Concrete Contractors in Claymont, DE

Claymont sits in the northeast corner of Brandywine Hundred, and concrete contractors here are working on a ridge. Wikipedia describes the community as lying between the Delaware River's coastal floodplain and the upland Piedmont. It runs from the Pennsylvania line to Perkins Run and from the river to the CSX tracks, about 2.15 square miles in all, with an elevation of 75 feet. Homes near the river and homes up the slope do not drain the same way, and we plan each slab with that in mind.

A place that keeps rebuilding

The community began where Naamans Creek meets the Delaware River. A railroad station opened in 1838, and the name Claymont came in 1856. Over time the area grew from mills and farms into a place with lumber mills, a steel mill and a chemical plant. Revitalization work has been underway since the mid-1990s, led in part by the Claymont Renaissance Development Corporation. Starting in 2007, the 633-unit Brookview community on 66 acres was razed for the Darley Green development, which Wikipedia calls the largest redevelopment in Brandywine Hundred in 40 years. In 2017, plans were announced to redevelop the former 450-acre Claymont Steel site.

For homeowners, that means Claymont has a mix of older houses with tired concrete and newer construction nearby. Both groups call us, for different reasons.

For older Claymont homes

Older properties tend to need:

• Concrete repair on steps and porches that have settled or spalled
• Sidewalk and walkway replacement where joints have lifted
• Driveway replacement where thin slabs have broken under modern vehicles
• Patios to replace a cracked slab or bare ground out back

We remove failed concrete down to a firm base, add and compact stone, then pour new concrete with joints placed to control cracking.

Slopes and runoff on the ridge

Because Claymont sits between low floodplain and higher ground, some lots tilt toward the river. Water running downhill across a driveway or patio carries soil from under the edges, and over time the slab loses support. We look at how water crosses your lot during the estimate. Sometimes the fix is a slight change in pitch; sometimes it is a thickened edge or a drain at the low side. On walks that climb, a broom finish keeps footing safe in the rain.

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Near the water

On the lower side, closer to the Delaware River, ground can stay damp. Concrete placed on wet, soft soil will settle. We strip topsoil and organic material, compact a stone base and keep the slab above the surrounding grade so water flows off it instead of under it.

Stamped concrete and new patios

Owners of newer Claymont homes often want to improve a yard rather than fix one. A stamped concrete patio adds the look of stone or brick without the weeds that grow between pavers. We go over colors and patterns, explain that stamped concrete needs a sealer every few years, and talk about where to place joints so they line up with the pattern instead of cutting across it.

Walkable new development

Darley Green, built on the old Brookview site, is a new urbanist, mixed-use development, which means homes set close to sidewalks and to each other. Where a community like that has a homeowner association or a management company, the public-facing walks, curbs and shared paths may belong to them rather than to you. Before we price anything on a newer Claymont street, we ask you to check who is responsible for which concrete. Private patios, back walks and stoops are usually the owner's call, and for those we build the same way as anywhere else: compacted stone, an air-entrained mix and a pitch away from the house.