Concrete Contractor in Stanton, CA - Flat Slabs That Drain Away From Your House

There's no single number, because it comes down to the size of the driveway, the base the ground needs and the finish you pick, and I put it in writing after I've seen it. Most driveways are poured at least four inches thick, and going thicker or adding rebar for a work truck costs more, while a plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored concrete. The base is the one place I won't cut to save you money, because it's buried on day one and it's what keeps the slab flat.

Possibly, and it's something I check before we start, because Stanton's list of permit-free projects names short walls, fences and small sheds but not driveways or patios. At the estimate I'll tell you what I know about the city's steps for your job, and I'll check with them when I'm not sure. If a permit is needed, we pull it and handle the inspections.

Under Stanton's building code, a retaining wall up to four feet tall, measured from the bottom of its footing to the top of the wall, doesn't need a building permit unless it's holding up extra weight like a slope or a driveway above it, or holding back fuel or other flammable liquids. A block wall is exempt only up to three feet, and fences up to six feet are exempt too. When your wall is taller or carries a load, we pull the permit and handle the inspections.

Most of the cracking and sinking we see starts under the slab, with a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled with the dirt and took the concrete down with it. On flat ground, water finishes the job when a slab falls toward the house or holds puddles, and cracks wander when control joints, the grooves cut so the slab cracks along a straight line instead of at random, are skipped or cut late. We dig down to firm subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, pack the base, set the slope and cut the joints before the slab can crack on its own.

You can usually walk on new concrete after a day or two, but plan on keeping cars off for about a week, and longer for a heavy truck or RV. Curing is the slow hardening that keeps going for weeks after the pour, and keeping the slab damp and unloaded early on is what gives it its strength. That's also why we like to pour early in the day, because concrete that dries too fast in afternoon heat ends up with a weak, dusty top.

Yes for nearly any concrete job, because the Contractors State License Board requires a current license from anyone contracting for work that needs a building permit, work worth $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined, or work done with employees. We're licensed and fully insured, so that covers everything from a short walk to a new slab.