Concrete Contractor in Fountain Valley, CA - Slabs That Drain on Flat Lots
C&M Santa Ana Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Santa Ana that builds driveways, patios, pool decks and stamped work for homes in Fountain Valley, and replaces worn slabs with new ones that drain away from the house.
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Concrete work around Fountain Valley homes
Fountain Valley is mostly homes, street after street of single-family tract houses with a driveway out front and a patio out back, plus condos, apartments and shopping centers along the bigger roads. It's the same kind of work we do in Westminster next door and up in Placentia.
The calls we get here are usually about a driveway that's cracked and sunk, a front walk lifted by a tree, or a patio that's settled toward the house. What you'll pay moves with the size of the slab, how much old concrete has to come out and how much work the ground under it needs, and the schedule turns on whether the city wants a permit and on curing, the days new concrete needs to harden before you use it. Your written estimate gives you your own figure. Since much of the concrete on these lots went in when the houses were built, a good part of the job is breaking out the old slab before any new concrete goes in.
Concrete services for Fountain Valley homes
Concrete driveway building
Older Fountain Valley driveways often crack and sink near the street. We break them out, pack a new base and pour a slab that drains to the curb.
Concrete patio construction
Backyards here are flat, so an old patio often holds water against the house. We dig out, regrade and pour a patio that sheds water toward the yard.
Stamped concrete services
Tract homes here often look alike from the street. Stamped concrete gives your walk or patio a stone or brick look over the same packed base.
Concrete sidewalk building
Tree roots lift front walks on older blocks here, leaving an edge to trip on. We cut out the raised sections and pour new ones flush.
Concrete pool decks
Older pool decks here crack and turn rough underfoot. We pour a new deck with a textured top that grips wet feet and drains away from the pool.
Slab foundation building
Adding a room to a house here starts with the slab. We build slab foundations on packed ground with rebar, steel that keeps cracks from spreading.
What Fountain Valley slabs need
Most lots in Fountain Valley are flat, so water doesn't run off a slab on its own. A patio poured dead level, or one that's settled back toward the house, holds puddles and sends water at the foundation. When I come out, I check where the water goes now, and we set the forms so the new slab falls toward the street or the yard.
When an old slab here has cracked all over, the trouble usually started underneath. The subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on, was often just raked smooth, so it settled and took the concrete with it. We dig out the soft ground, pack a firm base and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack, the same day we pour. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you spend it on the base than on a fancier finish, because nobody sees the base on day one, but you can't go back and fix it once the concrete's on top.
Your free concrete estimate in Fountain Valley
Call (714) 439-5472 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out to your Fountain Valley house myself, look at the spot, ask how you'll use it and send you a written estimate. It's free, and there's no obligation.
Fountain Valley concrete questions
Here are the questions Fountain Valley homeowners ask us most about permits, licenses, cost and timing. If your job doesn't fit one of them, call and ask about yours.
How do I find out if my concrete driveway or patio needs a permit in Fountain Valley?
Call the city's Building Division at 714-593-4429, because Fountain Valley's list of permit-free work covers things like painting, tiling and cabinets, not driveways or patios. We check with that office early on every job, and if a permit is needed, we pull it as the licensed contractor.
Does a small concrete retaining wall need a permit in Fountain Valley?
Not if it's 4 feet or less, measured from the bottom of the footing, the wider base the wall stands on, to the top of the wall. That changes if the wall holds up extra weight on the soil behind it, like a driveway, or holds back flammable or combustible liquids. Any electrical or plumbing that goes with the wall can still need its own permit.
Do subcontractors need a business license to work in Fountain Valley?
Yes, every subcontractor needs a Fountain Valley business license before starting work in the city. On a job with a permit, the list of subcontractors goes to the city for approval and has to be in two weeks before the final inspection is requested, or that inspection gets pushed back. The city's business license office answers questions at 714-593-4421.
What does a new concrete driveway cost in Fountain Valley?
I'll give you a written price after I see your driveway, because the finish and the thickness change the cost as much as the size does. A broom finish, the light texture swept across the top for grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete. Most driveways are about 4 inches thick, and going thicker for a truck or an RV costs more but carries the weight.
How long does a new concrete driveway take before I can drive on it?
Usually about a week before you drive a car on it, though you can walk on it after a day or two. Driving on it while it's still curing can crack the edges or leave marks that stay for good. I'll tell you the dates for your slab, and if the city requires a permit, its review comes before the pour.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, according to the Contractors State License Board, the state board that licenses and regulates contractors. The board says that limit applies to all home improvement projects.
Driveway, patio and walkway ideas
Other cities we work in
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