Concrete Patio in Greenville NC for Pooling Water, Sinking Slabs, and Small Builder Slabs

Backyard patios on a compacted base, sloped away from your back door, and thick enough for what you will put on them. Zavala Masonry & Concrete LLC pours concrete patios in Greenville NC: new patios, extensions, replacements, and slabs for covered patios. Every patio is sloped away from the house, set below the door, built on compacted stone, and planned for what comes next, across Pitt County.

Backyard Patios, Extensions,
Replacements, and Covered Patio Slabs We Pour

Here is what we pour:

Brown wicker chairs and table, concrete patio in Greenville NC

New Backyard Patios

A backyard patio can sit off the back door or out in the yard.
A covered patio with a couch and chairs, concrete patio in Greenville NC

Patio Extensions

A patio extension makes a small builder slab bigger, pinned to the old concrete.
A backyard with a small pond and a gazebo, concrete patio in Greenville NC

Patio Replacement

Our patio replacement work tears out cracked or sinking patios and repours on a fresh base.
A couple of chairs sitting next to a table, concrete patio in Greenville NC

Covered Patio and Screened Porch Slabs

A covered patio slab is poured with post spots marked first. A screened porch slab gets the same planning.
Outdoor patio with grey tables and chairs featuring white cushions on a wooden deck, concrete patio

Finishes

Every broom finish patio grips when wet. A colored concrete patio adds warmth.

How We Keep Rain Away From Your
Back Door

A concrete patio should drop about 1/4 inch per foot away from the house, so a 12 foot patio sits about 3 inches lower at the far edge. Flat Coastal Plain lots in Greenville NC give rain nowhere to go, so we build:

  • Slope of at least 1/8 inch per foot, with 1/4 inch preferred, away from the house
  • Patio set below the door threshold, with a comfortable step or landing
  • An isolation joint, a soft strip that lets the patio and house move apart, where they meet
  • Downspouts moved off the patio, and we grade the low side to the lawn
  • Loose backfill by the foundation dug out, since it settles toward the house

Hard surfaces next to a house should slope away from the foundation, per the Building America Solution Center.

Covered patio with seating, hammock, and pool view, concrete patio in Greenville NC

The Base, Steel, and Joints
Under a Patio That Stays Flat

Every patio we pour follows this build.

Patio slab build: what we build in each part and why it matters, covering dig out, base, slab, steel, joints, and finish and cure
PartWhat We BuildWhy It Matters
Dig outSod and topsoil removed, soft spots replacedNo rot or voids under the slab
BaseAbout 4 inches of compacted crushed stone, more on wet clayEven support, and water drains out
SlabA 4 inch patio slab for foot traffic and furnitureThe proven thickness for patios
SteelWire mesh or rebar held up inside the slabCracks stay tight
JointsControl joints about every 8 to 10 feet, panels near squareCracks follow straight lines
Finish and cureBroom finish, moist cure or curing compound, early morning pours in summerA strong surface that grips

A control joint is a planned groove that tells concrete where to crack. Our jointing and curing follow American Concrete Institute residential guidance.

Planning the Patio for Grills,
Kitchens, Fire Pits, and Covers

A 4 inch concrete patio holds tables, chairs, and grills; a kitchen island, fire pit, or roof needs more planned under it.

What goes on the patio and what we build for a table, chairs, and grill, an outdoor kitchen island, a fire pit, a roof or screened room, and a pergola
What Goes on the PatioWhat We Build
Table, chairs, and grillA 4 inch patio on compacted stone
Outdoor kitchen islandA thicker section under the island; see outdoor kitchens
Fire pitHeat protection under the pit; see fire pits
Roof or screened roomPosts on their own footings, not the patio slab
PergolaA patio for a pergola gets post spots planned on separate footings

We pour the concrete; others build what goes up.

What Size Patio Fits Your
Table, Grill, and Seating

Patio size guide: how you will use it and the common starting size for a small table and four chairs, a dining table plus a grill, and a dining and seating area
How You Will Use ItCommon Starting Size
Small table and four chairsAbout 10 by 12 feet
Dining table plus a grillAbout 12 by 16 feet
Dining and a seating areaAbout 16 by 20 feet

We stake out the patio so you can see its size before we pour.

