Right outside the back door
This is the most common spot, and the hardest on drainage, because the slab meets the house and any water it holds ends up against your foundation.
Concrete patio construction in Somerville MA - a slab that drains away from the house
Bare yard by the back door or an old slab that puddles? We pour a patio pitched to send rain out into the yard.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What building a concrete patio involves
Concrete patio construction in Somerville means we dig out the yard, pack a firm base and pour a slab that's pitched to drain, with a texture that isn't slippery when it's wet.
The price mostly follows the size of the slab, how much old concrete or soft dirt has to come out, and how hard it is to get material into the yard, which on a tight city lot can mean a lot of wheelbarrow trips. A plain broom finish costs less than color or a pattern, and steps or a tie-in to an existing walk add to it. Your own figure comes in the estimate I send after I've measured and we've talked it through.
The schedule turns on the ground more than anything, because we pour only on firm, dry ground, so a wet or cold stretch moves the date. We check with the city's building office early, before we settle the plan, and file what's ours to file. We're fully licensed and insured, and the state requires a Home Improvement Contractor registration for work on an owner-occupied home with one to four units, so that's a fair thing to ask anyone you're comparing.
You deal with me throughout
I come out to look at your yard myself and I stay on the job through the pour, so the person who planned the pitch is there when the concrete goes in.
You see the plan first
Concrete is hard to undo, so I walk you through where the slab sits, which way it pitches and where the water ends up before anything gets poured.
A clean site and calm neighbors
We leave the yard cleaner than we found it and keep the work considerate, because on a tight Somerville lot your neighbors live with the job too.
How our crew builds your patio
Most patios here sit right up against the house, so we pitch the slab to carry water out into the yard, and before we set forms I look at where that water will actually go. Much of Somerville is already covered in pavement and buildings that soak up no rain, so a new patio's runoff needs a sensible path, away from your foundation and out into the yard.
The base is where I won't cut corners. We dig out the soft dirt and pack down the subgrade, the ground the slab actually rests on, because dirt that's only raked level keeps settling and the slab settles with it. The base is hidden by the end of the first day, which makes it the first thing people want to trim from a budget, and I'd rather you spend there than on a fancier finish.
We pour early in the day rather than in midday heat, which leaves a weak, dusty top. A broom finish, a light texture dragged across the wet surface, gives your feet grip when it rains, and 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. Then it cures, the wait while it gains strength, and I'll tell you when it's ready for feet and when the furniture can go back. If you'd like color or a pattern, that's our stamped concrete services, and concrete sidewalk building can tie the patio to the driveway or the gate.
Common patio jobs on Somerville lots
Replacing a cracked, sunken slab
When an old patio has sunk or split, we break it out and check what's underneath, because a soft base or trapped water usually did it and would do it again.
Small yards with tight access
Plenty of yards here sit behind the house with a narrow way in, so we plan how the concrete gets back there before pour day instead of figuring it out with a truck waiting.
Room for a table and grill
We size the slab around how you'll use it, with space to pull chairs back, because a patio that's a foot too small gets outgrown and a bigger one costs more.
Get a free on-site estimate for your patio
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, measure, talk it through with you and then send the estimate, free and with no pressure to book.
Its rough size
A rough length and width is plenty to start, since size drives most of the digging and material, and I'll measure properly when I come out.
How close it sits to the house
Tell us whether the patio touches the house or sits out in the yard, because that sets how the slab pitches and whether it meets a door or steps.
How many units the home has
Let us know if it's a one, two or three family or bigger, since the city's rules on who applies for the building permit change with that number.
Patio, walkway and stamped finish examples
Example photos of broom-finished slabs, stamped patterns and patio shapes, to help you pick a texture and layout we can talk through.
Questions about patios in Somerville
These are the questions homeowners ask most about where to put a patio, when to pour it and what paperwork comes with it.
Should my concrete patio slope away from the house?
Yes. National building guidance says a patio slab within 10 feet of the foundation should slope down and away from it. So if your patio sits beside the house, expect a gentle tilt out toward the yard, which keeps rain off your foundation walls. I'll show you which way it runs before we pour.
Can I pour a concrete patio in the fall in Somerville?
Yes, as long as the ground is firm, dry and not cold, because concrete shouldn't go onto wet or chilly ground. A Michigan concrete trade group notes that an October or November pour may not get the 30 days of drying it wants before deicers go down, and it advises using deicers lightly until the slab is a year old.
Who gets the building permit for a patio in Somerville?
If you live in your own one or two family home, you can get it yourself, and for three or more units a licensed contractor has to apply. The city requires a building permit for all interior and exterior work except painting, tiling and flooring. Call the city's Inspectional Services Department at 617-625-6600 ext. 5600 to book a preliminary meeting about your patio.
Do I need a written contract for a patio in Massachusetts?
Yes, if the work is estimated at $1,000 or more, because state law requires a written contract between you and the contractor with certain required provisions. Read it before you sign, and make sure what's written matches what we walked through on site, from the slab's size to which way it pitches.
How does a concrete patio hold up through Massachusetts winters?
A patio stands up to freezing better when the mix includes entrained air, a network of tiny, evenly spread bubbles that national guidance says gives room to relieve pressure as the concrete freezes. It's a fair thing to ask about for your patio, and I'll tell you what's in the mix we order.
Work that often goes with a patio
Call us about your new patio
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job, and an early call leaves us room to wait for firm, dry ground instead of rushing your pour.