Concrete Contractor in Durham, NH - Slabs and Driveways Built on a Packed Base
Portsmouth Concrete Works pours driveways, patios, walks, steps, garage floors and foundations for homeowners in Durham, NH. I come out to look at each job myself, and our own crew digs out, packs the base and pours.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Concrete work in Durham, as we see it on jobs
The short answer: Portsmouth Concrete Works is a concrete contractor based in Portsmouth, NH, and Durham is one of the nearby cities where we pour new slabs, replace failing ones and build foundations. I look at every Durham job myself before we price it, because what's under the slab and where the water runs matter more than the finish on top.
In Durham we get called for flatwork, the driveways, patios, walks and garage floors that sit right on the ground, plus steps and the odd foundation for a garage or an addition. We see older houses with short, tight driveways and walks that have been patched more than once, and houses farther out on bigger lots with long driveways and a barn or shed that needs a floor. It's a short drive from our base in Portsmouth, and we do the same kind of work just up the road in Dover.
A sloped yard or a tight side lot takes more figuring, and I like that kind of job. Plenty of older slabs here sit on dirt that was raked level and never packed, so the job usually starts with breaking out the old concrete to see what's really under it.
Why Durham driveways and slabs end up needing work
The call usually starts with something you can see, like a driveway that's sunk at one edge, a patio with a crack running across it, or water pooling against the foundation after a rain. Under most of those is a subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, that settled because nobody dug it out and packed it, or a slab pitched toward the house instead of away from it. We dig down to firm ground, pack the base in layers and set the pitch so water runs off before we think about the finish on top.
Lots near the water or a wetland raise another question, because Durham's rules on setbacks, wetlands and shore protection can decide where a new patio or a wider driveway goes. I ask about that on the first visit, and we lay out the slab and its drainage to fit the room you actually have.
Concrete services we offer Durham homeowners
Concrete driveway building
When an old driveway has sunk or holds puddles, we dig it out, pack a new base and pour a slab that sheds water away from the house.
Concrete patio construction
A back patio works best when it's sized for how you'll use it, so we ask about grills, tables and foot traffic before we set the forms.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick, but the base comes first, because a pattern can't hide a slab that settles.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks that sink or tip into trip edges get replaced with a packed base and control joints, cut lines that tell the slab where to crack.
Garage floor concrete
A cracked or dusty garage floor can be broken out and repoured thick enough for your vehicles, with the floor pitched so drips run to the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored or textured finishes suit an entry or a patio beside an older house, and we talk through color and texture so it sits well beside your siding.
Concrete retaining walls
On a sloped yard, a concrete retaining wall holds the ground back and gives you flat space, as long as water behind it has somewhere to drain.
Concrete floor installation
Basement, barn and shop floors get a packed base, steel where the load calls for it and a finish that suits how the space gets used.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck needs to drain away from the water and stay comfortable underfoot, so we pitch it and give it a texture that isn't slick when wet.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps that have cracked or pulled away from the house get rebuilt on new footings, and we set them to meet your door at the right height.
Slab foundation building
For a garage, shed or addition on a slab, we lay out the footprint, pack the base and pour with rebar, steel bars that hold the concrete together.
Foundation installation
New foundation walls for a house or an addition start with footings and a dry, packed base, and we plan drainage around them before the walls go up.
Concrete parking lot building
For a small business, church or multi-unit lot, we build a heavy slab on a deep base and lay it out so water runs off instead of sitting.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches, sheds and additions need footings, the concrete feet that carry the load down to firm ground, sized and placed where the plans call for them.
Foundation raising
When a corner of the house or a slab has dropped, we look at why it moved first, because lifting it without fixing the cause just buys time.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings in old slabs for drains, doorways or a repair, which lets us open up a problem spot without breaking out the whole floor.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Durham concrete job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a time to see your place in Durham. The estimate is free, done at your property, and there's no pressure to book.
