Concrete Contractor in Berkeley, CA - Driveways and Patios Built From the Base Up
Heartland Berkeley Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Berkeley, CA. We pour driveways, patios, steps, walkways and the slabs and footings under homes, and I explain each step so you understand your own job.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work across Berkeley's hills and flats
Berkeley runs from the flats by the bay up into the hills, and the concrete work changes as you climb. On the flats we see older houses on narrow lots, with driveways squeezed between them and front walks that have cracked, tipped or sunk over the years, plus small apartment buildings and shops along the busier streets. Up the hill it's long runs of steps, retaining walls and slabs on sloped lots, where water always has somewhere to go.
We're based here, and the same ground carries on into Oakland to the south and Albany to the north. On a sloped lot the job starts with where the water runs, and on the flats it starts with digging out the tired dirt the old slab sat on.
- A base dug out and packed
- Water running away from your house
- Joints cut where cracks should go
- Every step explained as we go
Concrete services for Berkeley homes
Here's the concrete work we do on Berkeley houses, yards and small buildings, from the driveway out front to the slab under an addition.
Concrete driveway building
Many Berkeley driveways are narrow and short, squeezed between older houses, so we plan the pour around tight access and a slope that sheds water to the street.
Explore Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
Backyards here are often small and sometimes sloped. We set the patio's grade first so rain runs to the garden, not back toward your foundation.
Explore Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete can match the brick or stone look of an older Berkeley house. The pattern goes on top, so it still needs a packed base underneath.
Explore Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Front walks on older Berkeley lots often tip and crack where roots pushed them up or the dirt underneath settled. We dig out soft ground before pouring.
Explore Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Older detached garages here often have thin, cracked floors. We break out the old slab, pack a fresh base and pour a floor that drains toward the door.
Explore Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes suit Berkeley's older houses. We choose one together and pour it over the same packed base as any other slab.
Explore Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
On hillside lots a retaining wall holds back the slope so you get a flat yard. We plan drainage behind the wall, because trapped water pushes walls over.
Explore Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
Older Berkeley houses often get basements finished or additions built out back. We pour those floors flat and level, with a moisture barrier underneath.
Explore Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
Pools here often sit in tight, sloped backyards. We slope the deck so splash water reaches the drains, and give it a finish that grips wet feet.
Explore Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Hillside houses here often have long runs of steps from the street. We form each one the same height, since an odd step is what trips people.
Explore Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
Backyard cottages, garages and additions are common projects on Berkeley lots. We pour their slabs on a dug-out, packed base with rebar, the steel that holds concrete together.
Explore Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
When an older house needs a new foundation under part or all of it, we dig, form and pour to the approved plans and meet the inspector.
Explore Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Small apartment buildings and shops here need lots that hold up to daily traffic. We grade the base so rainwater leaves the lot instead of pooling.
Explore Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
On sloped Berkeley lots, decks and walls rest on footings, the concrete that carries their weight. We dig each one to the depth the plans call for.
Explore Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When an older house has settled on one side, doors stick and floors tilt. We lift it back toward level and pour new support under it.
Explore Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
On tight Berkeley lots, tearing out a whole slab isn't always worth it. We saw-cut the cracked section, a trench or a doorway and leave the rest.
Explore Concrete cutting
Get your free Berkeley estimate
Tell us what you want poured. We reply within one business day, then I come out and write a free estimate with no obligation.
What Berkeley's ground and homes ask of concrete
Berkeley's older houses, hillside lots and narrow driveways each ask something different of a slab. These are the three things we plan for on nearly every job here.
Close to major faults
Berkeley sits close to major earthquake faults, so on driveways and slabs that carry weight we set rebar instead of leaving it out to trim the bid.
Water on sloped lots
Water on a hillside lot runs toward something, often your house. We check where it goes before we set forms, and slope the slab away from your walls.
Old slabs on raked dirt
Many older slabs here were poured on raked dirt that settled. We dig it out and pack a new subgrade, the ground the slab rests on, before pouring.
Near Berkeley but not listed?
We're based in Berkeley and work across the East Bay around it. Pick your city below for a page on the houses, ground and concrete work we see there.
Don't see your city? Call (341) 209-8254 anyway. The list shows the cities with their own page, not the only places we work, and I'll tell you plainly whether your job is one we can take on.
How a Berkeley concrete job goes
I keep the estimate simple because you should see exactly what's included before you decide. It's written out line by line, so you can compare it or ask about anything on it.
Call or send a request
Call (341) 209-8254 or send the form with what you want poured, and what's wrong with the slab you have now.
I look at the site
I come out myself to look at the ground, the slope and where the water runs, and to hear what you need from the job.
Your written estimate
You get it in writing, with the base, the pour and the finish spelled out. Then we check with the city on what permits it needs and file them.
Prep, pour and curing
Our crew does the work and I run it, explaining curing, the wait while concrete hardens, so you know when to walk and drive on it.
Berkeley concrete questions, answered
How do I find out if my concrete project in Berkeley needs a permit?
Ask the city's Permit Service Center, because Berkeley requires a building permit for all construction work and most repairs unless its list of work exempt from building permits names the job. Even exempt work has to meet the state building code and city law, and some jobs need a zoning permit, a land use approval, on top of that. We find out what your job needs, file the paperwork and meet the inspector when it's time.
Do I need a permit for a concrete retaining wall in Berkeley?
Not a building permit, if the wall is 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. That exemption ends when the wall holds back extra weight above it, like a driveway or a parked car, and a wall in a required setback, the strip along your property lines, needs a zoning permit. We check your wall with the city before we dig.
Does a concrete contractor in Berkeley need a California license?
Yes, when the job needs a building permit, uses workers beyond the contractor, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials, which covers nearly any concrete job you'd hire out. The state's Contractors State License Board licenses anyone who builds or alters a structure in California, and contractors have to be licensed before they bid. Berkeley also requires its business license of contractors applying for building permits in the city. We're licensed and insured.
How much of a down payment can a concrete contractor ask for in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less, on a home improvement contract, under the state license board's rules. If a bid asks for more up front than that, ask why before you sign anything.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Berkeley?
It comes down to the size, how much old concrete we break out and haul away, how much soft ground we dig out and pack, and the finish you pick. A steep hillside lot or tight access between houses adds work, and a stamped or colored surface costs more than a broom finish, the swept texture that gives tires and shoes grip. The schedule turns more on permits and the curing wait than on the pour itself, and your written estimate breaks out each part.
What causes concrete driveways and patios to crack and sink in Berkeley?
Usually it's the ground under the slab, dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or water running underneath until it washes out. Concrete also shrinks as it hardens, so we cut control joints, straight grooves that give it a place to crack in a neat line, soon after the pour. If you need to trim the budget, cut the fancy finish before the base, because the base is the part you can't fix later without tearing it all out.
Ask Heartland Berkeley Concrete Company for an estimate
Call (341) 209-8254 or send the form, and I'll show you why your old slab cracked or sank before you collect any bids.