Concrete sidewalk building in Auburn ME - a walk that drains and stays level
Heaved slabs, puddles and trip edges on your walk? We build a new concrete sidewalk on a base planned around the wet spots.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a concrete sidewalk in Auburn?
Concrete sidewalk building in Auburn means digging out the route, packing a base that suits the wet spots and pouring a new walk that drains and sits level for years. We're based in Auburn, ME and build walks here and in Lewiston, Portland and plenty of other cities around them.
Most calls start with a walk that's heaved, cracked across or holding a puddle by the front step every time it rains, and the fix is usually under the concrete, not on top of it. The price moves with the size of the walk, how much digging and base the wet spots need, whether an old walk has to come out first and whether part of it has to carry a car where it crosses the driveway. The schedule turns on the weather, on what the city needs before we start and on the cure before you can use it. Your own number comes from a written estimate once I've walked the route.
How we build a concrete sidewalk
A walk has to drain or it starts to move, so I look hard at the wet spots along the route first, like where snowmelt sits or a downspout lets go. We plan the base around those spots, then dig out the old walk or the sod down to the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and pack a base there instead of raking loose dirt level. We set the forms with a slight fall away from the house so water heads for the lawn and not your foundation. After the pour we give it a broom finish, a light texture dragged across the top so it isn't slick when it's wet. Then we cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell the concrete where to crack, so if it cracks it does so in a line we picked and not across the middle of a panel. Curing comes last, which is the wait while the concrete gains strength, and we don't rush it. If the budget gets tight, the base is the last place I'd cut, because nobody sees it on day one and everybody sees it the spring it starts to sink. A pretty finish on a bad base is just a crack that hasn't shown up yet.
A new walk often runs to the garage, and if the floor in there is cracked or sinking we can look at garage floor concrete on the same visit. If you'd like color or a pattern instead of a plain broom finish, that's our decorative concrete work, and it can go on the whole walk or just the landing by the door.
Replacing a heaved or cracked walk
This suits a walk that's tilted, broken or holding water, where patching would just chase the problem around. We break out the old concrete and fix what's under it, because the old base is usually why it failed.
A new walk on a new route
This suits a path where the grass has worn bare, like the shortcut from the driveway to the back door. We lay out the route with you on site so it goes where people actually walk and stays off low ground where we can manage it.
Concrete sidewalk building in Auburn and what the city needs
Auburn Public Works takes the city's permit applications. Its list names drive entrances, fill, excavation, storm water drainage connections and utility location, but not sidewalk building, so the list alone doesn't settle whether your walk needs a permit. Before we book the job, we check with the city on what it needs, and when a permit is called for we handle the application. If you'd rather ask yourself, the city takes project questions at Auburn Hall.
The walks we replace around here have usually been through a lot of Maine winters, with low spots by the steps where water sits and freezes and panels pushed up out of line. We see the same thing on jobs in Lisbon and Turner, and every one starts with finding where the water goes.
Why Auburn homeowners call Sterling Auburn Concrete for a new walk
The owner measures and pours
I come out to look at the walk and give the estimate, and I lead the crew that does the work. The person who saw your wet spots is the one standing there when the base goes in.
Pouring through Maine winters since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, which is 13 years of Maine winters testing what we've built. We're best known for slabs that sit flat and don't give people trouble later, and a sidewalk is just a long, skinny slab.
Licensed and fully insured on your property
We're licensed and fully insured. That matters when a crew, forms and a concrete truck are working a few feet from your house.
If your walk is holding water or pushing up at the seams, call (207) 707-4423 or send us the details and I'll come take a look.
Request a quoteGet a written estimate for your concrete sidewalk
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out and measure. The estimate is free and done on site, and there's no obligation to book.
What happens after you call about a sidewalk
Call or send the form
You call or fill in the form, and we set a time for me to come out to the house. If there's a spot where water always sits, point it out when I get there.
I measure and write it up
I look at the route, measure it and ask how you'll use the walk, from daily foot traffic to the snowblower. You get a written estimate, so your number is on paper before anything is booked.
We check permits and pick a date
Once you're ready, we check what the local permit office needs and set a pour date that suits the job and the weather. The base goes in and gets packed before any concrete shows up.
We pour, cure and walk it
We finish the walk, cure it properly and walk it with you before we pack up. Stay off it for as long as we tell you, because a footprint now is a footprint for good.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new concrete sidewalk cost in Auburn, ME?
Installing a concrete sidewalk across the US usually costs about $7 to $17 per square foot, which is the national going rate and not our price. A walk thick enough to carry cars and trucks costs more than a standard walkway. Call and I'll come measure yours.
How long does a concrete sidewalk last in Maine?
A concrete sidewalk can last 25 to 50 years with the right mix, proper drainage and routine upkeep. Freeze-thaw cycles, road salt and heavy loads all shorten that, so plan on sealing it every few years and patching small cracks early.
Can you pour a concrete sidewalk in late fall in Maine?
Yes, a late-fall pour can work, but it needs a plan for keeping the fresh concrete from freezing while it's still saturated. Fresh concrete that freezes can lose more than half its potential strength, so it needs protection for about the first two days. We set the pour date with the forecast in mind and talk through how those first days are covered.
Does Maine require a written contract for a sidewalk job?
Yes, under Maine law a home construction job over $3,000 in materials or labor needs a written contract signed by you and the contractor. You both get a copy before any work starts.
Does a concrete sidewalk need a stone base?
On a part of the yard prone to drainage problems, a stone base under the walk is essential, so plan for one as part of the job there. That's why the wet spots along your route get my attention at the estimate.
How do I take care of a new concrete sidewalk the first winter?
Keep deicing chemicals off new concrete the first winter, and use moderate amounts after that. Using less deicer lowers the risk of scaling, which is the top of the slab flaking off, and that holds in later winters too.
Other concrete work around the house
Garage floor concrete
If the garage slab is cracked, pitted from salt or tilting toward the door, a new floor gives the car and the workbench a flat, solid surface that sheds water.
Decorative concrete
When a plain gray walk doesn't suit the house, color, pattern or a different texture can dress up the front entry or carry one look along the whole route.
Auburn, ME
Book a visit for your new walk
Have the walk's rough length, width and route in mind, plus any spots where water sits, so I know what to measure on the first visit.