Concrete Contractor in Costa Mesa - Slabs That Sit Flat and Drain
Solid Form Garden Grove Concrete pours driveways, patios, walks and slabs for homeowners and builders in Costa Mesa, CA, starting with a dug-out, packed base so the new concrete stays flat and sheds water.
- Service area
- Costa Mesa, CA
- Call
- (714) 750-8944
Older homes and busy yards in Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa is a short drive from our base in Garden Grove. Most of our calls there come from homeowners in single-story houses from the postwar decades, plus builders working on additions and rebuilds. It's the same kind of work we do next door in Fountain Valley and Santa Ana, and up in Norwalk.
Many of those houses still have the driveway and patio they were built with, and by now the slab has usually cracked, dropped at a corner or started holding water by the garage. Tear-out and base work move the price more than the finish does. The schedule mostly turns on whether the city wants a permit and on curing, the wait while the slab gains strength before you can use it. So before I quote anything here, I look at what the old slab was sitting on and which way your yard sheds water, because older slabs often went down on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, and that's what let them sink.
Our services in Costa Mesa, CA
Many Costa Mesa driveways are as old as the house, cracked and sunk where the base gave out. We tear out, pack a new base and pour a slab that sheds water toward the street.
Backyards here are often small, so a patio has to fit tight to the house and still drain away from it. We set the slope before forming, so water heads for the yard.
When a remodel updates the front of the house, a plain gray walk can look out of place. Our decorative concrete work adds color and texture over the same packed base we put under any slab.
Walks beside older homes often heave or drop where tree roots or poor fill moved them, which turns into a trip edge. We cut out the bad sections and pour new ones level with the rest.
Many garages here now double as workshops, and a cracked, uneven old floor fights you every day. We break out the worn slab and pour a new one flat enough to build on.
Builders adding rooms or backyard units here need a slab they can frame on without shimming every wall. Having framed houses myself, I form it square and level so the framing goes smoothly.
Every service we offer
Concrete driveway building
Concrete patio construction
Stamped concrete services
Concrete sidewalk building
Garage floor concrete
Decorative concrete
Concrete retaining walls
Concrete floor installation
Concrete pool decks
Concrete steps construction
Slab foundation building
Foundation installation
Concrete parking lot building
Concrete footings
Foundation raising
Concrete cutting
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Costa Mesa
Call or send the form
You call (714) 750-8944 or send the form, and I'm usually the one who calls you back. We pick a time for me to come out to your place in Costa Mesa.
I measure and check the ground
I come out myself to look at the ground, measure and ask how you'll use the driveway or patio. You get a written estimate that spells out the prep, the concrete and anything that isn't included, so there's no guessing about the cost.
We handle permits and pour
If the city requires a permit, we pull it and handle the inspections, which can set the start date. I'm on site on pour day, and the crew I've worked with for years does the forming, pouring and finishing.
We walk the finished work
When we're done, I walk the slab with you so you can see the joints and the drainage. I go over how to look after it while it cures, including when it's ready for foot traffic and when it's ready for cars.
Costa Mesa concrete questions
Do I need a licensed contractor for concrete work in Costa Mesa?
Under state rules, yes, whenever the job needs a building permit, uses employees, or the contracts add up to $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The Contractors State License Board doesn't allow a bigger job to be split into smaller contracts to get under that line, and a contractor has to hold the license before bidding. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'm glad to show you that at the estimate.
How do I apply for a building permit for a concrete project in Costa Mesa?
Permits go through the city's Building Safety Division, and plans are submitted and permits issued online in TESSA, the city's permit system. Everything gets entered straight into TESSA, so paper forms aren't looked at and incomplete applications get sent back. Whether your driveway, patio or wall needs a permit is a question for the city, and when a job needs one, we pull it and handle the inspections.
Is there an Insta-Permit for concrete work in Costa Mesa?
The city's Insta-Permits, quick permits for simple jobs with a limited scope, are listed for residential HVAC, re-pipe, water heater, EV charger, panel upgrade and re-roof work, and concrete isn't one of them. That list doesn't tell you whether your slab needs a regular permit, so it's worth asking the city before work starts. If I'm not sure for your job, I'll check with their office.
What are the penalties for unlicensed contracting in California?
A first offense is usually a misdemeanor, with up to six months in jail, a $500 fine or both, and an administrative fine of $200 to $15,000 can come with it. Those penalties fall on the person doing the contracting, but a low bid from someone without a license deserves a second look before you sign anything. Asking for the license number up front is a simple place to start.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Costa Mesa?
The price comes down mostly to the size of the slab, how much old concrete has to be broken out and hauled off, and how much base work the ground needs before we pour. A broom finish, the light texture that gives tires and shoes grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete, and rebar, the steel that holds the slab together if it cracks, adds some cost. You get your own number in writing after I measure, with the prep and anything not included spelled out.
What causes concrete driveways in Costa Mesa to crack and sink?
Most cracked, sunken slabs I look at sit on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the concrete settled right along with it. Water running toward the house or under the slab, a pour in the midday heat that leaves a weak, dusty top, and control joints, the grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack, cut late or skipped all make it worse. The base is the part you can't see on day one and the first thing people want to cut from the budget, but it's the part I won't trim, because a nice finish on a poor base still cracks and sinks.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Costa Mesa slab
Send the form or call, and expect a reply within one business day, usually from me. I'll set a time to come out to your Costa Mesa property, walk the job with you and measure. The estimate is free and obligation-free, and it lists what's included so you can line it up against other bids.
- Call
- (714) 750-8944
- Location
- Garden Grove, CA 92840
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Book your Costa Mesa concrete estimate
A crack that's letting water under the slab only gets worse, and catching it early can mean a repair instead of a whole new pour.