Concrete contractor in Lowell, MA - slabs built on a packed base
Solid Form Lowell Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Lowell, MA. We pour driveways, patios, steps and walkways for homeowners across the city, and for some small property owners and builders too.
Concrete work we do in Lowell
Every service below is available in Lowell, from a new driveway to a cracked set of steps. Tap one to read more, or call us to talk through your job.
- Concrete driveway building
- Concrete patio construction
- Stamped concrete services
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Slab foundation building
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
What we look at on Lowell properties
We're best known for driveways, patios and steps, and on any of them the first thing I look at is what's under the old concrete. Where a slab has sunk or cracked across the middle, the subgrade, the layer of dirt and gravel it sits on, was usually raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled and took the concrete down with it.
If the budget is tight, I'd rather you go with a plain broom finish, the light texture that keeps a slab from getting slick, than cut back on the base. Nobody sees the base on pour day, but you'll see what it did a few years later.
Where water runs
We watch which way the ground falls, because a new slab has to shed water away from your house, not toward the foundation.
Old concrete coming out
We check how thick the old slab is and whether it has rebar, the steel inside that holds it together, since that changes how it's broken out.
Getting in
Where a lot is tight or the yard is fenced, we look at how forms and the concrete truck reach the spot, because that can change how the pour is done.
Control joints
We plan control joints, shallow cuts that give the slab a place to crack in a straight line, before the pour so any crack lands where we chose.
Based in Lowell, working all around it
I started this business in Lowell in 2017, so jobs in the city are close to home. We also work the cities around it on both sides of the New Hampshire line, from Dracut to Chelmsford and Nashua.
I come out myself to look at the job and write the estimate, and it's written up so you can see what's included. Price mostly turns on the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how much base work the ground needs and the finish you pick.
The schedule turns on the permit and on curing, the wait while new concrete gains strength before you can walk or drive on it. We check permit rules with the City of Lowell on each job. Before I come out, have a rough size in mind and photos of the old slab if you have them.
- Area
- Lowell, MA
- Phone
- (978) 441-3345
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
- Based in
- Lowell, MA 01852
Tell us what you're pouring
Send a few lines about the job and where it is, or call. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
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(978) 441-3345Questions we hear in Lowell
Another question? Call (978) 441-3345
Who issues permits for concrete work in Lowell?
The city's Division of Development Services processes building permits and sends the inspectors for them, while a driveway needs a driveway permit from the City Engineer's Office instead. Small projects that meet zoning can go straight to Development Services at 978-674-4144. When your job needs a permit, we apply for it as the contractor and tell you which office is involved.
Does concrete work in downtown Lowell or the Acre need historic review?
Yes, projects in the Downtown and Acre districts need a review by the Lowell Historic Board. That's an extra step on top of the usual permit, so let me know at the estimate if your property is in either district and we'll plan around it.
Does a concrete contractor need to be registered in Massachusetts?
Yes, when the job is on an existing, owner-occupied home with one to four units, the state requires Home Improvement Contractor registration for anyone who bids on or does the work, subcontractors included. New construction and investment, vacation or second homes fall outside that law. We're licensed and fully insured.
Do I need a written contract for a concrete job in Massachusetts?
Yes, for work estimated at $1,000 or more, the state requires a written contract between you and the contractor with certain provisions in it. That fits how we already work, since our estimates are written up so you can see what's included before anything is poured.
Will my new concrete driveway crack like the old one did?
Any slab can crack, but bad cracking usually traces back to a base that was raked instead of dug out and packed, or to joints cut late or skipped. We do the base work first and cut the joints on time, so if a crack comes, it follows a line we picked.