Concrete Contractor in Waltham, MA - Driveways and Patios Set on a Packed Base
Excel Newton Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Newton, and we pour driveways, patios, steps, walks and foundations for houses across Waltham, MA, digging out and packing the base before any concrete goes in.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Waltham houses and the concrete that comes with them
Waltham borders Newton, where we're based, so a short drive puts us in plenty of Waltham driveways. On our jobs here we see a lot of older single- and two-family houses on close lots, with a driveway squeezed between two houses, a short front walk up to the steps and a back patio that's been patched more than once. Much of that concrete went in long before the people living there now, and it shows up cracked, sunk at one corner or holding water near the foundation.
They're the same calls we take in Brookline, and tight lots shape the job the same way, because there's less room for a truck, a narrow path for wheelbarrows and a neighbor's yard a few feet off, so I plan the tear-out and the pour around the access before I price anything.
Concrete services for Waltham homes and lots
- Concrete driveway building
When the driveway between two Waltham houses has cracked or sunk at the garage end, we tear it out, dig down, pack a new base and pour.
- Concrete patio construction
Back yards here are often small, so a concrete patio usually has to fit around steps, a fence and garden beds while sloping water away from the house.
- Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a front walk or patio the look of stone or brick, which suits older Waltham houses where plain gray can look out of place.
- Concrete sidewalk building
A front walk that's heaved into tripping edges is a call we get often here, so we remove it and set the new one on a packed base.
- Garage floor concrete
Older detached garages often have a floor that's cracked, pitted or tipped toward the back wall, and a new slab gives a flat, sound surface to park on.
- Decorative concrete
Colored, scored or exposed-stone finishes let a Waltham patio or entry match the brick and trim on the house instead of looking like a parking pad.
- Concrete retaining walls
Yards that step up from the street or slope toward a neighbor need a concrete wall to hold the soil back so a patio or driveway stays level.
- Concrete floor installation
Basements, sheds and additions in older houses sometimes have a thin or broken floor, and we pour a new one over a prepared base.
- Concrete pool decks
On Waltham yards with an in-ground pool, the deck needs grip for wet feet and a slope that sends splash water away from the house.
- Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older Waltham houses are often crumbling at the edges or pulling away from the porch, and we rebuild them with steel inside to hold together.
- Slab foundation building
For a new garage, shed or small addition on a tight lot, we pour a slab foundation on dug-out, packed ground so the building has a level start.
- Foundation installation
When you're adding onto an older Waltham house, the new foundation has to line up with the old one, and we pour the walls and footings to match.
- Concrete parking lot building
Lots behind Waltham shops and apartment buildings take cars turning all day, so we build them on a deeper, packed base meant for that traffic.
- Concrete footings
Decks, porches and additions on Waltham houses need footings, the concrete pads that carry the weight into firm ground, and we dig and pour them to the plans.
- Foundation raising
When a corner of an older house or garage has settled and doors stick or floors slope, we raise the foundation and set it on firmer support.
- Concrete cutting
On tight Waltham lots, cutting a clean opening for a drain line or a wider driveway lets us remove only what has to go and leave the rest.
Get a free written estimate for your Waltham concrete
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to look at the spot myself, and the written estimate is free, with no obligation.
Call (617) 644-7325Working in Waltham: permits, contractor checks and price
Building permits here come from Waltham's Building Department, which enforces the city and state codes on building work in the city. Its list of small projects names things like roofing, siding and kitchen remodels, not driveways or patios, so I check with the department before we start, and when a job needs a permit, we pull it in our name and set up the inspections, which means your start date waits until it's issued. Two checks are worth making on any contractor you call. Massachusetts requires Home Improvement Contractor registration for work on an existing, owner-occupied home with one to four units, which is separate from the construction supervisor license some projects need, and a business certificate is filed with the city clerk wherever a company keeps an office, so ask where theirs is. We're fully licensed and insured.
