Concrete Contractor in Richmond, CA - Slabs Built on a Solid Base
Heartland Berkeley Concrete Company pours driveways, patios, steps, walks and slab foundations for homes and small properties in Richmond, CA. We dig out and pack the base, plan the drainage and lay out the joints so the slab holds up.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work for Richmond homes
Richmond is a big city with a wide mix of property, and our calls there show it. We hear from owners of older houses whose driveways and front walks have done their time. We also hear from families in newer homes who want a patio or new steps, and from small landlords and shop owners who need a walk or lot that holds up to daily use. We're a concrete contractor based in Berkeley and we work across the East Bay, so Richmond is close to home for our crew, the same as Albany and El Cerrito.
On older lots, the job usually starts under the old slab. When we break out a cracked or sunken driveway, we often find the base was raked flat over loose dirt instead of dug out and packed, so the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, settled under it. Your price and schedule mostly turn on how much has to come out, how much base we rebuild and what the city needs from us, and your written estimate spells each one out.
- A base dug out and packed
- Water that runs away from the house
- Control joints planned before the pour
- A clear walk-through of every stage
What we pour in Richmond
Here's the work we do on Richmond properties, from a single cracked walk to the slab under a new home.
Concrete driveway building
Long-used driveways on older Richmond houses often crack and settle because the base was thin. We break them out, rebuild the base and pour a new slab.
Explore Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
A backyard patio should drain away from your house, not toward it. We set the slope first, then pour and finish a slab you can use every day.
Explore Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
If you want the look of stone or brick on a Richmond patio or front walk, stamped concrete gets close, and we still build the same base underneath.
Explore Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Cracked front walks and raised edges are a tripping hazard. We pour new walks with a broom finish, a brushed texture that gives your shoes grip.
Explore Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Older garages often have a cracked, sloping floor that holds puddles. We break it out, fix the base and pour a slab that drains toward the door.
Explore Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored concrete and exposed aggregate give a plain slab some character. We talk through which finishes suit your house and how much upkeep each one takes.
Explore Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
Where a yard changes level, a retaining wall holds the ground back. We set rebar, the steel inside that holds it together, and give water a way out.
Explore Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
For a shop, basement or small commercial space, we pour interior floors flat and smooth, with the base and thickness set for what will sit on them.
Explore Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
A pool deck stays wet, so slope and texture matter most. We pitch it so water drains off and give it a finish that's kind to bare feet.
Explore Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here are often chipped, uneven or pulling away from the porch. We form and pour new steps with even rises top to bottom.
Explore Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
A slab foundation carries a house or an addition, so we spend most of our time on the ground under it before setting steel and pouring.
Explore Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
When a Richmond property needs a new foundation, we lay out the forms, footings and steel to the approved plans, then pour once everything checks out.
Explore Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Richmond's small apartment buildings and shops need lots that handle cars every day. We build a deeper base and thicker slab for that load and plan the drainage.
Explore Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Decks, porches, walls and sheds all sit on footings, the concrete pads that spread their weight into the ground. We dig them out and pour them level.
Explore Concrete footingsFoundation raising
If an older house has settled and doors stick or floors slope, raising the foundation can bring it back toward level. I'll tell you honestly what's possible.
Explore Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
Sometimes only part of a slab has to go, for a drain line, a doorway or a damaged section. We saw-cut straight edges and leave the rest alone.
Explore Concrete cutting
Get a free estimate in Richmond
Tell us what you'd like poured and where in Richmond. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free, no-obligation estimate.
What Richmond properties ask of new concrete
Most of what decides how a Richmond slab holds up happens before the pour, in the ground, the drainage and the papers the city asks for.
Old slabs, unknown base
On older properties we rarely know what's under a slab until it's out, so we plan to dig out and pack new base, not rake over old dirt.
Water headed for the house
Many old driveways and patios we see slope toward the house. I check where your water runs before we set forms, so the new slab sends it away.
Paperwork before the pour
The city asks contractors registering for a permit to show a state license card, a workers' comp certificate and a current Richmond business license. We're licensed and insured.
Don't see your city? Call us
Each city on this list has its own page about the houses and jobs we see there, so pick yours to read more. If your city isn't listed, call (341) 209-8254 anyway, because we work across the East Bay, not only in these cities.
From first call to finished slab in Richmond
I keep the estimate simple because you should understand the job before you agree to it. I come out myself and write it up so you can see what's included.
Call or send a request
Call (341) 209-8254 or use the form and tell us about the job. We get back to you to set a time to come look.
I look at the site
I walk the site with you, look at the old concrete and where the water runs, and listen to what you need from the new slab.
Estimate and permit
Your written estimate shows what's included, then we file what the city needs. Most simple permits needing no drawings are issued once the city checks the papers.
Prep, pour and cure
Our crew preps and pours with me on site, then I walk you through curing, the days it needs to harden, so you know what to do after.
Richmond concrete questions
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete driveway in Richmond, CA?
Possibly, and Richmond's Building Division is the place to find out for your lot. The city requires a building permit before you build, alter, repair or demolish a structure, and its exempt-work handout says a permit is likely required for anything it doesn't list. We check with the city before we pour and file whatever it asks for.
How do I get a building permit for a concrete job in Richmond?
You, an agent you authorize or a licensed contractor can apply, and the city takes applications online, or in person by appointment if you can't file electronically. A contractor has to show the license and insurance papers covered above when registering, and the city's permit page lays out the rest. When we run your job, we file it for you and meet the inspector when it's time.
Does a small shed slab need a permit in Richmond, CA?
The shed itself may be exempt, but check on the slab under it before anyone pours. The city's handout lists one-story detached sheds and playhouses as exempt when the floor area stays within 120 square feet, and it says electrical, plumbing or mechanical work for an exempt item still needs its own permit unless that work is exempt too. We'll ask the city about your slab first.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack and sink?
Most cracking and sinking comes from a weak base, water and joints cut late or not at all. A base raked flat over loose dirt settles with that dirt, a slab that tilts toward the house keeps water at its edge, and control joints, grooves cut into the slab, give it a planned place to crack as it shrinks. Concrete still cracks some, so we pack the base, check the slope and cut the joints on time so cracks usually stay in those grooves.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can usually walk on a new driveway within a few days, and you'll wait longer before parking a car on it. Curing keeps going well after the surface looks dry, and driving on it early can mark or crack it. I'll give you the dates for your slab before we leave, so plan on parking on the street for that stretch.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Richmond, CA?
Your price comes down to the size of the slab, what has to be broken out and hauled away, how much base we rebuild and the finish you pick, and I put it in a written estimate after seeing your site. Thicker slabs, steel and stamped or colored finishes raise it, while a plain broom finish keeps it lower. The base is the last place I'd cut, because nobody sees it on day one and it's what decides whether the slab settles.
Get your Richmond concrete estimate
Call (341) 209-8254 or send the form, and you'll have a written estimate you can hold up against any other bid.