Concrete Contractor in Kittery, ME - Slabs Built for Coastal Maine Winters
Portsmouth Concrete Works is a concrete contractor based in Portsmouth, NH. We cross the Piscataqua to pour driveways, patios, steps, garage floors and foundations for homeowners in Kittery, ME, and our own crew does the work.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Concrete work for Kittery homes, old and new
The short answer: Yes, Portsmouth Concrete Works takes concrete jobs in Kittery, ME. I come over from Portsmouth to look at each one myself. Our own crew builds driveways, patios, walkways, steps, garage floors, footings and foundations here, and we handle repairs like cutting out and replacing a cracked or sunken slab.
Kittery sits right across the river from us, so the drive is short and the work feels familiar. Around Kittery Foreside the houses tend to be older and closer together, with tight side yards where a mixer truck can't always reach the back, so we work out how the concrete gets there before we plan the slab. Out toward Kittery Point and along the water the lots open up, but the ground is often wet or rocky. Farther inland you find newer houses on bigger lots. We do the same kind of work next door in Eliot and up the coast in York.
On an older house, the first thing I check is where the roof and the yard send their water. A lot of the cracked and sinking slabs we tear out here were poured on dirt that stayed wet, so we fix the drainage before we pour anything new.
What Kittery winters and old yards do to concrete
Freezing winters cause most of the trouble. Water that sits under a slab freezes and pushes the concrete up, then lets it drop when it thaws. After a few seasons of that you get cracks, a heaved step, or a driveway that pools water at the garage door. So we dig out the soft dirt and pack a gravel subgrade, which is the layer the slab sits on. Then we slope the surface away from the house, so the water runs off instead of under it.
Older homes bring their own puzzles, and I like that kind of job. Walkways settle against old foundations, patios got added in pieces over the years, and sometimes nobody knows what's under a slab until we open it up. We saw out only the part that's failing and check the old base before we decide what stays.
Concrete services we offer Kittery homeowners
Concrete driveway building
When your driveway has heaved from frost or holds puddles by the garage, we tear it out, rebuild the base and pour a new slab that drains.
Concrete patio construction
A back patio on a coastal lot needs a packed base and a slope away from the house, so rain and snowmelt run off instead of under it.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walkway the look of stone or brick, which suits older Kittery homes. We seal it so winter salt does less harm.
Concrete sidewalk building
We replace walks that roots or frost have tipped, and we cut control joints, grooves that give the concrete a straight place to crack instead of a random one.
Garage floor concrete
We break out an old garage floor that's cracked, dusty or pitched wrong, then repour it so meltwater off your car runs toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Color, exposed stone or a scored pattern can dress up an entry or a pool area. Underneath, it gets the same packed base and drainage as plain work.
Concrete retaining walls
When a sloped yard keeps washing out, we build a concrete wall on footings. Drainage behind it lets water out instead of pushing on the wall.
Concrete floor installation
For a basement, workshop or barn that needs a new floor, we prepare the base and set rebar, the steel rods that hold the slab together, then finish it smooth.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck needs a surface that drains fast and isn't slick, so we slope it away from the water and give it a light texture for grip.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older Kittery houses often pull away from the foundation or crumble at the edges. We rebuild them on a proper footing so they stay put.
Slab foundation building
For a garage, addition or shed that sits on a slab, we dig out and pack the base, then pour a slab sized and reinforced for what it carries.
Foundation installation
A new house or a big addition starts with its foundation. We form and pour the walls on footings and plan the drainage around them before backfill.
Concrete parking lot building
For a shop or rental property, we build parking areas that stand up to plows and steady traffic, with a deeper base and drainage planned before the pour.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches and additions sit on footings. We dig them below frost depth so Maine winters don't heave the posts out of line.
