Concrete contractor in Somerville, MA - slabs laid out for tight city lots
D&L Malden Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Malden, MA. We pour driveways, patios, walks, steps, garage floors and foundations for homeowners and builders on Somerville's tight city lots.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Concrete work on Somerville's packed residential streets
The short answer: D&L Malden Concrete Company does concrete work across Somerville, from a driveway squeezed between two houses to a back patio, a set of front steps or a foundation for an addition. I come out to look at every job myself, and our crew does the work with me on site.
Most of what we pour here goes in around two- and three-family houses on small lots. The driveway is often shared, the side yard is only a few steps wide, and the backyard sits behind the house with no straight way in for a truck. A lot of those blocks look like the older streets we work in next door in Cambridge and Medford, where every foot of yard gets used.
Many of these houses are old, and so is the concrete around them, so a Somerville job usually starts with breaking out a tired slab and seeing what's underneath. On a lot this tight, we plan around where the water will go and how we get the concrete to the back before anything else.
Why older Somerville slabs sink, crack and hold water
A lot of the concrete we tear out here was poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled with the ground and cracked wherever it wanted. We dig down to firm subgrade, the soil the slab rests on, pack a stone base over it, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack instead of across the middle.
With houses this close together, roof and driveway water has very few places to go, and we often find old walks and patios pitched back toward the foundation. We check where the water runs before the first form goes in and slope the new slab away from your house.
Concrete services we offer Somerville homeowners
Concrete driveway building
When the driveway between your house and the next has sunk or split, we break it out, rebuild the base and pitch the new slab away from both houses.
Concrete patio construction
A small backyard patio does a lot of work on a city lot, so we lay it out around your back door, your table and the downspouts.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a front walk or patio the look of brick or stone in one pour, which suits an older house without the weeding of loose pavers.
Concrete sidewalk building
We replace front and side walks that have lifted or hold puddles, and finish the new one with a light broom texture for grip when it's wet.
Garage floor concrete
If the floor in your older garage is cracked, pitted or slopes the wrong way, we tear it out and pour a new slab that drains toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored and textured concrete lets a small front yard or entry look finished without crowding it, and we keep the joint lines where they suit the pattern.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a backyard steps up or down to the neighbor's, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back and gives you a level spot to use.
Concrete floor installation
For a basement or workshop floor that's cracked, damp or uneven, we pour a new interior slab over a packed base so the room is usable again.
Concrete pool decks
If you have room for a pool, the deck around it needs grip underfoot and a slope that sends splash water away from the pool and the house.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here often crack or pull away from the house, and we rebuild them on a solid base with even steps.
Slab foundation building
A slab foundation suits a garage, shed or small addition on a tight lot, and the steel rebar we set inside holds it together under load.
Foundation installation
For additions and rebuilds, we form and pour full foundations, working with your builder on layout and depth so the house above starts out square and level.
Concrete parking lot building
For a multi-family building with a shared lot behind it, we pour concrete parking areas graded so water drains off instead of pooling where tenants park.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches, additions and steps all start with footings, the concrete under the posts or walls, and we size and dig them for the load before pouring.
Foundation raising
When part of an older house has settled, foundation raising lifts it back toward level, and I'll tell you after the first visit whether it's the right fix.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches and clean edges in existing concrete, which matters on a tight lot where only part of a slab has to come out.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Somerville concrete job
Send the form or call (781) 288-8155, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out to your place in Somerville. The estimate is free and done on site, you get it in writing, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
Permits, licenses and access for Somerville concrete jobs
In Somerville, building permits come from the city's Inspectional Services, and the permit has to be issued before work starts and posted where it can be seen at the job. Your pour date waits on the city, so we get the application in early. Before you hire anyone for work on a one- to four-unit house you own and live in, check that the contractor holds a state Home Improvement Contractor registration, which is separate from a construction supervisor license, and one doesn't stand in for the other. A business certificate filed with the City Clerk's Office only records a business name, and the city is clear that it isn't a license to operate. We're fully licensed and insured. The price moves with the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how deep we dig for a solid base and how close we can get the truck, while the schedule turns on the permit and the season, and your written estimate gives you the number for your job.
Most Somerville side streets are narrow and lined with parked cars, so getting a concrete truck close is often the hardest part of the day. When the job is a back patio or a garage floor behind the house, we work out how the concrete gets from the street to the forms before we book the pour, and we stage the work so a shared driveway isn't blocked longer than it has to be. It's a different day from the longer, open driveways we pour in Winchester, and we plan it that way.
What to expect when you hire us in Somerville
Every job here follows the same order, because the base, the drainage and the permit all have to be settled before any concrete shows up. Here's what happens and when you'll hear from us.
- Step 01
Call or send the form
Call (781) 288-8155 or send the form with a few lines about the job, and we'll pick a time for me to come see it. It helps if you're home so you can walk me around the property.
- Step 02
Measure and write the estimate
I come out, measure, check where the water runs and ask how you'll use the space. You then get a written estimate that spells out the mix, the joints, the drainage and what's included, so you know what you're paying for before you decide.
- Step 03
Line up permits and marking
Before anyone digs, we apply for the permit, call to have underground lines marked and pick a pour date that suits the season. The date depends on when the city issues the permit, and we keep you posted until it does.
- Step 04
Pour, cure and walk through
Our crew digs, packs the base and pours with me on site, then we cut the joints and clean up before we leave. Afterward I walk you through curing, the days the concrete needs to harden before you use it, and what to do the first winter.
Somerville concrete questions homeowners ask us
Do I need a building permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Somerville?
Plan on one, because the city requires a building permit for all interior and exterior work on a house except painting, tiling and flooring, and concrete isn't one of those exceptions. If your job sits close to that line, the building division takes questions at 617-625-6600 ext. 5600 and can set up a meeting with an inspector. Work on a property in a Local Historic District also goes through a historic permit application in CitizenServe.
Can a homeowner pull their own building permit in Somerville?
Yes, if you own and live in a one- or two-family house, the city lets you get the building permit yourself. For a three-family house or larger, a licensed contractor has to apply for it. If you'd rather not deal with it, we file the application ourselves and keep you posted on where it stands.
Does my concrete contractor need HIC registration in Massachusetts?
Usually, yes, because the state requires Home Improvement Contractor registration for contracting work on an existing, owner-occupied home with one to four units, and most houses here fall in that range. If the job is estimated at $1,000 or more, you and the contractor must sign a written contract with the provisions the state requires. The contractor's active registration number also has to appear on the contract and the permit.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Somerville?
Your price comes from the written estimate after I've measured the site, because on Somerville lots the cost swings with truck access and what's under the old slab as much as with size. If you need to trim the budget, take it out of the finish, not the base. A plain broom finish over a well-packed base usually outlasts a fancy surface poured on dirt that was only raked level.
How long does a new concrete driveway need to cure before I can park on it?
You can usually walk on a new driveway within a couple of days, but cars have to wait longer while it cures, and I'll give you the date for your slab at the walkthrough. On a shared driveway, we sort out with you and the neighbors where everyone parks until then.
What causes concrete to crack, and will my new Somerville patio crack like the old one?
Old slabs here usually cracked because of a poor base and water, and a new slab can still crack, which is why we plan the joints so any crack lands in a straight line where we chose. We also watch the pour timing, since concrete placed in midday heat can end up with a weak, dusty top, so we pour early in the day.
Plan your Somerville concrete job today
We pick up until 10 PM on weekdays and 11 PM on weekends, so call (781) 288-8155 after work or send the form whenever it suits you.