Concrete contractor in Garden Home-Whitford, OR - slabs that drain and stay flat
Sherwood Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Sherwood. We build and repair driveways, patios, walks, steps and garage floors in Garden Home-Whitford, and we put the most care into the base and drainage you never see.
Concrete work in Garden Home-Whitford
Garden Home-Whitford sits in Washington County, and the concrete calls we get here sound a lot like the ones from Raleigh Hills and Beaverton. Most come from homeowners with a driveway that's dropped at the garage, a patio that holds water, or front steps pulling away from the house. Some of that concrete has been down a long time, and the cracks show it.
The ground decides most of the job here. Plenty of yards slope, so before I price anything I walk the lot and look at which way the water runs, because a slab that tips toward the house sends that water right at your foundation. Big trees put roots under old slabs, and a tight driveway can keep the truck from reaching the backyard, which changes how we get the concrete in and what the job takes.
What we pour in Garden Home-Whitford
Concrete driveway building
Older driveways here often sink at the garage or crack across the slope, so we break out the old slab and rebuild the base before the pour.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio on a sloped lot needs a gentle slope away from the house, and we check where the water goes before any forms go up.
Stamped concrete services
Want the look of stone or brick by the front door? Stamped concrete gives you the pattern, and it still needs the same packed base underneath.
Concrete sidewalk building
Roots from older trees lift a lot of walks here, so new ones get control joints, cuts that give cracks a place to go.
Garage floor concrete
Garage floors in older houses are often cracked and dusty on top. We tear out, regrade and pour a new floor that sheds water toward the door.
Decorative concrete
For a front entry or patio that should look finished, we do colored and textured concrete, and we talk through how each finish wears before you pick.
Concrete retaining walls
Sloped yards here often need a wall to hold back soil for a level patio or driveway edge, with drainage behind it so water doesn't push it over.
Concrete floor installation
Basements, shops and additions need an interior floor poured flat on a packed subgrade, the soil and gravel the slab sits on, so it stays level.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to drain away from the water and give bare feet some grip, so we set the slope first and pick a textured finish.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on sloped lots take a beating and settle away from the house, so we rebuild them on footings with rebar, the steel that holds concrete together.
Slab foundation building
On a sloped lot, a garage or addition slab starts with a level, packed pad, and we pour it to the plans you bring.
Foundation installation
Adding on to an older house means a new foundation that has to sit right beside the old one, and we form and pour it to your plans.
Concrete parking lot building
For a small business or a shop with a lot to pave, we plan the drainage and slab thickness so standing water and traffic don't break it up.
Concrete footings
Decks, fences, posts and garden walls on uneven ground need footings, the concrete pads that carry the weight, set deep and level so nothing leans.
Foundation raising
When a slab or part of a foundation has dropped, we look at why it moved, usually water or a soft base, before we talk about lifting it.
Concrete cutting
We cut openings, trenches and clean edges in existing concrete, which helps on tight lots where we tie new work into an old driveway or patio.
Let's look at your concrete job
Call (971) 626-0086 or ask for an estimate, and I'll come walk the job with you and write up the scope.
Why Garden Home-Whitford homeowners call us
I come out to look at the job myself, write the estimate and then work the pour with our crew, so the person you talked to is on site. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Base dug out and packed
We dig out soft soil and pack gravel in layers, since a raked base settles right along with the dirt.
Water sent away from the house
We set each slab to slope away from the house, so water runs into the yard instead of against your foundation.
Joints cut while it's fresh
We cut the joints while the concrete is still fresh, so cracks land in the grooves instead of across the middle.
Pours planned around the heat
We plan pours for the cooler part of the day, because concrete that dries too fast ends up with a weak, dusty top.
Real answers to every question
I explain what each line of the written scope covers, and no question is too small to ask at the estimate.
Questions from Garden Home-Whitford homeowners
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Garden Home-Whitford?
The price comes down to the size of the slab and how much work goes in under it, so I can't give you a fair number until I've seen your driveway. Breaking out and hauling the old concrete, digging out soft soil, building up the base on a slope and the finish you pick all move it, and a plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives tires and shoes grip, costs less than stamped or colored work. The schedule turns on the same things plus any permit and the curing time, the wait while the concrete hardens enough to take weight. At the estimate you get a written scope of the work we'll do.
What causes a driveway to crack and sink in Garden Home-Whitford?
Usually it's the base under the slab, raked flat instead of dug out and packed, so it settles along with the dirt. Water running the wrong way on a sloped lot softens that ground, and joints cut late or skipped let cracks show up wherever they like. Back when I was a helper hauling forms, the first thing I learned is that nobody sees the base on pour day, which is why it's the first thing people cut from a budget and the last thing I'd skimp on.
How do I find out if my concrete project in Garden Home-Whitford needs a permit?
Ask the building department for your area, because it issues local permits for new construction and for certain changes to an existing home, and whoever does the work, you or the contractor, is responsible for getting them. The state's list names work like structural changes and building a deck more than 30 inches above the ground, and it doesn't settle every patio, walk or driveway, so it's worth asking before work starts. We talk through permits at the estimate, agree on who applies before we begin and help with the paperwork when your project needs it.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in Oregon?
Yes, Oregon law generally requires a license from the state's Construction Contractors Board for anyone paid for construction work that improves real property, and a new driveway, patio or set of steps improves your property. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm happy to go over that when I come out.
Who can work on a pre-1978 home with lead paint in Garden Home-Whitford?
Only contractors with a special license can bid or work on a pre-1978 home when the work disturbs lead paint, according to an older guide from the board, which says Oregon enforces the federal rules. Most concrete work stays on the ground, but tearing out steps or a stoop against painted siding or trim can touch old paint. If your house was built before 1978, tell me at the estimate so we sort out who handles that part before anyone starts.
Should my home in Garden Home-Whitford be tested for radon?
Yes, the state's geology department advises that all homes, wherever they are, be tested for radon. It also says measuring the air inside is the only accurate way to know your level, so it's not something anyone can tell by looking at a slab or a garage floor.
Other cities we work in
We're based in Sherwood and work in the cities around it, so if yours isn't listed, call (971) 626-0086 and ask.
Ask Sherwood Concrete for an estimate
We pick up evenings and weekends too, so call (971) 626-0086 after work or send the form when it suits you.