Foundation raising
When a corner of the house has sunk, we find out why first. Then we raise and support it so it stops resting on the same weak ground.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings for doors, drains or new utility lines. We can also cut out one cracked section so the rest of an old slab can stay.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Kittery job
Tell us what you're planning and where in Kittery, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit. I come out myself to walk the site, then send you a free written estimate. There's no obligation and no pressure to book.
Working in Kittery: permits, paperwork and what moves the price
Building permits in Kittery come from the Code Enforcement office, which reviews residential building work. When a job needs a permit, the pour date waits on that review. On lots in a shoreland or resource protection zone, the same office also handles permits to remove trees or brush, which matters if a patio means clearing near the water. If you want to check who you're hiring, Kittery's guidance is that a business using a trade name files that name with the Town Clerk, and an LLC or corporation files with the state. We're fully licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Before we set a date, we find out what Code Enforcement needs and help pull together the sketches or site plans it asks for. The price moves with the size of the slab, what has to come out, what's underneath and how close a truck can get on a tight lot. The schedule turns on any permit review and on the weather, because we don't pour on frozen ground. Your written estimate gives you the figures for your own job. We work the same way across the river in Portsmouth and down the coast in Rye.
What to expect when you call us about a Kittery job
Here's how a concrete job in Kittery usually goes with us, from your first call to the cleanup, and where Kittery's permit steps fit into the schedule.
- Step 01
Tell us about the job
Call or send the form with what you're planning, and we'll reach back to set up a site visit. A rough idea of size and what's wrong with the old slab helps me come prepared.
- Step 02
I walk the site
I come out myself, look at the ground, the slope and where the water runs, and ask how you'll use the space. Your written estimate spells out what's driving the price, so nothing on it comes as a surprise.
- Step 03
Permits and a pour date
Once you're ready, we sort out any permit questions and pick a date with the season in mind. Kittery says inspections on permitted projects may need 48 to 72 hours' notice, so we build that lead time into the plan.
- Step 04
Base, pour and cleanup
Our crew digs out and packs the base, and I'm on site for the pour, the finishing and the joint cutting. You don't need to be home that day, and we clean up before we leave.
Kittery concrete questions we hear most
Does a concrete patio need a permit in Kittery, ME?
It can, so check before you pour. Kittery's permit FAQ says renovation work needs a permit when it involves an accessory structure such as a garage or pool, a structural change, a change to the building's footprint, or materials and labor worth more than $2000. We ask Code Enforcement about your job before we book a pour date, so nobody is guessing.
Who issues a driveway permit in Kittery, Maine?
Kittery's Public Works Department does. Adding or paving a driveway calls for a Driveway Entrance Permit, and you apply for it online. It's separate from a Code Enforcement permit, so on a new or repaved driveway we check both before the pour.
Do I need a permit for a shed or garage slab in Kittery?
Yes. Kittery says all structures need a building permit, sheds included, and a garage counts as an accessory structure. Applications go through Kittery's online permitting portal, and we wait for approval before we pour the slab.
How do I keep a new concrete slab from cracking like the old one?
No slab is crack-proof, but you can keep cracks small and inside the joints instead of running across the middle. That takes a packed base and control joints cut on time. It also means pouring early in the day, because midday heat leaves a weak, dusty top. Then the slab needs time to cure, the slow hardening that gives it strength, before anyone uses it.
How long does a new concrete driveway take to cure before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on it within a few days, but your car has to wait longer because concrete keeps getting stronger well after it looks dry. Cold weather slows that down, so when we finish we tell you when each is safe, based on the weather that week.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Kittery, ME?
I price each Kittery driveway after seeing it, because the cost comes mostly from its size and what's under it. Tearing out an old slab and bringing in extra gravel for a wet spot both add to the bill. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you choose a plain broom finish, a light swept texture for grip, than cut corners on the base, since a bad base can't be fixed without tearing the slab out.
Tell us about your Kittery concrete job
Call (603) 956-1034 any weekday until 11 PM, or send the form with a short description of the work, so I know what to look for when I come out.