Making a Small Builder Patio
Bigger Without a Dropped Seam

Many newer subdivisions come with a small back slab. For a patio extension, we drill and set dowels, which are rebar pins, into the old slab so the new section cannot drop. We match the height, slope, joints, and broom finish as closely as possible. If the old slab slopes toward the house, we tell you before extending it.

Concrete Patio Repair, Extension, or Replacement

Patio repair or replace: what you see and what we recommend for stains, a few cracks, sloping or pooling water, sunken or tilted sections, and an old patio that is too small
What You SeeWhat We Recommend
Stains or a worn surface, patio level and drainingClean it or resurface it
A few cracks, patio still levelSeal the cracks and leave the slab
Patio sloping toward the house or pooling waterReplace, since an overlay cannot fix slope
Sunken or tilted sectionsReplace on a new base
Old patio too smallExtend if sound, replace if not

Patio resurfacing suits a level, draining patio but cannot fix slope or sinking. When you ask about patio replacement, we tell you when a patio can stay.

Plain, Colored, Stamped, or Paver Patio?

Patio finish options: option, look, upkeep, and cost for plain broom, colored, stamped, and pavers
OptionLookUpkeepCost
Plain broomClean and simpleLowLowest
ColoredA warmer lookOccasional sealingA bit more
StampedA stone or brick lookSealing every few yearsMore; see stamped concrete
PaversIndividual unitsSand and edge upkeepOften the most; see pavers
A patio with a table, chairs, and umbrellas, concrete patio in Greenville NC

Permits, the City Stormwater Fee, and HOA Approval

A patio slab alone usually does not need a building permit, but roofs, screened rooms, and other structures over a patio usually do. We confirm what your project needs for your address.

Inside Greenville NC city limits, the stormwater fee is based on hard surface on your property, so a large patio can add to it. We give you the square footage. See the City of Greenville NC Stormwater Management page.

Many subdivisions need HOA approval, and we check easements behind the lot.

Why Greenville NC Homeowners Hire Us for Patios

  • Zavala Masonry & Concrete LLC slopes every patio away from the back door.
  • A compacted stone base goes under every patio, never sod or loose fill.
  • Kitchen sections and post footings are planned before we pour.
  • Extensions are pinned to the old slab so the seam holds
Concrete patio and curved walkway at a brick home
Outdoor patio area with tables and chairs, concrete patio in Greenville NC

Your Patio Project, From Backyard Photo to First Use

  1. You send a photo or we visit to measure and check the door height, downspouts, and slope.
  2. We stake out the patio and give you a written estimate listing size, thickness, finish, extras, and tear out.
  3. We call NC 811, protect marked lines, remove the old patio, and compact the base.
  4. We set forms, place steel, pour, cut joints, and apply the broom finish.
  5. We cure the patio, blend soil to the edge, and give you timing for use.

Most patios take a few days of work plus curing time.

Concrete Patio Cost: What Changes the Price

  • Size
  • Tear out of an old patio
  • Base depth and soft spots
  • A kitchen section or post planning
  • Broom, colored, or stamped finish
  • Access for the concrete truck
  • Extension work

Your cost comes in a written estimate after we measure.

A group of construction workers standing around a construction site, concrete footing

Recent Patios, Extensions, and
Replacements Around Greenville NC

Stone base compacted before a patio pour

Greenville NC

Sunken patio replaced on a new base

Greenville NC

Forms set to slope away from the back door

Winterville NC

Rebar dowels set into a builder slab before an extension

Ayden NC

Finished broom finish patio

Washington NC

Control joints cut in a new patio

Farmville NC

Reviews From Homeowners
Who Hired Us for Patios

Where Our Crew Pours Patios in Eastern NC

We meet homeowners in their backyard and also pour patios in:

Plus surrounding communities in Beaufort County and Pitt County.

Timing, Cost, and Cracking: Patio Questions From Homeowners

Light foot traffic is usually fine after about a day or two. We tell you when furniture can go on.

Cost depends on size, tear out, base work, and finish. We measure, stake out the patio, and give you a written quote.

A 4 inch patio holds grills and furniture. A built kitchen island needs a thicker section, which we plan before the pour.

Concrete shrinks as it cures, so some cracking is normal. Control joints keep those cracks in straight lines, and the compacted base keeps the patio level.

Get a Free Concrete Patio Estimate in Greenville NC

Call us or send a photo of your backyard with the door and downspouts in view. Zavala Masonry & Concrete LLC will measure, stake out the patio, check the slope, and give you a written estimate.