Concrete Contractor in Sunnyvale, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Solid Base
Elite Redwood City Concrete, a concrete contractor based in Redwood City, CA, pours driveways, patios, walkways, garage floors and foundations for homes in Sunnyvale. We dig out and pack the base and set the slope before any concrete shows up.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Sunnyvale homes, flat lots and slabs as old as the house
Most of our Sunnyvale calls come from single-story houses on flat, regular lots. Many of them still have the driveway, front walk and back patio that were poured when the house went up. Mixed in are newer two-story rebuilds, townhome rows, apartment complexes and office lots, so one week it's a two-car driveway and the next it's a parking area. The streets run right on into Mountain View, and the houses and the work look much the same on both sides of the line.
The ground here is nearly level from the street to the back fence. That makes it easy to work on and hard to drain, because water doesn't leave a flat lot on its own, so the slope we build into each slab decides where your rain ends up.
Concrete work we do for Sunnyvale homes and lots
Most driveways we see here are as old as the house, cracked and sunk at the street end. We tear them out, rebuild the base and pour new.
A backyard slab behind a ranch house on a flat lot should fall slightly away from the house, or the rain sits against your back door.
Stamped concrete gives a Sunnyvale patio or front walk the look of stone or brick in one pour, with no pavers to shift or weed around later.
Front walks lifted by tree roots turn into a tripping hazard. We replace the raised sections and set the new path so the roots have room.
Older garage floors here are usually cracked and stained. We pour new ones with rebar inside, the steel that keeps any crack from spreading apart.
Color, exposed stone or a polished finish suits the modern remodels going up on older lots, where plain gray would look like an afterthought.
Lots here are mostly flat, so walls usually hold a raised bed or a step in grade. We put drainage behind each one so water doesn't build up and lean on it.
For a converted garage, a workshop or an addition, we pour an interior floor flat and level, with a vapor barrier underneath to keep ground moisture out.
Pool decks see wet bare feet all summer, so we give them a textured, slip-resistant finish and slope them to drains, away from the pool and the house.
Front steps here are usually just two or three high, but uneven ones trip people. We pour them with even heights and a broom finish for grip.
Additions and backyard cottages here usually sit on a slab. We dig out, pack the ground it rests on and set the steel before we pour.
When an addition or a raised floor needs a perimeter foundation, we form and pour the footings and short walls to the approved plans.
Apartment complexes and small office lots in Sunnyvale take cars all day. We pour thicker slabs over a deeper base and slope them to the drains.
Pergolas, patio covers and garden walls need footings, the concrete that carries their weight into firm ground. We dig them to the depth the plans call for.
When a corner of an older house or garage has settled, doors stick and cracks open. We lift the sunken section and go after what let it drop.
Need a trench for a new drain, a wider driveway opening or a doorway through a slab? We saw-cut clean, straight edges so the new work joins neatly.
Get an on-site concrete estimate for your Sunnyvale job
Send a few lines about the job and I'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, look it over and write up a free estimate, with no obligation.
(650) 587-4028- Based in
- Redwood City, CA 94063
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
Working in Sunnyvale: permits, licenses and price
Permits for work on a Sunnyvale house go through the city's One-Stop Permit Center at City Hall, where building, planning, fire and public works staff review plans in one place. Whether your concrete job needs one is the city's call, so if it does, I'll tell you at the estimate and we handle the paperwork and inspections, and the start date waits on the city's approval. Before you hire anyone, ask for two things: a state contractor's license, and a Sunnyvale business license, which the city requires of anyone doing business here, home-based outfits included. We're licensed and fully insured.
The price turns on the size, how much old concrete we break out and haul off, how deep the base has to go, the steel, the finish and how close the truck can get. Plenty of backyards here sit behind the house with only a side gate, so a patio often means pumping the concrete over or wheeling it through. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather and the cure, and your written estimate gives you the figure for your own job. We do the same work in Palo Alto and up the Peninsula in Daly City, but every city has its own counter, and here it's Sunnyvale's.
Why Sunnyvale slabs sink, crack and go dusty
A lot of the driveways and patios we break out here were poured on dirt that was raked level and never packed. Over the years they settled with it, so the slab sinks at the edges, tips toward the garage or breaks where a tree root pushed up. Patching the top doesn't fix a soft base. We dig out to firm ground, pack the subgrade, the layer the slab sits on, and set steel so any crack that opens stays tight.
A warm afternoon is hard on fresh concrete, because the top dries before the inside and turns weak and dusty later. So we pour early and keep the slab damp while it cures. Then we cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell the slab where to crack. Concrete is going to crack somewhere. We'd rather pick the spot.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Sunnyvale
Here's how it goes from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
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Call us or send the form
You'll hear back from me, and we pick a time for me to come out. It helps if you're home so you can show me where water sits after rain.
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I look the job over
I check the old slab, the ground under it and where the water runs, and I ask how you'll use the space. You get a written estimate that spells out the base, thickness, steel and finish, so you know what you're paying for.
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Permit first, then the pour
If the job needs a permit, we file it with the city, and work starts once it's issued. Then our crew digs out, packs the base, sets the steel and pours, and I check the work as it goes.
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We walk it with you
When it's done, we walk the job with you and tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for the car. The work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Questions about concrete work in Sunnyvale
How do I find out if my concrete driveway or patio in Sunnyvale needs a permit?
The city's permits page tells owners to contact the Permit Center for a project's specific requirements, and we get that answer for your job before anything is scheduled. Two city rules are worth knowing up front. Building permits cover new construction and remodeling, and a Planning permit, the city's review of how a project looks and fits its site, is required for all exterior changes and for additions.
Do I need a city permit to replace the sidewalk or driveway apron in front of my Sunnyvale house?
Yes, if the work reaches into the public right-of-way, the strip along the street that holds the sidewalk, Sunnyvale requires an Encroachment Permit. On many houses that strip takes in the public sidewalk and the sloped apron where the driveway meets the curb, so we find out where your part ends before we plan the tear-out.
When does a concrete contractor in California need a state license?
A contractor needs a license from the Contractors State License Board when the job needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or the labor and materials come to $1,000 or more across one or more contracts. That covers nearly any driveway or patio done by a crew, so ask to see the license before you sign.
Is my Sunnyvale home in a flood hazard area, and does it matter for concrete work?
Some parts of Sunnyvale are, because FEMA has marked certain areas of the city as Special Flood Hazard Areas, considered high risk for flooding. The city says those areas have special requirements for new construction and home remodeling, which matters most for a new slab foundation or an addition. The city explains it on its flood zones page, and we confirm where your house sits before we plan foundation work.
How much does it cost to replace a concrete driveway in Sunnyvale?
There's no set rate, so your figure comes from the written estimate after I've seen the old slab and the ground under it. Where people try to save is usually the base, since nobody sees it once it's poured, and that's the one place I won't cut, because a thin base is why the old driveway sank. If the budget's tight, a plain broom finish costs less than stamping or color, and the slab under it is just as strong.
How long does a new concrete driveway take to cure before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on it within a few days, but the car has to wait longer, and I'll give you the day for your slab when we pour. Curing is the slow hardening that keeps going well after the forms come off, and driving on it early is how fresh concrete gets cracked edges. Cool weather and a thicker slab stretch the wait a little.
Tell us about your Sunnyvale concrete job
Describe what's going on when you call (650) 587-4028 or fill in the form, and I'll show up already knowing what to look at.
Redwood City, CA