Concrete Contractors in Norfolk, VA

Norfolk presents concrete contractors with a challenge you do not see in many cities: the ground is barely above sea level. Wikipedia lists the city's elevation at 6.9 feet and describes it as low-lying, largely surrounded by water and slowly subsiding, with some areas that already flood at high tide. Every driveway, walkway and patio we pour here starts with one question: where will the water go?

Water first, concrete second

A 2013 Virginia Institute of Marine Science estimate projected a rise of five and a half feet or more by the end of the century if trends hold. You cannot fix that from your front yard, but you can make sure your concrete is not part of the problem. Here is how we approach it:

• Raise what we can. Where the grade allows, we set new slabs a little higher than the old ones and step down to the lawn.
• Pitch everything. Even a small patio gets a steady slope away from the house.
• Leave a path for runoff. We look at the downspouts, the yard and the street, and avoid creating a dam.
• Dense, sealed surfaces. Air-entrained concrete with a low water content and a penetrating sealer slow the soak-in of salty water.

Older neighborhoods, older slabs

Norfolk's popular residential areas include Ghent, Colonial Place, Larchmont, North Shore, Edgewater and Lafayette Shores. Wikipedia notes that bungalows and apartment buildings became popular as the city grew, and on older lots, concrete walks and driveways are often original or patched. They tend to be narrow, thin and lifted by tree roots. We cut out failed sections, rebuild the base and pour new work that lines up with the old joint pattern.

Get a Free Estimate

Services we bring to Norfolk

Sidewalks and walkways matter most in the older parts of the city, where front walks meet public sidewalks. Concrete driveways there are often narrow side drives that run alongside the house to a back garage. We replace them, sometimes with ribbon strips or a slightly wider apron where the lot allows. Concrete repair handles cracks, spalling and trip edges. Concrete patios and stamped concrete turn a small backyard into usable space; with tight lots, a well-shaped patio can matter more than a large one. Concrete slabs go under sheds, HVAC units and garages.

Hot summers, real storms

The city averages about 49 inches of rain a year and around 35 days a year at or above 90 degrees. The most dangerous stretch for hurricanes runs from mid-August to the end of September. We avoid pouring when a big storm is in the forecast, and on hot days we schedule early pours and keep fresh concrete damp so the surface does not dry and crack before the slab below it sets.

Waterfront and bayfront lots

We also work near Willoughby Spit and Ocean View, Norfolk's bayfront beach communities, where salt spray is part of the job. Where we find sandy ground, it drains well but needs compaction to carry a slab. We wet and compact the base in layers and keep forms tight. Sealer is not optional at the bay; plan to reseal every couple of years.

Sidewalks and curb cuts

Norfolk is an independent city, so work that touches the public sidewalk or a curb cut is a City of Norfolk question, not a county one. We check what the city requires for your address and note how water moves on your lot today before we price the job. Call (757) 720-2469 to schedule.