A tired patio on a solid slab
If the patio is solid but stained, faded or just plain, an overlay can give it a new pattern and color without breaking out the concrete underneath it.
Decorative concrete in Somerville MA - a new look for your patio or walkway
Your patio or walk is faded, stained or plain gray. A stamped surface or an overlay can give it a finish you actually like.
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What decorative concrete means for your patio
Decorative concrete in Somerville gives a patio or other paved area a new look, either with a new stamped concrete surface or with an overlay on the slab you already have.
The slab you have now moves the price more than anything, because an overlay over a sound slab is a lighter job than breaking out the old concrete, packing a new base and hauling the debris away. After that it comes down to the size of the area, the pattern and colors you pick, and how easily our crew and the concrete can reach your yard on a tight city lot.
The schedule turns on that same slab check, on whether the city needs a permit for your area, and on curing, the wait while new concrete hardens before you can use it. We check with the city's building office early, before we settle the plan, and the estimate I send after seeing your slab gives you the figure for your own job.
One person from estimate to finish
I come out to look at the job myself and stay on it through the work, so you're not explaining your patio to someone new each week. Our crew does the digging, forming, pouring and finishing.
The plan before the pour
I walk you through the plan before we pour, from the pattern to where the rainwater will run, because once concrete sets, changing your mind means breaking it back out.
A clean site and calm neighbors
We leave the site cleaner than we found it and keep the trucks and dust in check, because you still live next to these people long after our crew is gone.
How we handle a decorative concrete job
I start by looking hard at the slab you have, because it decides whether we're choosing between a stamped surface and an overlay or whether the choice is already made. I look at the cracks, the low spots, the edges and where the water goes when it rains, and I'll tell you plainly what I see. If it's an overlay, our crew cleans and repairs the surface before anything goes on. If the old slab has to come out, we dig it out, pack the subgrade, the ground and gravel the new slab sits on, and set the forms so the finished surface falls away from your house.
On a stamped job the pattern and color are what everyone sees, and the base is buried on day one. When a budget gets tight, that's where people want to cut, and it's the one place I won't, because a pretty surface on a base that settles will crack and sink like the old one did. We pour at a time of day when the top won't dry out too fast and turn weak and dusty, cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack instead of a random one, and let it cure fully before anyone uses it.
Before we're done, I lay out the resealing your new surface will need and roughly when, so the upkeep doesn't catch you off guard. We bring the same care to the rest of what we build, from concrete retaining walls that frame a stamped patio to concrete floor installation indoors.
Where decorative concrete makes sense around the house
A patio that has to come out
When the old slab has cracked through or sunk, we replace it with new stamped concrete, so the fresh pattern sits on a base we built to hold it.
Front walks and entry paths
A stamped or colored front walk is the first thing visitors cross, and on a narrow city lot it's often the one stretch of concrete with room for a finish.
Pool surrounds and back steps
A textured decorative surface around a pool or at the foot of the back steps gives more grip underfoot than smooth concrete, and it can match the patio beside it.
Get a free on-site estimate for your slab
We reply to every message within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the slab, measure, talk it through with you and then send the estimate, with no pressure to book.
Send a few photos
Photos of the patio or walk as it is now, cracks and low spots included, help me see early whether an overlay is worth talking about or whether to plan for new concrete.
Give us the rough size
A rough length and width is plenty, because the size of the area shapes the estimate and tells us early whether the city's permit rules come into the job.
Mention a historic district
If your house is in a Local Historic District, the city asks you to apply through the city before any work goes ahead, so we want to know that from the start.
Concrete patterns, colors and layouts to compare
These photos show stamped patterns, colors, overlays and patio layouts we can talk through together, so you have something to point at when we meet.
Questions about decorative concrete in Somerville
Here are the questions Somerville homeowners usually ask about cost, permits, resurfacing and upkeep before they settle on a decorative finish.
How much does stamped concrete cost near Somerville?
Stamped concrete in the Boston area usually costs about $10 to $25 per square foot for a new stamped surface. Where your job lands depends on the size, the pattern and colors, and whether the old slab comes out first. Stamped concrete usually needs resealing every two to three years, so count that as part of owning it.
Do I need a permit for a patio in Somerville?
Yes, if the new pavement covers more than 30 square feet. Somerville's Engineering Site Construction permit covers patios that size, repairs over 100 square feet, and paving within 24 inches of the property line for more than 5 feet. Driveway work or a curb cut change needs the city's Driveway & Pavement Permit. When the paperwork is yours, we tell you what to bring.
Can my old concrete patio be resurfaced instead of replaced?
It can if the slab is structurally sound and the trouble is only on the surface, like stains, wear or a dull finish. Structural problems call for replacement, and no overlay will cover them for long. I'll tell you which one you have when I come out for the estimate.
How long does a concrete overlay last?
A properly installed overlay on a sound slab usually lasts 10 to 15 years, sometimes longer when it's resealed every 2 to 5 years. That resealing comes back again and again over the overlay's life, so it's worth budgeting for from the start rather than finding out about it later.
Can I use salt on new decorative concrete the first winter?
No. National concrete industry guidance says to skip deicing chemicals the first winter and use them in moderate amounts after that, so plan your snow and ice routine before the work starts. The same guidance ties less surface flaking to a dense mix with entrained air, tiny bubbles mixed in on purpose, plus good placing and curing, so ask any contractor how they handle that.
Does a patio contractor need to be registered in Massachusetts?
Yes, if the work is on an existing home you live in with one to four units, because Massachusetts requires that contractor to be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor. Work estimated at $1,000 or more also needs a written contract with certain required terms. We're fully licensed and insured, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Concrete work that goes with decorative finishes
Let's look at your slab together
The sooner I see it, the sooner we can check permits with the city, so call (617) 284-0921 or send the form today.