Concrete Contractor in Mount Vernon, WA - Slabs Built for Wet Valley Ground
Craftsman Bellingham Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Bellingham, WA. We pour driveways, patios, walks, steps, footings and slabs for homes and small businesses in Mount Vernon, with careful groundwork under every one.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Mount Vernon homes, from older blocks to hillside lots
Mount Vernon has older houses on the blocks around downtown and the riverfront and newer subdivisions out toward the hills and the farmland, and we get calls from both. Small businesses call us too when they need a walk, an entry or a lot redone. The older homes usually call about narrow driveways and walks that have been settling for decades. The newer ones more often want patios, garage slabs and steps. We do the same work just north in Burlington and east in Sedro-Woolley, so the houses and the ground here are familiar to us.
The ground sets the job here more than anything else. On the flat land near the river, most of the work is digging out soft soil and getting water off the slab. On the hillside lots, the work is holding back the grade and keeping runoff from washing out under the concrete.
Concrete services for Mount Vernon homes and businesses
Concrete driveway building
If your driveway has sunk or holds puddles by the garage, we dig out the base, pack a new one and slope the slab away from the house.
Concrete patio construction
A patio in a wet Skagit Valley yard needs somewhere for the rain to go, so we set the slope and the drainage before we talk about finishes.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick. We set the slope first so the pattern won't hold rainwater in its low spots.
Concrete sidewalk building
Older walks here often lift at tree roots or tip toward the house. We replace them on a dug-out, packed base so the new walk stays flat.
Garage floor concrete
A cracked, pitted garage floor can be broken out and repoured on a fresh base, sloped so the rain dripping off your car drains toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes suit entries, patios and storefront walks. We keep them practical for wet weather so they aren't slick underfoot.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps up a hillside, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back. We drain the space behind it so water pressure doesn't push it out.
Concrete floor installation
Shops, outbuildings and basements need a flat, dry floor. We build up the base, add a moisture barrier where the job calls for one and finish the surface smooth.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck takes splashing, bare feet and our rain. We give it a textured finish for grip and slope it so water runs away from the pool edge.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here often settle away from the porch. We rebuild them on solid footings with even risers so nobody catches a toe.
Slab foundation building
For a new garage, shop or addition on soft valley ground, we dig out what won't hold, pack a proper base and set the steel before the slab goes in.
Foundation installation
When you're building new or adding on, we form and pour the foundation to your plans and check how water moves around it before backfill.
Concrete parking lot building
A business lot here has to shed heavy rain and take daily traffic. We build a sturdy base and slope the lot toward its drains.
Concrete footings
Additions, posts and garden walls all start with footings, the concrete pads that spread the weight. We set them on firm ground below the soft topsoil.
Foundation raising
Houses on soft valley soil can settle unevenly over the years. We look for what caused the settling before we lift and support the foundation back toward level.
Concrete cutting
On older properties we cut openings in slabs and walls and remove damaged sections, sawing clean lines so new concrete meets old without a ragged edge.
Get a written estimate for your Mount Vernon concrete job
We reply within one business day and set a time for me to come out. I measure on site and send you a free written estimate with the scope spelled out, and there's no pressure to book.
Call (360) 312-3799- Based in
- Bellingham, WA 98225
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Permits and paperwork for concrete work in Mount Vernon
Inside Mount Vernon, the city's Building Division reviews permits and inspects the work. When your job needs a permit, the city's review has to finish before we break ground, so it can move your start date. Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the state Department of Labor and Industries and to be bonded and insured. The city also requires a business license for work inside city limits, so you can fairly ask any contractor about both before you sign. We're licensed and insured.
Our part starts with checking whether your property is inside city limits or out in unincorporated Skagit County, because that decides which office we work with. Then we handle the permit paperwork, or we give you what you need from our side if you'd rather apply yourself. Our crew comes down from Bellingham, and the concrete truck has to reach the forms, so a tight side yard or a long carry adds work. The price moves with the size and thickness of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how deep we dig for a firm base, the drainage the lot needs and the finish you choose. The schedule turns on the permit review, the weather and the curing time. Your written estimate shows how each of those applies to your job.
Why Mount Vernon driveways and patios sink and crack
Soft soil under a slab compresses when it stays wet, which is why so many driveways and patios on low ground here sink at one corner or crack across the middle. We dig down to firm subgrade, which is the soil the slab rests on, pack a gravel base in layers and slope the surface so rain runs away from your house instead of pooling against it. That groundwork is hidden on the day we pour, and it's usually the first thing people want to cut from a budget. I would rather put your money there than into a fancier finish, because a handsome surface on a poor base cracks just the same.
Older walks and steps near downtown and in the established neighborhoods have had decades of tree roots and downspout water working under them. When we replace them, we look at the roots, the gutters and the grade together, so the new concrete isn't fighting the same problem.
What to expect when you hire us in Mount Vernon
Thank you for considering us. Here is how a job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know what you'll get at each step.
Call or send the form
Call (360) 312-3799 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. It helps if you can be there, because I'll ask how you plan to use the concrete.
I measure and write it up
I look at the site, measure, check where the water runs and whether you're inside city limits. Then I send a written estimate that lists the removal, the base work and the finish, so you can see what you're paying for.
Permit, groundwork and the pour
If your job needs a permit, we handle it with the right office, and the city's review has to finish before we start digging. After that, our crew and I dig out, pack the base, set the forms and steel, then pour and finish.
Walk-through, care and cleanup
Before we leave, I walk you through curing, which is the time the concrete needs to harden and gain strength, including when you can walk on your slab and when you can drive on it. We clean up and leave your property as tidy as we found it.
Questions about concrete work in Mount Vernon
Call (360) 312-3799Do I need a permit for a new concrete driveway in Mount Vernon, WA?
The city doesn't require a building permit for a driveway or sidewalk, but it may require an Engineering permit, so we check with the city before we plan the pour. Building and engineering permits go through the city's SmartGov permit portal, and we handle that application with you when your job calls for one.
Does a concrete retaining wall need a permit in Mount Vernon?
The city doesn't require a building permit for a retaining wall 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless the wall holds back extra weight such as a driveway or a slope above it. A taller wall, or one with load behind it, is a different case. I'll measure yours with you on site, and we'll check with the city before any digging starts.
How common is flooding in Mount Vernon, WA?
The city says flooding is its most common natural disaster after severe storms, and a significant portion of Mount Vernon lies in the 100-year floodplain. For concrete, that's a good reason to take drainage seriously, so I check where water collects on your lot and we grade the slab to carry it away from the house.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Mount Vernon?
Your price comes in the written estimate after I've measured, because the things that move it most here, like the dig, the base and the drainage, only show once I see the ground. A plain broom finish, the lightly brushed texture that gives shoes and tires grip in the rain, costs less than stamped or colored concrete. Breaking out and hauling off an old driveway adds to the cost too, and the estimate lists each of these separately.
How do I keep a new concrete patio from cracking like the old one?
The best protection is a firm, packed base and control joints, which are grooves we cut so that when the concrete shrinks, it cracks along a straight line we chose instead of across the middle. Most cracked patios I'm asked to replace were poured on raked dirt, with joints cut late or not at all. Careful curing helps as well, as described in the steps above.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on a new driveway well before you can drive on it. I'll give you both dates for your slab when we finish, because they depend on the thickness and the weather. Our cool, damp weather can slow curing, so plan to park somewhere else for a while, and please don't test the slab early.
Bellingham, WA
Book your Mount Vernon concrete estimate
Call (360) 312-3799 or send the form now, because an early estimate leaves time for any city review and lets us plan your pour around a dry stretch of weather.