Cambridge driveway comes down to its size and thickness, how hard the site is to reach and which finish you choose. A plain broom finish, the brushed texture that gives tires and shoes grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete, and pouring steps or a walk on the same day can save a second setup. If you need to trim the budget, cut the finish before the base, because the base is buried on day one and it's what keeps the slab from sinking.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can usually walk on a new slab well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps getting stronger for days as it cures, and cool weather slows that down. You're also without the driveway while we break out the old one and set the forms, so when we set the pour I give you a date for each stage, including when cars can go back on it.
Medford, MA
Start planning your Cambridge concrete job
Calling while the old slab is still usable lets us plan the breakout and the pour back to back, so you're without your driveway or steps for less time.