Concrete Contractor in Hudson, NH - Driveways and Patios Built on a Solid Base
Quality Merrimack Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Merrimack that pours driveways, patios, walks, garage floors, steps and foundations for homes and small businesses in Hudson, NH, with our own crew and me on site.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Hudson homes and lots as we see them
Hudson sits just across the Merrimack River from Nashua, close to our base in Merrimack, and we work here much the way we do in Londonderry next door. Most calls come from homeowners, in older neighborhoods with capes and ranches whose driveways have settled over the years, and in newer subdivisions where the builder's walk or garage slab is starting to show its age. We also pour pads, walks and parking areas for small businesses along the commercial roads.
Some yards here slope toward the house and some lots sit low near the river or a pond, so where the water goes decides how we dig, grade and pitch the slab before any concrete shows up.
Concrete work we do for Hudson homes and businesses
Concrete driveway building
When a driveway here has sunk at the garage or cracked across the middle, we dig out to firm ground, pack a new base and pour.
Concrete patio construction
A patio off the back of a Hudson ranch or colonial gets pitched away from the house, so rain runs into the yard instead of toward your foundation.
Stamped concrete services
On newer Hudson homes, stamped concrete gives a patio or front walk the look of stone or brick in one poured slab, without pavers to shift or weed.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks that have lifted or tipped where roots pushed under them get replaced with a packed base and joints cut where the cracks should go.
Garage floor concrete
Older garage floors here are often pitted, cracked or sloped the wrong way, and a new slab gives you a sound floor pitched toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Color, scoring or an exposed-stone finish suits a front entry when you want the concrete to go with the house instead of reading as plain gray.
Concrete retaining walls
On sloped Hudson lots, a poured retaining wall holds back a hillside or levels a yard, built on footings and drained behind so water doesn't push it over.
Concrete floor installation
Basement floors, shop floors and slabs inside additions get a packed base, a vapor barrier where it's called for and a smooth finish you can build on.
Concrete pool decks
Around an in-ground pool we pour a deck with a textured top for wet bare feet and a pitch that sends splash water away from the pool and house.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps that have cracked, pulled away from the house or gone uneven get rebuilt with even risers, steel inside and a grip finish on each tread.
Slab foundation building
For a garage, addition or shed in Hudson, we pour a slab foundation on a dug-out, packed base, set to the grade and size the plans call for.
Foundation installation
Builders and homeowners adding on call us for poured foundation walls, laid out from the plans and formed so the structure above sits square and level.
Concrete parking lot building
Small businesses along Hudson's commercial roads use us for parking areas, pads and approaches, graded so water drains off instead of pooling where customers walk.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches, additions and sheds all start with footings, and we dig and pour them to the depth and width your plans or the inspector call for.
Foundation raising
When part of an older house or garage here has settled, we look at why it moved first, then lift it and support it on firmer footing.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches and clean edges in existing slabs, so you can run a drain line or tie new concrete into old without breaking up the rest.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate in Hudson
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at the spot and leave you a free estimate on site, with no pressure to book.
(603) 377-5028- Based in
- Merrimack, NH 03054
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What we know about concrete work in Hudson
Building permits here come from the Town of Hudson Inspectional Services Division, and whether your driveway, slab or footings need one is their decision, so the first thing I do is help you find out and get the paperwork moving. You can also call them yourself at 603-886-6005, and once they've said what the job needs, that's what we build to. When a permit is needed, its review sits ahead of the pour on the schedule. We're licensed and insured, and you're welcome to see proof of insurance before you sign anything.
Price on a Hudson job comes down to how much old concrete comes out, how deep we dig to reach firm ground, the size and thickness of the slab, whether it gets steel or a stamped finish, and how close the truck can get to the spot. The schedule turns on the permit review if there is one, what we find once the ground is open, and the curing time, while the concrete hardens enough to take weight, and you'll get your own number in the estimate I leave on site. On the busier roads through Hudson we plan where the concrete truck sets up so it isn't blocking traffic or tearing up your lawn, the same way we run jobs over in Goffstown and the other cities around Merrimack.
