Concrete Contractor in Quincy, MA - Driveways, Patios and Steps Built on a Solid Base
Cornerstone Quincy Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Quincy, MA. We pour driveways, patios, steps, walks and garage floors for homeowners here, and slabs and foundations for small property owners and builders.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Quincy homes and the ground under them
Most of our calls come from homeowners around Quincy, and the houses tell me a lot before I even look at the concrete. Much of the city is older single-family homes and two-families on tight lots, with driveways squeezed between houses, front steps that meet the sidewalk and patios tucked into small back yards. A lot of the old concrete we break out here was poured on whatever dirt was there, which is why it has sunk, cracked or tipped toward the house.
Near the shore and the marshes, the ground stays wetter and drains slower. The work is much the same next door in Braintree, but between the tight lots and the wet ground, more of a Quincy job happens below the surface, in the digging, the packed base and the slope that carries water away from the house.
Concrete work we do on Quincy properties
Concrete driveway building
Quincy driveways are often narrow and tucked between houses, so we dig out the old slab, pack a new base and slope the pour toward the street.
Concrete patio construction
In small Quincy back yards the patio usually sits right against the house, so we set its height and slope to send rain away from the foundation.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick, which suits Quincy's older homes, but it still needs a packed base like any slab.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks in Quincy take frost, shoveling and salt every winter, so we pour them on a packed base with a broom finish, a brushed texture for grip.
Garage floor concrete
Older Quincy garages often have cracked, sunken floors that hold water and road salt, so we break them out, rebuild the base and pour a new slab.
Decorative concrete
Colored or textured concrete can pick up the brick or stone on an older Quincy house, and we pick finishes that hold up through our winters.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a Quincy yard or driveway is cut into a slope, a wall holds the soil back, and we drain behind it so water doesn't push it over.
Concrete floor installation
Basements, workshops and additions on Quincy properties need a flat, dry floor, so we start with a packed base and deal with moisture before the pour.
Concrete pool decks
A Quincy pool deck takes bare feet, splash water and winter freezes, so we give it a textured surface for grip and slope it away from the pool.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older Quincy houses often heave, crumble or pull away from the house, so we rebuild them on a solid base with even, comfortable step heights.
Slab foundation building
Garages, sheds and small additions on Quincy lots often sit on a slab, so we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground it rests on, first.
Foundation installation
Small property owners and builders in Quincy call us for foundations on new homes and additions, formed and poured to the plans, with drainage worked out first.
Concrete parking lot building
Small apartment buildings and shops around Quincy need lots that take traffic, plows and salt, so we build a heavier base and plan where the water goes.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches, additions and walls on Quincy properties need footings, the concrete pads under the load, set on firm ground so they don't heave or settle.
Foundation raising
When an older Quincy house sits on a low or failing foundation, raising it and pouring new walls underneath is a bigger job we plan with you first.
Concrete cutting
We cut openings, trenches and clean edges in Quincy driveways, basement floors and walls, which saves tearing out a whole slab when only part has to go.
Get a free written concrete estimate for your Quincy home
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out and measure. The written estimate is free, and there's no obligation to hire us.
(617) 691-5008- Based in
- Quincy, MA 02169
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
What to know before a concrete job in Quincy
Before we set a pour date in Quincy, I check with the local building office on whether your job needs a permit, and if it does, we pull it ourselves so the paperwork is settled before the truck is booked. Under state rules, a building permit for home improvement work has to carry the contractor's active Home Improvement Contractor registration number, and so do the contract and the contractor's ads, so that number is worth looking for when you compare bids. A contractor working under a trade name also has to file a business certificate with the clerk in the city where they're based before the state will register them. We're fully licensed and insured.
