Concrete contractor in Medford, MA - driveways and steps built from the base up

You apply to the City of Medford's building department, which takes building permit applications online, and work can't start until the permit card is issued. The code's list of work that can skip a permit covers ordinary repairs and certain retaining walls but doesn't name driveways or patios, so that's a question for the department before we pour. When a job needs a permit, we help line it up and walk you through which office is involved, and if it isn't clear, we check with the department instead of guessing.

A wall holding back less than four feet of unbalanced fill, the difference in ground height from one side to the other, can go without a building permit under the State Building Code, as long as the building official sees no threat to public safety, health or welfare. A taller wall, or one the official has concerns about, falls outside that exemption. Since that last call belongs to the official, we confirm it with the department before we form the wall.

The building department says a shed up to 120 square feet needs no building permit if it sits at least three feet from the side and rear lot lines, 15 feet from the front lot line and 10 feet from the house, and stands no more than 15 feet tall. The state code's own exemption covers a one-story detached shed of up to 200 square feet, so call the department at (781) 393-2511 to confirm which applies before we pour the pad. A pool, hot tub or spa at a one- or two-family house that holds over 24 inches of water needs a building permit and an electrical permit before construction starts, and it stays empty until the building office and the electrical department do a final inspection.

You can if you own a single- or two-family house and live in it, since those are the only owners the city lets take out a homeowner's permit for work there. A person who builds more than one home in a two-year period doesn't count as a homeowner, and owners of buildings with three or more units don't qualify either.

Yes, state law requires a partnership or sole proprietorship that uses a trade name to file a business certificate, often called a DBA, where its office is located. In Medford the City Clerk's Office handles it for a $30.00 filing fee, and it's valid for four years from the date it's issued. Separately, any contractor filing for a building permit in Medford registers their licenses with the city, so it's fair to ask who'll be pulling yours.

Your price comes from the size of the driveway, how much old concrete and soft fill we haul out, how deep the new base has to go and the finish you pick, and I'll give you the figure once I've seen it. A plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored work, and adding rebar or a thicker slab where cars turn costs more but holds up better. On a narrow side driveway, tight access can mean more hand work, and if the ground under the old slab turns out worse than it looked, I'll tell you before we pour.