Why Hudson driveways and patios crack and sink
A lot of the driveways and walks we look at in Hudson were poured years ago on a thin layer of fill, and the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, has been settling unevenly ever since. That's why you see a driveway that drops at the garage, a walk with one section tipped up, or a patio that holds a puddle by the back door. We don't pour new concrete over that, because it would follow the old ground down, so we dig out the soft material, bring in gravel and pack it in layers, and where a slab will carry a car we add rebar, steel bars that hold the concrete together if it does crack.
Water is the other half of it. Before we set a single form we check where your yard drains, then pitch the slab so rain runs away from your foundation, and we usually finish the top with a broom finish, light grooves dragged across the surface so it isn't slick underfoot.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Hudson
Here's how a job goes from your side, from the first call to the day you're back on your driveway or patio.
Call us or send the form
Tell us what you have in mind and where it is, and we'll set a time for me to come out. You don't need measurements or drawings ready.
I walk the spot with you
I look at the ground, check where the water runs and ask how you'll use the concrete, then leave you an estimate before I go. If you can be there, we can talk through which choices raise or lower the number.
We prep the ground and pour
Once you say go, we get any permit paperwork moving, and if your job needs a permit, its review comes before we set a pour date. Then we dig out, pack the base, and I'm on site with our crew for the pour and the finish.
Cut joints, clean up, explain
We cut the joints, clean up and tell you when the slab is ready for feet and when it's ready for a car. I also walk you through what to watch for in the first weeks after we leave.
Questions about concrete work in Hudson
Which building code edition can my Hudson permit use right now?
Through December 31, 2026, a permit request in Hudson can be filed under either the 2021 or the 2024 codes, and starting January 1, 2027, every request has to follow the updated codes. The state building code sets the minimum for all buildings and structures across New Hampshire. We build to whichever edition your permit goes in under, and to what the inspector asks.
How do I check whether there's an open building permit on my Hudson property?
Hudson posts every open building permit issued by Inspectional Services on its open building permits page, in the supporting documents section. If you've just bought the house or you're about to start work, it's a quick way to see what's already on file for your lot.
Where can I see flood maps for my lot in Hudson, NH?
The state's NH Flood Hazards Viewer shows floodplain mapping for Hudson, lets you compare the latest effective and preliminary FEMA flood maps, and can lay parcel boundaries over them for most of the state. FEMA's Map Service Center is the official online source for that flood information. If your lot shows up low on the map, tell me at the estimate, because it changes how we grade the base and where we send the water.
Is it worth paying more for the base under a concrete driveway in Hudson?
Yes, if the budget forces a choice, I'd put the money into the base and keep the finish simple. The base is the part nobody sees on day one, so it's the first thing people want to cut, but a plain broom finish on ground that's dug out and packed will outlast a fancy surface on a thin one. I'll show you at the estimate where your money goes and which choices move it.
How long does it take before I can use a new concrete driveway or patio?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, and I'll tell you when each is safe because it depends on the slab and how it's curing. Until then, keep cars, trailers and heavy loads off it, since a slab loaded too early can crack or take marks. Plan on parking somewhere else for a stretch while the driveway cures.
What causes concrete driveways in Hudson to crack and sink?
Most cracking and sinking starts under the slab, with a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or with water running toward the slab and softening the ground beneath it. The rest usually comes from control joints, the grooves cut across a slab so it cracks along a straight line we chose, that were cut late or skipped. We pack the base in layers, set the pitch before we pour and cut joints on time, so the cracks that do come tend to follow the joints instead of wandering across the driveway.
Merrimack, NH
Talk to us about your Hudson project
Call (603) 377-5028 or send the form, because one look at the spot answers what this page can't, like how deep the soft ground goes and where your water runs.