Concrete patio construction in Merrimack NH - a patio that drains away from your house
Bare spot out back, or an old slab that's cracked, sinking or holding puddles? We build a patio on solid ground that stays flat.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What goes into building a concrete patio in Merrimack?
Concrete patio construction in Merrimack, NH starts with digging out and packing a solid base and forming the slab so water runs away from your house. Then we pour, finish and joint it so your patio stays flat through the winters.
Most patio calls come from people who have a bare spot out back they want to use, or an old slab that's cracked, tipped or holding water. The price moves with the size, how much digging and base work the ground needs, how easy it is to get concrete to the spot and the finish you choose. The schedule turns mostly on the weather and on whether your job needs a permit first. I'll give you your own figure when I come out and see the spot.
How do you know your patio needs replacing?
Cracks that keep growing
A crack that widens each spring or has one side higher than the other usually means the ground under the slab has moved, and the problem isn't just on the surface. If you wait, water gets in, freezes and breaks off pieces along the edges.
One corner sinking
When a corner or an edge tips down, the base under it usually wasn't dug out and packed, so it settled along with the dirt. It drops a little more every season and turns into a tripping spot and a place for water to sit.
Water pooling against the house
Puddles that sit after rain, or a slab that slopes toward your back wall, mean the water is going where it shouldn't. Left alone, it soaks along the foundation and freezes into ice on the patio every winter.
How we handle concrete patio construction
We start by walking the spot with you and laying out the control joints, the shallow cuts that give the slab a planned place to crack, and by checking how water will leave the slab so the patio falls away from the house. Then our crew digs out the soft topsoil down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab actually sits on, and brings in base material that we pack in layers, because a base that's only raked level settles with the dirt under it. We set forms, place rebar, steel bars that hold the slab together if it does crack, where the job calls for it, and pour early enough in the day that the top doesn't dry out before we can finish it. We give it a broom finish, a light brushed texture that keeps feet from slipping when it's wet, cut the joints on time and let it cure, which is the wait while the concrete gains strength, before anyone puts weight on it. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you spend it on the base than on a fancy surface, because the base is the part you never see again and the part that decides whether the patio stays flat.
A patio rarely stands alone. If you want something other than plain gray, we can press a pattern and color into it with stamped concrete, and if you need a path from the driveway or back door, we can pour a concrete sidewalk on the same job. Wherever the patio meets a walk, steps or the garage slab, we put in an isolation joint, a soft strip between the two, so each piece can move on its own without cracking the other.
Plain broom-finish slab
This suits most backyards and most budgets, because more of the money goes into the base and the textured top gives good footing. It's also the simplest surface to keep up.
Stamped or colored surface
This suits a patio that's the centerpiece of the yard, when you want it to look like stone instead of a gray slab. It costs more because the pattern has to go in while the concrete is still workable.
Patio tied to a walk or steps
This suits a patio you'll reach from the driveway or a back door, since building the pieces together keeps the levels matched. It also keeps the water running the same way from one piece to the next.
Get a free on-site estimate for your new patio
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. 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 happens when you call about a patio in Merrimack?
Here's how a patio job runs from your first call to the day you're out there using it, and who you'll deal with at each step.
Call or send the form
You call (603) 377-5028 or send the form, and we set a time for me to come see the spot. Tell us roughly how big you want the patio.
I come out and look
I look at the ground, ask how you'll use the patio and check where water runs now, then leave you an estimate on site. You'll have your price in hand before I drive away.
We prep the ground right
Once you say go, we help you find out which office handles your job, get any paperwork moving, then dig out and pack the base. That office decides what your job needs, and we work to what they ask.
I run the pour myself
I'm there with our crew for the pour, the finish and the joint cuts. Before we leave, I tell you how long to keep off it and what to watch for in its first winter.
Why Merrimack homeowners hire Quality Merrimack Concrete for patios
I write every estimate myself
I come out to look at each patio job and write the estimate, and I'm on site with our own crew when we pour. You deal with the same person from the first visit to the last joint cut.