Price on a Waltham job moves with what we find in the yard. How much old concrete has to come out, how deep we dig and pack the base, how big and thick the new slab is and how close the truck can get on a narrow street or tight lot all count, and so does the finish, whether that's a broom finish, a light texture brushed across the top for grip, or stamping and color. The schedule turns on the permit, if there is one, and on getting the old slab out and the base ready before the pour. Your estimate comes written out so you can compare it with anyone else's, the same way we price jobs in Watertown and Belmont.
Old concrete on Waltham lots and why it fails
Most of the cracked, sinking driveways and walks we take out here were poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settled right along with that dirt, and plenty were pitched toward the house so rain ran to the foundation. When we redo one, we dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab really rests on, pack a base over it and slope the top away from your house. If the budget's tight, I'll tell you to save on the finish before the base, because you can dress up a sound slab later, but a bad base means tearing the whole thing out.
Two-family houses and close lots put more traffic on less concrete, with two households' cars turning on one short driveway. So we look hard at where the tires turn and where the water goes between the houses, and we shape the slab so it drains off your concrete and not onto the neighbor's.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Waltham
Here's how a job goes on your side, from the first call to the day I walk the finished concrete with you.
Call us and set a visit
You call (617) 644-7325 or send the form, and we set a time for me to come out. Being home for the visit helps, because how you use the driveway or patio shapes what I'd recommend.
Walk the spot with me
I look over the old concrete and where the water runs, ask how you use the space and walk you through your choices right there. You then get a free written estimate that spells out the mix, the prep, the cleanup and who handles any permits, so the price comes with its reasons.
We prep, pour and cure
Our crew works inside the hours the city posts, 7 am to 5 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or holidays, and we protect your yard and house as we go. We pour early in the day rather than in the midday heat so the top doesn't come out weak and dusty, then let the slab cure, the wait while it hardens, before anyone walks or drives on it.
Walk the finished work together
When it's done, I walk the work with you, show you how to care for it and tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for the car. We leave the site clean, since you're the one stepping past it every day.
Questions about concrete work in Waltham
How much does a residential building permit cost in Waltham, MA?
Waltham charges $12 per $1,000 for residential permits, with a $50 minimum fee. Permits for small projects may be paid for up front, and if your job needs one, the fee is part of what we talk through at the estimate.
Which building code applies to a concrete permit in Waltham?
Permit applications in Waltham have to meet the current, tenth edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code. For one- and two-family houses and townhouses of three stories or less, that means the code's residential volume, and other buildings fall under its base volume.
How do I check that a concrete contractor is registered in Massachusetts?
Ask for their Home Improvement Contractor registration number, because the state requires an active number on building permits, contracts and advertising for residential contracting. The rule leaves out new construction, buildings with more than four units and investment, vacation or second homes, so it's about the house you live in.
Do I need a written contract for a concrete driveway in Massachusetts?
Yes, when the job falls under the state's home improvement rules and is estimated at $1,000 or more, you and the contractor need a written contract with the provisions the state requires. Read it next to the estimate before you sign, so the base, the thickness and the cleanup you talked about are all in writing.
Why do concrete driveway quotes in Waltham vary so much?
Quotes usually differ in the parts you can't see after the pour, like how deep the base is dug and packed, how thick the slab is, whether there's steel in it and whether tear-out, hauling and cleanup are included. When one number comes in well under the rest, look at the base first, because it's the easiest place to save on day one and the costliest to fix later. Call (617) 644-7325 and I'll walk you through what each part of your quotes means.
What causes new concrete to crack, and will mine crack like the old one?
New concrete cracks because it shrinks as it dries and moves with the ground under it, so some cracking is normal and the real work is choosing where it happens. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack, while the concrete is still fresh, and we set rebar, steel rods that keep the pieces together if a crack opens. With a packed base under it, a crack in the new slab usually stays a hairline in a joint instead of a sunken corner like the old one.
Newton, MA
Get your Waltham concrete job priced
We answer (617) 644-7325 every day until 9 PM, so you can call after work or send the form tonight.