Concrete cutting in Berkeley CA - clean openings with the steel found first
Need a doorway, a trench or a pipe hole through concrete? We scan it first, then cut it clean where it belongs.
Slab sawing
Straight cuts in floors for trenches, openings and slab removal.
Wall sawing
Door and window openings cut into solid concrete walls.
Core drilling
Round holes for plumbing, mechanical and electrical runs.
Scanning before cutting
We find the steel and buried lines before the blade goes in.
How do I get a clean opening cut in concrete?
Concrete cutting in Berkeley means sawing or core drilling straight cuts, controlled openings or round holes in your slabs and walls, and we scan the concrete first so the cut lands where you want it without hitting steel or buried lines.
The shape and spot of the opening pick the tool. A straight trench across a floor is slab saw work, a doorway in a basement wall is wall saw work, and a pipe hole is a core drill job. Cutting is sometimes the first step of a bigger job, like removing a broken section before a new concrete driveway or concrete patio.
The price moves with how much you're cutting, how thick the concrete is, whether it's a floor or a wall, how much steel sits inside and how easy the spot is to reach. The schedule mostly turns on what comes before the saw, an engineer's okay if the cut crosses steel and the city's permit, which we file. Your written estimate shows what's included.
- A scan before any cut
- The right saw for your opening
- Clean edges you can build against
- A plain explanation of each step
When do you need concrete cut?
Most cutting calls start with a plan for something new that has to pass through, under or into concrete that's already there.
A new door in a concrete wall
You want a door or a window in a basement or garage wall, and the wall is solid concrete.
A pipe that has to pass through
A new drain, water line or electrical run needs a round hole through a slab or a wall.
A trench across the floor
Plumbing under a garage or basement floor means opening a straight, narrow trench in the slab so the line can go in.
One cracked section to replace
A broken or sinking piece of a driveway or patio can be cut out cleanly instead of breaking up the whole slab.
Cracks running anywhere they like
Wandering cracks can mean the control joints, the grooves that tell a slab where to crack, were skipped. Joint work is one of the jobs a slab saw does.
Water pooling against the house
A slab that tips water toward your house sometimes needs a section cut out and replaced so it drains away instead.
Ask for your cutting estimate
Tell us where the cut goes and what opening you need. We reply within one business day, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation.
What we look at before concrete cutting
Before I recommend a saw or a drill, I look at the concrete, what's inside it, what runs through it and exactly where you want the opening.
Steel inside the concrete
We scan the slab or wall for rebar, the steel bars that hold concrete together, and for tensioned steel cables, before we mark a cut.
Buried lines and ducts
The scan also looks for pipes, conduit and ducts set into the concrete, and I'll show you what it found before any cutting starts.
The shape and spot of the opening
A floor trench, a wall doorway and a pipe hole each need a different tool, so we measure and mark exactly where yours goes.
Floor or wall, and how we reach it
We check how thick the concrete is and how we'll get the saw to it, since both change how we set up the cut.
What to expect on a concrete cutting job
We plan the job around your house and what the opening is for, so you know what happens before the cut, during it and once we've packed up.
Call or send a request
Call or use the form and tell us where the cut goes, what kind of opening you need and whether you have drawings.
The site visit
I come out myself, look at the concrete, listen to what the opening is for and mark where it goes.
Estimate and permit
You get a written estimate that shows what's included, and we sort out the permit with the city before any cutting starts.
Scan, then cut
We scan first and wait for the engineer's okay before cutting through steel. Saws run in the city's noise hours, 7 am to 7 pm weekdays and 9 am to 8 pm weekends and holidays.
Walk-through
I walk you through the finished opening and what comes next, whether that's a plumber running a line or a door frame going in.
Why Berkeley homeowners call Heartland Berkeley Concrete Company for cutting
You get the person who looked at your job running it, and a straight explanation of why each step comes before the next.
The owner on your site
I look at the job and write the estimate myself, and I'm on site running our own crew when we cut.
Working in Berkeley since 2023
I started this business here in 2023 after working concrete crews every summer through school, and I still explain the why behind each step.
Licensed and insured
We're licensed and insured, and we scan the slab or wall before cutting so we know where the steel and lines sit.
Satisfaction guaranteed
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job. Call (341) 209-8254 or fill out our estimate request form to set up a visit.
Concrete cutting in Berkeley and the cities around it
In Berkeley, the city's Permit Service Center issues building permits, and most construction and repairs need one unless they're on the city's list of work exempt from permits. That list names things like low sidewalks and driveways, not cutting openings, and the city says to assume you need a permit when your work isn't on it. We find out what your job needs, file the paperwork and meet the inspector.
Around Berkeley and in cities like Albany and El Cerrito, a lot of our cutting calls come from older homes getting a basement door, a drain line through a garage floor or a cracked driveway section cut out. We do the same work across the East Bay.
Have an opening in mind? Let's talk it through.
(341) 209-8254Concrete cutting questions
How much does concrete cutting cost per linear foot?
Across the US, concrete cutting by a professional contractor usually costs about $3 to $10 per linear foot. Where a job lands in that range depends on how thick the concrete is, how much steel it holds and whether it's a floor or a wall. Your written estimate shows what's included for your cut.
What is the best way to cut a door opening in a concrete wall?
Wall sawing is the usual method for door and window openings in vertical concrete. It makes straight, controlled cuts in a wall, where a floor saw can't work. Tell us the size and spot of the opening and we'll set it up.
How do I get a round hole through a concrete slab for a pipe?
Core drilling is the best fit for round holes for plumbing, mechanical and electrical runs. It leaves very little damage around the edge of the hole, so the concrete around it stays sound.
Can you cut through rebar in a concrete slab?
Usually only with the okay of the structural engineer or designer responsible for the building. A scan shows where the steel sits but doesn't give permission to cut it, so if your opening crosses steel we wait for that approval before we start.
What is slab sawing used for in a Berkeley home?
Slab sawing makes straight cuts in floors, like trenches for new plumbing and openings in a garage or basement slab. It also handles taking out a section of slab in a controlled way, plus joint and correction work in floors.
Who licenses concrete cutting contractors in California?
The state contractors license board puts concrete sawing, breaking and coring under its concrete-related services class. That class doesn't cover installing reinforcing steel, so if new steel has to go in around your opening, plan on that as separate work.
Get your concrete cutting estimate
If you have building drawings, keep them handy when you call, since they help show where the steel and lines may run before we scan.