In business since 2013
I started this business in 2013 after years on restaurant lines, where you learn that prep and timing decide how the plate turns out. Concrete works the same way, so we take our time where it counts, under the slab.
Licensed and insured on your property
We're licensed and insured, so you aren't carrying the risk while a crew and a concrete truck work in your yard. It's a fair thing to ask any contractor before you sign.
Pours timed for New Hampshire weather
We plan pours around the heat and cold here, because concrete that dries too fast at midday or gets hit by a hard frost can end up with a weak, dusty top. If the forecast turns, we'd rather move the day than gamble with your slab.
Ready to talk through your patio? Send us your details or call (603) 377-5028, and I'll set a time to come look at the spot.
Patio work and permits in Merrimack, NH
The Town of Merrimack decides whether your patio needs a building permit and takes applications online, so we help you check with the town and get the paperwork moving before we dig. Yards near the water have one more step. If your property sits within 250 feet of the state's reference line on a lake, pond or impoundment over 10 acres, or on certain year-round rivers and streams, it's in the protected shoreland, and the NH Department of Environmental Services says projects there typically need a shoreland permit. The state also counts a patio there as impervious area, a surface rain can't soak into, unless it's designed to let water through. So tell me early if you're near the water, and we'll check with the right office before we plan the slab.
Most patios here go off the back of a house onto fill that went in when the house was built, and that fill often settles over the years. That's why the old slabs we're asked to replace have usually tipped toward the house or cracked at the edge. We see the same thing on jobs in Nashua and Bedford, and we check for it before we quote.
Questions about concrete patios in Merrimack
How much does a concrete patio cost in New Hampshire?
A concrete patio in New Hampshire usually costs about $8 to $16 per square foot. That's a statewide figure, and where yours falls depends on the size, how much base work the ground needs, how easy the spot is to reach and the finish you pick. I'll give you your own number at the estimate.
Will my new concrete patio crack?
Most concrete cracks somewhat, since cracking can't be prevented entirely, but well-planned joints control where it happens and keep it small. Poor base work is the other big cause, because a base that settles leaves the slab uneven and badly drained, and that leads to cracks. That's why we take our time on the base and the joint layout described above.
Can you pour a concrete patio in cold weather in New Hampshire?
Yes, as long as the concrete is properly mixed, placed and protected. A pour counts as cold weather when the air is down to 40°F, or expected to drop below it, while the new concrete is being protected, and concrete placed then still gains enough strength and durability with the right care. A late-fall pour needs a plan to keep the slab protected, and we'll talk it through if your job lands then.
What is the best concrete mix for a patio that goes through freezing winters?
One admixture maker's guide points to air-entrained concrete, which holds microscopic air pockets that relieve the pressure when water inside the slab freezes. It's a fair question to ask any contractor, us included, what mix they plan to use for your patio.
Should I seal a new concrete patio?
A penetrating sealer can help, and one maker's guide says it cuts down on water and salt soaking in and on freeze-thaw damage without making the surface slick or shiny. The same guide puts its protection at typically 5 to 10 years when it's properly applied. We can talk through whether it makes sense for your patio at the estimate.
How do I protect a new concrete patio in its first winter?
Skip the deicing salt that first winter, because one maker's guide says deicers speed up scaling and surface damage on new concrete. The same guide suggests sand instead when you need grip on ice.
Other concrete work that goes with a patio
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a plain slab the look of slate, brick or fieldstone, which suits owners who want something warmer than gray without the upkeep of loose pavers.
Concrete sidewalk building
A new patio is easier to reach and keeps mud out of the house when a concrete walk connects it to the driveway, side door or front steps.
Service areas around Merrimack, NH
Quality Merrimack Concrete is based in Merrimack, New Hampshire, and builds patios across the cities around it. The 12 areas below each have their own page, from Manchester to Tyngsborough, MA, and we work in plenty of places nearby that aren't listed.
Merrimack, NH
Book a visit to see your patio spot
Send a few photos and the rough size in square feet with your call or form, and mention any lake, pond or river nearby so I come out ready.