Concrete driveway building
We dig out the soft ground, pack a solid base and slope the driveway away from your garage, so it holds up to daily parking instead of settling with the dirt underneath.
Concrete contractor in Amherst, NH - driveways and patios planned around town permits
Manchester Concrete Works is a concrete contractor based in Manchester, NH, building driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs for homeowners in Amherst. I come out to every job myself and work alongside our crew on the pour.
How we handle concrete jobs in Amherst
Amherst is a short drive from our base in Manchester, through Bedford, and we do the same kind of work in nearby Nashua. Jobs here run from steps and walks at the older houses around the village common to driveways and patios at newer houses on lots farther out. Many of the village homes are Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival, so new concrete beside them should look plain and settled. We're licensed and insured, and before work starts we check with the Town of Amherst building department about your job. When a permit is needed, we handle the paperwork for our part of the work or help you file it.
What moves the price is mostly the size of the job, how much digging and base work the ground needs, whether old concrete has to be broken out and hauled away, and the finish, since stamped or colored concrete takes more labor than a broom finish, the plain brushed texture that gives your shoes some grip. The schedule turns on whether a permit or an approval has to come first, and on curing, the days new concrete needs to harden before you walk or drive on it. Your own figure comes from the estimate, where I write down what the price covers so you know what you're buying before you sign.
The base matters more than the finish
Most sinking starts in the subgrade, the ground under the slab, so if money's tight I'd trim the finish before the base, because a bad base can't be fixed without tearing out the slab.
Joints that tell cracks where to go
Concrete shrinks as it hardens, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give it a straight place to crack. Cut late or skipped, the cracks pick their own spot.
I'm there from estimate to pour
I walk your site myself before we price it and work alongside our crew on the build, so the person who explained the plan is there on pour day.
Concrete work we do in Amherst
Concrete patio construction
We pitch the patio so rain runs into the yard instead of toward your back door, and set it at a height that makes the step out of the house easy.
Stamped concrete services
We press a stone or brick pattern into the concrete while it's soft, a look that can sit well beside an older Amherst house, and we explain the upkeep before you pick.
Concrete sidewalk building
We build front walks and paths to the driveway on a packed base with a slight pitch, so water runs off them instead of puddling where you step.
Garage floor concrete
We pour new garage floors and replace cracked or sunken ones, sloping the slab slightly toward the door so water off the car drains out instead of collecting by the wall.
Decorative concrete
Colored concrete, exposed stone finishes and borders around a plain slab let you dress up a patio or walk, and we'll show you samples so you see the color before it's poured.
Concrete retaining walls
On sloped yards a poured retaining wall holds the soil back, and what keeps it standing is the footing below ground and a way for water behind it to drain out.
Concrete floor installation
We pour interior slabs for basements, workshops and outbuildings, setting a vapor barrier under the concrete where it's called for so ground moisture doesn't come up through the floor.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to drain away from the water and give bare feet some grip, so we pitch it carefully and choose a finish that isn't slick when it's wet.
Concrete steps construction
We rebuild steps that have cracked or pulled away from the house, tie them together with rebar, steel rods set inside the concrete, and keep each step the same height.
Slab foundation building
For an addition, garage or shed on a slab, we dig to firm ground, build the base and set forms to the plans, because everything built on top needs a level slab.
Foundation installation
We pour footings and foundation walls for new homes and additions from your plans, checking layout and level before the concrete comes so the framing crew starts on a true base.
Concrete parking lot building
For businesses and larger properties, we build lots for the traffic they'll carry, with the grade worked out so water heads to the drains instead of pooling by the entrance.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches, sheds and additions all sit on footings, the concrete pads under the posts and walls, and we dig them to the depth your plans call for, down to firm soil.
Foundation raising
When a corner of the house or a slab has sunk, we find out why it moved before we raise it, because lifting it without fixing the cause usually means it settles again.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut concrete for new doorways, utility trenches and clean edges where an old slab meets a new one, so a repair doesn't break into the good concrete next to it.
Book a site visit for your Amherst concrete job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll walk the site with you, explain what I see and write down what the price covers, free and with no pressure to book.
Tell us what you're seeing
A line about the problem, like a driveway that's sinking, water pooling by the garage or steps pulling away, helps me know what to look at when I come out.
Your options laid out plainly
If there's a choice between finishes, or between repairing a slab and replacing it, I'll tell you what each one means for your budget and which one I'd pick.
Our promise on the work
We put it plainly. Satisfaction guaranteed. The estimate spells out what's included, so you know what you're getting before anyone sets a form.
Amherst concrete questions about permits and inspections
These come up when Amherst homeowners plan a driveway, patio, shed slab or addition, mostly about what the building department needs before we pour.
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or shed slab in Amherst, NH?
Check with Amherst's building department first, since a new driveway or a slab for a shed can need one. Building permits are usually required there for new buildings, sheds and additions, and the forms page lists a separate driveway permit. The department suggests talking plans over with the Building Official before construction, and that's a call we make before we start.
Do I need historic district approval for concrete work in Amherst village?
Often, yes. The Town of Amherst says most projects in the Historic District Commission area need its approval before a building permit is issued, for new construction or additions that change a building's outside or the property's features, sheds included. If your house is in the village district and you're planning a shed slab or an addition's foundation, that approval comes first, so we plan around it.
How much notice does Amherst need to schedule a building inspection?
Usually one or two days. On permitted work, Amherst requires on-site inspections to make sure the job matches the permit, local and state codes, and the plans, and the Building Official tells you about how many to expect. So we build that notice into the schedule on footings and foundations.
Cities we serve for concrete work
These are the cities with their own page on our site, and they aren't the only places we work. If yours isn't listed, call or send the form and ask.
Plan your Amherst concrete job with us
Call (603) 591-9259 any day until 9 PM, or send the form, and we'll talk through your job and the permit question early.