Concrete Contractors in Portsmouth, VA

Portsmouth homeowners usually call concrete contractors about something old, not something new. The city was founded in 1752 and has six historic districts, and many of its walkways, steps and driveways have been patched for decades. Suffolk sits right next door to the west, and much of the concrete work in Portsmouth is careful removal and replacement on tight lots.

Six historic districts, a lot of aging concrete

Wikipedia lists the city's districts and their build dates. Port Norfolk has 621 buildings developed between 1890 and 1910. Park View, with 295 buildings, grew in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Cradock, begun in 1918, has 759 contributing buildings, and Truxtun, with 241 buildings, went up between 1918 and 1920. Olde Towne holds one of the largest collections of historic homes between Alexandria and Charleston.

Houses that age often have walks made of old, thin concrete with no base under it, or a driveway that two different owners poured in two different decades. Tree roots from mature street trees lift slabs. Settling soil leaves trip edges at every joint.

What we do on older lots

• Sidewalks and walkways: we remove broken sections, rebuild the base and pour new walks with clean joints and a broom finish for grip.
• Concrete repair: we grind trip edges, fill and seal cracks, and patch spalled areas when the slab is still sound underneath.
• Concrete driveways: we replace narrow or crumbling driveways, and we can widen them where the lot and city rules allow.
• Steps and landings: we rebuild small front steps that have pulled away from the house.

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Designing for a city surrounded by water

To the north, Portsmouth is bordered by water where the James, Nansemond and Elizabeth rivers come together, and the West Branch of the Elizabeth River, flowing in from Suffolk, splits the city. The listed elevation is just 20 feet. Low, wet ground and salt air are hard on concrete. We use air-entrained mixes for exterior flatwork, keep the water-to-cement ratio low so the surface is dense, and seal the finished slab. We also slope every surface so it drains quickly after a storm rather than holding puddles that soak in.

Patios, stamped concrete and slabs

Backyards in older Portsmouth neighborhoods are often small, so a patio needs to earn its space. Stamped concrete is a good fit when you want the look of brick or slate that suits an older house. We can tint and pattern it to match the period of the home. We also pour concrete slabs for detached garages, sheds and small workshops that sit at the back of deep, narrow lots, and we plan access so we can reach the back without tearing up your yard.

Matching the look of the street

In historic areas, new concrete that looks too bright or too slick can stand out. We talk about finish before we pour. A light broom finish, tooled edges and a joint pattern that follows the old sidewalk grid help new work fit in. If your home is in a historic district, we will ask you to check with the city on any review rules, and we check whether a permit is required for work in the right-of-way.

Independent city, city rules

Portsmouth is an independent city, so questions about work in the right-of-way, a new curb cut or a historic district go to the City of Portsmouth rather than a county office. We confirm what applies to your address before we schedule. Call (757) 720-2469 or use the form for a free estimate.