Working in Durham: what gets settled before we pour
In Durham, most building work starts with a written application to the Code Enforcement Officer, and the Town of Durham requires building permits for most construction and renovation projects, so we settle that before a pour date goes on the calendar. I check what the office needs and help pull together the sketches, site plans or drawings they ask for, and we're fully licensed and insured. Your price turns mostly on the size of the job, how much has to come out before we can build a good base and the finish you choose, while the schedule turns on the permit and the season, and your written estimate puts a figure on your own job.
Access is the other thing I look at on a Durham job, because a concrete truck has to get close enough to the forms, and a narrow side yard, a soft lawn or a long driveway can mean a pump or wheelbarrows and more crew time. Older houses close to the road leave little room to stage, so we plan where the truck sits and how the base material comes in before pour day. It's the same planning we do in Exeter and Stratham.
How a Durham concrete job goes once you call
Here's how a Durham job runs from your first call to a slab you can use, with the city's permit review built into the timing so the pour date isn't a guess.
- Step 01
Call or send a message
Call (603) 956-1034 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit. You don't need measurements or a plan yet, just a rough idea of what you want.
- Step 02
I walk the site
I come out myself, look at the old slab and the slope, see where the water goes and ask how you'll use the space. You get a written estimate, so you know the cost before you decide anything.
- Step 03
Sort out permits and dates
Once Durham's office has everything it needs, a building permit generally takes a week to ten days, up to two weeks in summer and up to four weeks for a large residential project. We set the pour date with that wait and the season in mind.
- Step 04
Prep, pour and clean up
Our own crew digs out, packs the base and sets the forms, and I'm on site for the pour. We finish the surface, cut the joints, clean up and tell you when the slab has cured enough to walk on and then to drive on, since concrete keeps hardening well after it looks dry.
Questions about concrete work in Durham, NH
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Durham, NH?
Often, yes, and Durham's permit application forms even include a separate driveway permit application. Durham's code also asks for at least 24 hours notice before permitted work starts, and building work done without a permit carries a penalty fee of twice the normal fee or $100, whichever is greater, once the permit is issued. That's why we check your project first, as described above.
Which building code applies to concrete work in Durham right now?
The New Hampshire State Building Code applies statewide, Durham included, and it sets the minimum for all buildings and structures. Through December 31, 2026, permit requests can go in under either the 2021 or the 2024 codes, and starting January 1, 2027, they all follow the new ones, such as the 2024 International Residential Code with New Hampshire amendments. If your project starts near the turn of the year, we work out which one your permit falls under before we draw anything.
How do I check if my Durham property is in a flood zone?
Start with FEMA's MSC or NFHL flood map viewer, which FEMA calls the best place to begin for an official flood zone finding on a property. If your lot sits in a flood or historic area, tell me at the estimate, because we plan around that review from the start.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Durham, NH?
A Durham driveway is priced on its size, how much old concrete and soft ground has to come out, how deep the new base goes, whether it needs steel, the finish and how far the truck has to reach, so your figure comes from your written estimate. If the budget's tight, I'd keep the base and go simpler on top, because the base is what keeps the slab from settling, and a plain broom finish, light grooves that give tires and boots some grip, still looks clean.
What causes a concrete driveway or patio to crack and sink?
Most cracking and sinking starts with the base, because a slab poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed settles as that dirt does. Water running toward or under the slab, a pour in midday heat that leaves a weak, dusty top, and joints cut late or skipped all add to it. We pack the base, pitch the slab away from the house and cut the joints on time, so the slab has a planned place to crack.
How do I get started on a new garage slab or addition foundation in Durham?
Start with a plot plan certified by a registered land surveyor, because Durham asks for one before a new building goes on a lot or a footprint gets bigger, and it shows the distances the building keeps from every lot line. For a minor addition that doesn't reach into one of those setback areas, it can be waived. Once the plan's in hand, I can walk the site and price the footings and slab.
Call about your Durham concrete job
Our phone is answered until 11 PM on weekdays and 9 PM on weekends, so you can call (603) 956-1034 after work or send the form whenever it suits you.