Concrete Contractor in Auburn, NH - Driveways, Patios and Slabs for Wooded Lots
R&S Manchester Concrete Construction pours driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs for homeowners in Auburn, NH. I come out to look at the job myself, and our own crew does the work with me on site.
Auburn: wooded lots and long driveways
Auburn sits just east of Manchester, where we're based, and once you're off the main roads it's mostly single-family homes on bigger, wooded lots, a lot of them set well back from the road. Lake Massabesic's Front Pond is in Auburn and the lake's watershed covers parts of both cities, so plenty of yards here slope down toward the water, a brook or a wet low corner. The calls we get out here are mostly driveways, patios, steps and slabs for garages and sheds, with some foundation work when someone's adding on.
That ground shapes the job more than the house does. A long driveway crosses more kinds of soil than a short one, and a yard that slopes toward wet ground needs the slab pitched away from the house and a base that drains, so on most Auburn jobs the digging and grading take more thought than the pour.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work we do around Auburn
Concrete driveway building
Many Auburn homes sit well back from the road, so driveways run long. We dig out the soft spots and pack the base before we pour.
Garage floor concrete
Detached garages and shops are common on lots here, and their floors carry cars and heavy tools. Our garage floor concrete gets steel inside and planned joints.
Concrete patio construction
Backyards here tend to be roomy and wooded, so patios often sit where roots and runoff meet. We set the slope so water runs away from the house.
Concrete retaining walls
Sloped yards often need the soil held back to make room for a driveway or patio. We build retaining walls on proper footings with drainage behind them.
Slab foundation building
Homeowners here build sheds, additions and small cottages out back, and each one needs a level slab under it. We dig out, pack the base, form and pour.
Concrete steps construction
Older homes in Auburn often have front steps that have chipped, settled or pulled away from the house. We break out the old set and pour new ones.
How a concrete job runs in Auburn
In Auburn, permits for building work come from the building inspector's office, which also answers questions about zoning and what can go where on a property, so that's who we check with about your job before we set a date. We help you pull together what they ask for, like a site plan, and if a permit is needed we either take care of it or walk you through it, depending on whose name the office wants on the application. That review usually sets the start date more than our calendar does, and we're licensed and insured, which is worth asking any contractor about before you sign.
A lot of driveways here come off quiet back roads and run a good way through the trees to the house, so I look at where the concrete truck can get in and how far the crew has to move concrete, because access changes both the crew size and the price. The other things that move the price are the size of the job, how much old concrete or soft ground has to come out, how much base the ground needs and the finish you choose, and after the pour comes curing, the wait while the concrete gains strength, a few days before you walk on it and longer before you drive on it. We've been doing this out of Manchester since 2017 and work the same way over in Goffstown and Londonderry, but the long drives and wet low spots are what we plan around here.
Get a written estimate for your Auburn concrete job
Call (603) 314-3764 or send the form, and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll come out to Auburn, walk the property with you and write up what the job includes, so you know what you're paying for. The estimate is free, and there's no pressure to book.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Ideas for your Auburn concrete project
Concrete questions from Auburn homeowners
How do I apply for a driveway permit in Auburn, NH?
You start on Auburn's permit forms page, which says online applications are preferred, though there's a paper driveway application there too. Whether your particular job needs one is a question for the building inspector's office, and I'll bring it up at the estimate so it's settled before anything gets poured.
Do I need a building permit to build an ADU in Auburn?
Yes. Auburn's zoning ordinance requires a building permit to build an accessory dwelling unit, a second small living space on your property, or to convert space into one, whether it's inside your house, attached to it or a separate building. For a detached unit, the slab or foundation is usually where construction starts, so we plan our part around that permit from the first visit.
Which building code applies to a permit in Auburn, NH right now?
Through December 31, 2026, a permit request can follow either the state's previous building code or the updated one, and starting January 1, 2027, every request has to follow the updated code. The State Building Code sets the minimum for every building in New Hampshire, so if your foundation or slab is going in early next year, plan on the updated code.
Can I pour a patio or slab near Lake Massabesic or wetlands in Auburn?
Often you can, but Auburn's zoning ordinance covers work in or near wetlands and watershed protection areas through conditional use permits, and building in floodplain areas has its own permitting requirements. Lake Massabesic is a public water supply and its watershed reaches into Auburn, so if your yard runs toward the lake or a wet spot, we raise it with the building inspector's office before we plan anything.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Auburn, NH?
The cost of a concrete driveway in Auburn comes down mostly to its length, how much digging and base work the ground under it needs, and the finish on top. Long drives on wooded lots mean more concrete and more prep, tearing out an old driveway adds to it, and a broom finish, the light texture that keeps tires and boots from slipping, costs less than stamped. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you go plain on top than skimp on the base, because it's like a kitchen, where nobody sees the prep but everybody tastes it, and a bad base means tearing the slab out later.
What causes a concrete driveway or patio to sink or crack in Auburn?
Most sinking starts underneath, when the base was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settles as the loose dirt under it does. Water makes it worse, and on lots that slope toward wet ground, a slab that isn't pitched away from the house lets runoff soak the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on. For cracks, we cut control joints, shallow cuts that give the concrete a straight line to crack along, while the slab is fresh instead of leaving them for later.