Concrete Contractors in Watervliet, NY

Watervliet is one of the smallest cities around, and concrete contractors working here plan around tight spaces on nearly every job. The city covers about 1.5 square miles along the Hudson River, and 10,375 people lived there in 2020, a density of about 7,700 per square mile. The census counted 5,429 housing units. Lots are narrow, yards are small, and the space between houses is often just wide enough for a walk.

Access shapes the job

On a Watervliet lot, the hardest part of a concrete project can be getting to it. Our plan for each job starts with access: 1. Can a truck reach the pour, or does concrete need to be wheeled or pumped in? 2. Where will the old concrete go during demolition? 3. Is there a shared driveway or walk that a neighbor also uses? 4. Where do the downspouts from both houses empty?

Answering those up front keeps the job on schedule and avoids surprises on pour day.

Small jobs also cure in small spaces. A walk between two houses may not see much sun, so it stays damp and cool longer. That is good for curing, but it means the surface takes longer to be ready for foot traffic, and in late fall we watch overnight temperatures closely before we pour. We use curing blankets when a cold night is coming and tell you exactly when the walk is ready to use.

Level ground with one steep edge

The city's terrain is largely level, with a listed elevation of 30 feet, but it has a steep slope along its western edge near the Arsenal and 19th Street. On the flat blocks, the challenge is getting water to go anywhere at all, so we build in enough pitch on every walk and patio. On the western slope, it is the opposite: managing runoff coming down toward homes and keeping steps and walks from becoming a channel.

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The Arsenal and the river

The Watervliet Arsenal was founded in 1813, during the War of 1812, and is described as the sole manufacturing facility for large-caliber cannon. The city itself was incorporated in 1896. The Hudson forms its eastern boundary, with Troy across the water, and the Town of Colonie wraps around it on the other three sides. Homes here range widely in age, and many have stoops and walks that have been patched more than once.

Garages at the back of the lot

Many Watervliet homes have a small detached garage or shed at the rear of the property, reached along a narrow driveway. Older slabs in those buildings are often cracked, uneven or sunk in the middle. A new Garage & Shed Slab is pitched slightly toward the door so meltwater runs out, sits on a compacted base and meets the driveway at the same height. When access is tight, we break out and remove the old floor in pieces and bring the new concrete in by wheelbarrow or pump.

Stoops right on the sidewalk

In a city this dense, many front stoops step straight down onto the public sidewalk, so a stoop rebuild and the walk in front of it are often one job. We set the bottom riser to match the walk, keep the landing level with the door sill, and pitch the treads slightly so water runs off instead of freezing in place. We check with the City of Watervliet about permits, and about any work that touches a public sidewalk, before we schedule.