Dependable Concrete Contractor in Berkeley CA - Slabs on a Solid, Well-Drained Base

It depends mostly on the size, how much old concrete and soft ground has to come out, and how much base the new slab needs, so I price each driveway at your site. Thickness, rebar and the finish move it too, and so does how close the concrete truck can get. Your free estimate gives you the number for your own driveway, written out so you can see what's included.

The size and the ground under it matter most, then the finish, because a plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored concrete. If the budget is tight, I'd keep the money in the base and drainage and go simpler on the surface. A fancy top on a poorly packed base usually cracks anyway, and you can't fix the base later without tearing the patio out.

You can usually walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, and I'll tell you when your slab is ready for each, because curing time depends on the mix and the weather. Driving on it early is how edges chip and slabs crack before they've had a chance. The full time you're without the driveway also depends on the tear-out and how long any permit takes.

Yes, for most concrete jobs, because California's state licensing board requires a license when the work needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A contractor should hold that license before bidding on your job, and the City of Berkeley also requires a business license of every business operating there, contractors pulling building permits included. We're licensed and insured.

It depends on the job, because the city's Permit Service Center issues building permits for all construction work and most repairs unless the work is specifically exempted. Even exempt work has to meet the state building code and city rules, and it can still need a zoning permit. We find out what your job needs and file the paperwork before we schedule the pour.

Yes, we offer satisfaction guaranteed on every job. I'd also rather you understand the work than take a promise on faith, so I walk you through the base, the drainage and the joints before the pour, while you can still see them.

It may get a fine crack someday, since most concrete does, but a well-packed base, good drainage and control joints help keep cracks small and along lines we chose. Old slabs usually crack badly because the base was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or because water ran under them. Those are the parts I watch most closely.

It's one more reason the hidden parts matter, since the city cites Berkeley's closeness to major earthquake faults in its work on building codes. That's why we pay close attention to footings, packed ground and the steel inside the concrete, and we build to what your permit and inspection call for. For the rule in force on your job, the Permit Service Center is the place to ask.