Quincy streets are often narrow with cars parked on both sides, so part of planning a job here is working out where the mixer truck can stand and how far we'll wheel concrete to the back of a tight lot. That access, along with how much old concrete comes out, how much soft fill we replace with a packed base, the size of the slab and whether it needs rebar, steel bars set inside to hold it together, is what moves the price, and stamped or colored finishes add to it. The schedule mostly turns on the forecast and on curing, the days new concrete needs to harden before you use it, and your written estimate lays out what's included. We plan jobs the same way in Weymouth and Milton, where the driveways and the winters are much the same.
Why Quincy driveways and patios crack and sink
Quincy winters are hard on concrete because water that gets into cracks or under a slab freezes, swells and lifts it, then lets it drop when it thaws, over and over until the slab tips or breaks. Road salt tracked in from the street adds to the damage, chipping the top of driveways, walks and garage floors. That's why we put our effort into the base and the drainage before we think about the finish.
On a lot of older houses, the patio or walk has settled until it falls toward the foundation, and every rain ends up against the basement wall. Before we set a single form, I check where the water runs so the new slab sends it away from the house.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Quincy
Here's what happens from your first call to the day you can use your new concrete, who you'll deal with and when you need to be home.
Call or send the form
Tell us what you have in mind, and we'll call back to set a time for me to come out. Try to be home for the visit so we can walk the site together.
I measure and write it up
I look at the old slab, the ground and where the water goes, measure, and talk through what you want. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, so you can see where the money goes before you decide.
Permit, prep and the pour
If the job needs a permit we pull it, then pick a pour date with the forecast in mind, since heat and rain both affect the top. My crew digs out, packs the base, sets the forms and pours, and you don't need to be home for it.
Care walkthrough after the pour
Once the pour is done, I walk you through how to care for the concrete while it cures and when it's ready for feet and then for cars. Keeping traffic off it during that wait is a big part of how well it holds up.
Questions about concrete work in Quincy
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Quincy, MA?
The cost of a Quincy driveway comes down to its size, what has to be torn out first, how much base work goes underneath and how easily the truck can reach it. The base is the first thing people ask to cut because nobody sees it on day one, and it's the last thing I'd cut, because a nice finish on a soft base cracks and sinks just the same. You get your number in a written estimate after I've seen the site.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack in Quincy?
Most cracks we see here come from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settles with the dirt and the frost lifts it unevenly. Pouring in midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top, and control joints, the grooves cut across a slab so it cracks along a line we choose, are often cut late or skipped. Concrete can still crack, but with a packed base, joints cut on time and a pour planned around the weather, a crack usually stays in the groove where it belongs.
How do I know if a concrete contractor is properly registered for my Quincy home?
If your home is an existing, owner-occupied house with one to four units, any contractor or subcontractor who bids on or does the work has to be registered with the state as a Home Improvement Contractor, and that number belongs on your permit and contract. That registration is separate from a Construction Supervisor License, and one doesn't stand in for the other. Ask any contractor you're comparing for both where the job calls for them.
Who has to oversee construction on a one- or two-family home in Massachusetts?
A licensed construction supervisor or a registered design professional has to oversee construction on one- and two-family homes and their accessory structures, like a garage, of any size. Massachusetts doesn't recognize contractor licenses from other states, and the state building code has its own language on when a homeowner doing the work is exempt. For anything extra a Quincy job may need, state guidance says to check with the local building official.
When do I need a written contract for concrete work in Massachusetts?
Under the state's home improvement rules, you and your contractor need a written contract for any job estimated at $1,000 or more, and the law spells out certain things it has to include. Our estimates already come in writing with what's included spelled out, so you can read the whole job before you sign anything.
What building code applies to concrete work in Quincy, MA?
Quincy follows the Massachusetts State Building Code, which covers every building and structure in the state. One- and two-family homes, townhouses up to three stories and their accessory structures, like a garage or shed, fall under the code's residential rules, and other buildings fall under its general rules. We build to the part of the code that fits your property.
Quincy, MA
Plan your Quincy concrete job with us
A site visit is the only way to see how your ground drains and what's under the old slab, and that's what your price really rests on, so call (617) 691-5008 or send the form.