Heaved, cracked, or missing sidewalks are a safety problem and an eyesore. We build new concrete sidewalks in Concord designed to stay flat and safe through years of freeze-thaw cycles.
Concrete sidewalk building in Concord involves removing the old surface or preparing bare ground, setting wooden forms, compacting a gravel base for drainage and stability, then pouring and finishing the concrete - most residential sidewalk projects take one to two days of active work, then 24 to 48 hours before foot traffic.
A lot of Concord homeowners call us after a section of their existing sidewalk has heaved up from frost, creating a trip hazard that only gets worse every winter. Others are adding a defined path where one never existed. In either case, concrete is the most durable and low-maintenance option for the climate here. If you are also thinking about your driveway, our concrete driveway building service can often be scheduled at the same time to save on mobilization costs.
One detail that surprises some homeowners: if your sidewalk connects to the street or runs through the city right-of-way, a permit from Concord Public Works is likely required before work begins. We handle that coordination so you do not end up with work that the city asks you to redo.
A noticeable step or lip between sections is a tripping hazard - and in Concord, it is almost always caused by the ground freezing and shifting beneath the slab over many winters. Once a section has moved significantly, patching the surface will not fix the underlying problem. Replacement is usually the right answer.
If the top layer looks like it is peeling away in thin chips or has a rough, pitted texture, that is called spalling - extremely common on older Concord sidewalks exposed to years of road salt without a protective sealer. Spalling gets worse every winter, and once it starts it typically spreads across the whole section.
Hairline cracks are normal and usually harmless. But if you can fit a pencil tip into a crack, or if cracks run diagonally across a slab section, the structural integrity is compromised. In Concord's climate, water gets into those cracks, freezes, and widens them further every winter - a manageable crack today will be significantly worse by spring.
Standing water on or along your sidewalk after rain means the slab has settled or was poured without enough slope to drain. In Concord, that water freezes overnight and becomes a serious slip hazard. It also accelerates concrete deterioration, making this worth addressing before another winter arrives.
We build new sidewalks from scratch and replace existing ones on residential properties throughout Concord. Every project includes proper base depth and compaction - the step that most determines how well your sidewalk handles the freeze-thaw cycle - along with control joints cut at regular intervals so any movement has a planned place to flex rather than cracking randomly across the surface. A broom finish gives the surface grip when wet without being rough underfoot.
For homeowners who want something more than plain gray concrete, we also offer stamped or decorative sidewalk options through our garage floor concrete and broader concrete finishing services. And if you are updating more than just the walk - adding a new driveway apron or approach, for example - we can coordinate that work together so the finished surfaces match and the site prep only needs to happen once.
Best for properties that have no defined walkway and need a safe, clear path to the front door or street.
Suited to homeowners whose existing sidewalk has heaved, cracked, or spalled past the point where patching makes sense.
Right for homeowners who have one or two badly damaged sections but a mostly sound sidewalk that does not need full replacement.
For sidewalks that touch the city right-of-way - we handle permit coordination with Concord Public Works so the work is done correctly from the start.
Concord averages more than 150 freeze-thaw cycles per year - the ground freezes solid and then thaws out repeatedly through fall, winter, and spring. That constant movement is the single biggest enemy of concrete sidewalks here. It means the quality of the gravel base, the thickness of the pour, and the use of air-entrained concrete - a mix designed to handle freezing without cracking - are not optional upgrades. They are the baseline for any sidewalk that will last in this climate. A contractor who does not build to those standards here is setting you up for a redo in five to ten years.
Much of Concord's older housing stock - including neighborhoods in the South End and East Concord - was built in the early-to-mid 20th century, and many of those properties have original concrete or bluestone sidewalks that are decades old. Removing and disposing of that material adds time and cost, and older properties sometimes reveal tree roots, buried utility lines, or unstable fill underneath that need to be addressed before a new slab goes in. We serve homeowners throughout the region, including Dover and Portsmouth, and we understand what site prep in older New Hampshire neighborhoods actually requires. The Portland Cement Association and U.S. Access Board guidance on sidewalk slope, drainage, and accessibility informs how we plan every installation.
We respond within one business day. After a few quick questions, we schedule a site visit to measure, check slope and drainage, and look for anything that could affect the job - including whether a permit is needed before work begins.
You receive a written estimate with scope, materials, timeline, and total price broken out clearly. If your project touches the city right-of-way, we handle the permit application with Concord Public Works before scheduling the pour.
We remove old concrete, excavate to the right depth, and compact a gravel base layer built for Concord's frost conditions. This prep is typically done a day or two before the pour and is the step that most directly determines how long your sidewalk holds up.
On pour day, forms go in, the concrete is placed and broom-finished, and control joints are cut before the slab fully hardens. After 24 to 48 hours you can walk on it. We walk the finished surface with you before we leave and explain exactly how to care for it through the first Concord winter.
Free written estimate. Permit handled for you. We respond within one business day.
(603) 802-8228Concord's freeze-thaw count is among the highest in the region. Every sidewalk we build uses an air-entrained concrete mix, proper base depth, and control joints placed for local conditions - not a generic spec copied from a warmer climate. That combination is what determines whether your sidewalk lasts 30 years or starts failing after five.
If your sidewalk touches the city right-of-way, a permit from Concord Public Works is required before we pour. We manage that coordination so you are not dealing with city paperwork - and so there is no risk of the city requiring you to remove and redo unpermitted work after the fact.
Every quote we give includes scope, materials, demolition, disposal, and total price as separate line items. You know exactly what you are agreeing to before any ground is broken. The American Concrete Institute sets the industry standards for mix design and curing that we follow on every project.
Before we leave your property, we walk you through exactly what to do - and what not to use - on the new surface for the first winter. That means you are not guessing about road salt or de-icers when the first storm hits, and your investment is protected from the start.
Concrete sidewalk work is not complicated, but the details matter enormously in Concord's climate. We have seen enough poorly built sidewalks start failing in two to three years to know that cutting corners on base prep or mix design is never worth the short-term savings.
Durable garage floor slabs with proper drainage slope and surface finish - built to handle vehicle traffic and New Hampshire winters.
Learn MoreFull driveway pours built with the same base-first approach - a natural complement when you are upgrading both the driveway and the walk at once.
Learn MoreContractor schedules fill fast once the ground thaws - reach out now to lock in your spot before spring books out.
