Portland Metro, Oregon

Hire a concrete contractor who preps the base

Concrete that cracks, heaves, or ponds water almost always failed underneath, in the base rock and the drainage, before the truck ever arrived. We'll match your concrete contractor Portland metro project with crews who quote compaction and reinforcement, not just cubic yards.

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Base preparation decides the lifespan

On the heavy soils common across the valley floor, a slab poured on unprepared ground will move. Proper work means excavating to a consistent depth, laying and compacting crushed rock, and getting the grade right so water runs away from the house. Reinforcement — rebar or fiber, depending on the application — controls how cracks behave when they do appear. Ask what depth of base rock is in the bid; the answer separates serious contractors from cheap ones fast.

Concrete cracks — control where

Every slab cracks eventually. Control joints cut at the right spacing and depth decide whether that happens along a neat line or across the middle of your new patio. Expansion joints where the slab meets the house or a driveway apron matter too. A contractor who promises crack-free concrete is either inexperienced or selling.

Drainage and slope, not just a flat pour

In a region with our rainfall, flatwork needs a deliberate fall away from foundations and toward somewhere water can go. Patios that pond, driveways that sheet water at the garage door, and walkways that ice up on a January morning are all slope failures. Discuss where the water ends up before the forms go in.

Retaining walls are a different trade

Above a certain height, retaining walls need engineering, drainage behind the wall, and a permit from your local jurisdiction. Hillside lots around the metro's west side and the Clackamas foothills make this common. Make sure your bidder does structural walls routinely rather than treating them as tall flatwork.

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Good to know locally

Pouring around the weather

Concrete can be placed in cool, damp conditions, but heavy rain during the finishing window ruins a surface and freezing nights need protection. Across the metro that makes late spring through early autumn the reliable pouring season, with experienced crews watching the forecast closely the rest of the year. A contractor willing to pour a patio in a downpour is telling you something.

Permits and stormwater rules differ by city

Driveway approaches, sidewalk work in the right-of-way, added impervious surface, and retaining walls above the local height threshold are governed by whichever jurisdiction covers your address — city building and transportation departments in Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Gresham and the rest, or the county for unincorporated parcels. Several metro cities regulate how much new hard surface you can add without stormwater mitigation. Check before designing a large patio.

Moss, mature trees, and old flatwork

Shaded metro driveways and walkways grow moss and algae that make them slippery through the wet months, and mature tree roots lift and crack older slabs across established neighborhoods. Root pruning without an arborist's input can destabilize a tree, so plan removals and replacements together. Sealing new flatwork helps with staining and surface wear, though it needs redoing every few years.

What concrete work costs in the Portland area

Standard broom-finish flatwork commonly runs $10 to $18 per square foot installed in this market, so a typical two-car driveway often lands between $8,000 and $16,000. Stamped or coloured finishes generally add $6 to $12 per square foot. Demolition and disposal of an existing slab is usually $2 to $5 per square foot on top. Engineered retaining walls are priced by the face foot and vary widely with height, drainage, and site access. Bids far below the range often thin the base rock, skip reinforcement, or leave out haul-away.

What homeowners say

Two bids skipped straight to price per square foot. The one we hired talked through base depth and drainage and re-sloped the whole apron so water stopped running at the garage.

Alonzo P.Hillsboro · Driveway replacement

Retaining wall on a sloped back yard, engineered and permitted. It took longer than I hoped but the drainage behind it was done properly and nothing has moved.

Claire N.Happy Valley · Retaining wall

Replaced crumbling front steps and the walk out to the street. They matched the broom finish to the existing slab and got the pour in between two rain days.

Lionel B.Milwaukie · Front steps and walkway

Areas we serve

GreshamHillsboroOregon CityTualatinBeavertonHappy Valley…and more

Frequently asked questions

How soon can I use a new driveway?

Foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two, and vehicles after about a week, though your contractor may extend that in cold weather. Concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks afterward. Keep heavy trucks and dumpsters off it for at least the first month.

Should I repair or replace cracked concrete?

Tight, stable cracks in an otherwise sound slab can be sealed and lived with. Slabs with significant settlement, multiple heaved sections, or crumbling surfaces are usually better replaced, since patches on failed base keep moving. Slab jacking is worth asking about when the concrete itself is sound but has sunk.

Is a permit needed for a patio?

Often not for a simple ground-level patio, but the answer depends on your city and on how much impervious surface you're adding. Work in the public right-of-way, driveway approaches, and retaining walls generally do need permits across the metro. Ask your contractor to confirm with your own jurisdiction.

Does stamped concrete get slippery in the rain?

It can, especially with a heavy sealer and in shaded areas where moss establishes. Ask for a sealer with a slip-resistant additive on walkways and steps. Textured stamps generally grip better than smooth polished finishes in our climate.

What causes white residue on new concrete?

That's efflorescence — mineral salts brought to the surface as moisture evaporates. It's cosmetic, common in wet climates, and usually weathers off over a season or can be washed with a mild acid cleaner. It isn't a sign the slab is failing.

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