Concrete patio construction in Solon OH - a backyard slab built for Ohio winters
Cracked, sinking patio or bare dirt out back? We pour a new concrete patio on a packed base, plain or stamped, priced both ways.
What goes into a new concrete patio in Solon?
Concrete patio construction in Solon gives you a flat, solid outdoor space off the back of your house. We build it by digging out to firm ground, packing a stone base and pouring a plain or stamped slab on top. The pour itself goes quickly, and most of the calendar is the prep, the weather and the cure before you use it.
Maybe the old patio has cracked and dropped toward the house, or the back door opens onto grass that turns to mud every spring. What you'll pay mostly comes down to the size, the finish, whether an old slab has to come out first and how much digging the base needs. The schedule turns on the weather, because a pour heading into cold nights needs protection, and on whatever permit your city wants for the job. I'll measure and give you a written estimate that lists what's included, so you're looking at your own number instead of a guess.
How we build a concrete patio
Most patio questions come down to plain or stamped and when to pour, so I price it both ways. If you want it in during cold weather, I'll tell you what the extra protection adds compared with waiting for milder days. Once you pick, our crew digs out the grass and soft dirt down to the subgrade, the firm ground the slab will sit on. Then we pack a stone base in layers, because a base that's only raked level settles with the dirt and takes the patio down with it. We check where the water runs and set the forms so the slab falls away from your house. If your job calls for reinforcing, we add rebar, steel inside the slab that holds the pieces together if it does crack. We pour early in the day so the midday sun doesn't dry the top too fast and leave it weak and dusty. After that comes a broom finish, a dragged texture that keeps the surface from getting slick when it's wet. We cut control joints, straight grooves that tell the slab where to crack, while the concrete is still fresh, because joints cut late or skipped leave cracks wherever they want. Then it cures, which is the wait while it gains strength before you load it up. If something has to give in the budget, I'd cut the fancy finish before the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it decides whether the patio stays flat.
A lot of patio calls turn into more than a slab. If you want a pattern pressed into the surface, that's our stamped concrete work, done on the same kind of base. If you need a way to get to the patio from the driveway or side door, we can pour a concrete sidewalk along with it so the two meet at the same height.
Plain concrete with a broom finish
This suits most backyards and anyone who wants the most patio for the money, because it's the simpler pour and finish. It weathers to an even gray and is easy to sweep and hose off.
Stamped patterned patio
Stamped concrete is pressed with a stone or brick pattern while it's fresh, for people who want the look of pavers in one solid slab. It costs more per square foot than plain concrete, so if you're leaning that way, say so at the estimate and I'll price both side by side.
What to know about a concrete patio in Solon
Permits in Solon go through the Solon Building Department, and that's who you contact for what a patio needs, because whether a backyard slab needs a permit there isn't something I'll guess at. We check with the department before we start, and when the city wants a permit, we file it and schedule the inspections. Review generally takes 7 to 10 business days, depending on the project. Every contractor and subcontractor on the job also has to be registered with the city before a permit is paid for and issued, so that goes into the schedule from the first call.
In backyards around Solon, most of the old patios we see have settled, tipped toward the back door or broken up at the edges, and the cause is usually the base or the drainage, not the concrete itself. We find the same thing on jobs in Twinsburg and Bainbridge, and rules differ from one city to the next, so we check there before we start too.
Concrete patio finishes and layouts
Why call us for a concrete patio
I price it, our crew pours it
I do every estimate myself, and our crew does the forming, pouring and finishing with me or our foreman running the job. The person who told you what's included is close enough to the work to make sure that's what gets built.
Base and tear-out on the bid
Plenty of bids leave out the base or the tear-out and add them back once the job's underway. If your patio needs them, they're on the estimate from the start, because I'd rather lose the job than work that way.
Building in Solon since 2013
I spent years pricing concrete for another company, then learned forming and finishing on a crew before I started this business in Solon in 2013. So the person quoting your patio has done the work, not just sold it.
Licensed and insured on your job
We're licensed and insured, so you're not the one carrying the risk if something goes wrong in your yard during the work. And our promise is satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
On a patio, the part that matters most is the base you'll never see, so ask every bidder how they build it. When you're ready, request an estimate or call (440) 560-8533.
(440) 560-8533Get a written estimate for your new patio
I'll get back to you within one business day to set a time, then come out, measure and leave you a written estimate that lists what's included. The on-site estimate is free, and there's no obligation to book.
Questions about concrete patios in Solon
How much does a concrete patio cost near Solon?
In the Cleveland area, a concrete patio usually costs about $6 to $18 per square foot, and that range includes stamped finishes. Where you land depends on the size, the finish and whether an old patio has to come out first, since tear-out adds to the per-square-foot price. For your own figure, I'll measure and write it up.
Can concrete be poured for a patio when it gets cold in Ohio?
Yes, but fresh concrete needs protection whenever the air drops to 40°F or is expected to while it's still being protected, and early-fall and late-spring nights can count. That means slower work plus insulating blankets, tarps and heaters, which add cost but will most likely keep the job on schedule. I'll price that against waiting for milder days so you can decide.
What is the best way to keep a new concrete patio from cracking in winter?
Start with the mix, because air entrainment, tiny air bubbles worked into the concrete, is an effective way to help it resist freezing and thawing. When you compare quotes, ask each contractor whether their patio mix includes it. The packed base and the joints we covered above handle the rest.
How do I care for a new concrete patio in its first winter?
A Michigan concrete trade group advises using no deicers at all the first winter and putting down sand for traction instead. After that, its guide says to keep magnesium or calcium chloride, fertilizer and water-softener salt off the concrete. I'll go over this with you before we leave, because the first winter matters.
Should I seal a new concrete patio, and when?
That same trade group's guide advises a penetrating sealer, one that soaks into the surface instead of sitting on top, once the patio is 30 or more days old. If you want sealing in the plan, bring it up at the estimate.
How do I know a contractor is allowed to work in Solon?
Ask whether they're registered with the city, because Solon requires every contractor to hold a certificate of registration before doing any work there, renewed every year. The Building Department advises checking that before work starts. It also advises making sure the final inspection is done before you make the final payment or sign off on the job.
Plan your new patio with Bedrock Solon Concrete
Call (440) 560-8533 with your rough size, plain or stamped, and whether the old patio comes out, so I bring the right numbers to your yard.
