Concrete Contractor in Santa Ana, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Solid Base
C&M Santa Ana Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Santa Ana. We build driveways, patios, stamped work, walkways, steps and foundations for homeowners, landlords and small businesses across the city.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work on Santa Ana homes
Santa Ana is home for us. I started this business here in 2017 after years on my dad's crews, and a lot of what we pour in the city goes in on older lots with tight side yards, a narrow driveway running back to a detached garage and a backyard that sits close to the house. We also do plenty for landlords with duplexes and small rentals, and for shop owners who need a floor or a parking area redone. What moves your price is mostly what's there now, like how much old concrete comes out, how easy the spot is to reach and the finish you want, and the schedule turns on any city review the job needs, the weather on pour day and the wait while the concrete cures. I come out, look at the spot and send you a written estimate with your number. We work the same way in Orange and Tustin next door.
Those lots shape the job. Old concrete often has to come out through one narrow side yard, and the slab under it has usually settled or been pushed up by roots, which tells me how far down we need to dig before the new base goes in.
Concrete work we do in Santa Ana
Concrete driveway building
Narrow driveways on older lots here often crack and sink because the old base was never packed. Our concrete driveway building starts by digging out and compacting it.
Concrete patio construction
On small backyards here, a patio usually sits right against the house. We slope it away from your walls before we pour, so rain doesn't pool there.
Stamped concrete services
Many homeowners here want a patio or front walk that looks like stone or tile. We stamp and color the concrete while it's still soft.
Concrete sidewalk building
Mature trees on older lots here lift walkways and leave edges people trip on. We cut out the raised sections and pour new walk that sits flush.
Garage floor concrete
Detached garages behind older houses here often have cracked floors that hold water. We break out the old slab and pour a new one with a smooth finish.
Concrete parking lot building
Shops here often have a parking area with sunken spots and standing water. We dig out the weak base, set the drainage and pour for daily traffic.
What older Santa Ana slabs need
Most of the cracked, sinking concrete I look at around Santa Ana didn't fail from age alone. The older slabs were usually poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, kept settling and took the concrete with it, and mature trees on these lots push up whatever the dirt doesn't pull down. We dig down to firm ground and pack a real base before any forms go in. That base is hidden on day one, so it's the first thing people want to cut when the budget's tight. I'd rather you pick a plainer finish than skimp there, because a fancy top on dirt that's still moving cracks just like the old one.
Water and heat are the other two things we plan around. A lot of older slabs here sit flat or tip toward the house, so we check where your water runs before we set the forms, and on hot days we start pours early because concrete that goes down in the midday heat can dry too fast on top and turn weak and dusty later. Then it needs to cure, the wait while it hardens, which usually means a day or two before you walk on it and about a week before you drive on it.
Get a written estimate for your Santa Ana concrete job
We reply within one business day to set a time, then I come out to your Santa Ana property 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. Call (714) 439-5472 or send the form, and ask about the permit steps for your project while you're at it.
Questions from Santa Ana homeowners
These are the questions I hear most on Santa Ana jobs, from permits to cracking. If yours isn't here, ask it when you call and I'll walk you through it.
Do I need a permit to pour a driveway or patio in Santa Ana?
Check with the city's Building Safety Division before work starts, because the city's permit list doesn't name driveways or patios either way. The city requires permits to build, alter, repair or tear down a building, most applications need Planning Division approval before they reach the building side, and some simple permits go out over the counter the same day while other projects need plans reviewed. We check with the city's building office early on each job, and if a permit's needed we can pull it as the licensed contractor.
Does a retaining wall need a permit in Santa Ana?
A retaining wall 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of its footing to the top, is exempt from a building permit under the city's permit FAQ, unless it holds up extra weight like a slope or driveway above it or holds back certain flammable liquids. A 2022 city handout says fences and walls, retaining walls included, need Planning Division review, so we ask the city about that before we dig the footing.
How long does a building permit stay valid in Santa Ana?
A Santa Ana permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within 180 days after it's issued, and it lapses if work stops for 180 days once it has begun. That's why we settle the pour date with you before a permit is pulled, so the paperwork doesn't run out while you wait.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Santa Ana?
The cost of a Santa Ana driveway comes down to its size and thickness, how much old concrete has to be broken out and hauled off, how hard the spot is to reach and the finish you pick. A broom finish, the light brushed texture that keeps it from getting slick, costs less than stamping or color, and a tight side yard that means more hand work adds to it. I'll look at the spot, ask how you'll use it and send you a written estimate.
How do I keep a new concrete patio from cracking in Santa Ana?
Pour it on a dug-out, packed base and cut the joints on time, because that's what usually separates a slab that holds up from the cracked one it replaces. Concrete can still crack, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give it a straight line to crack along, and add rebar, steel inside the slab that keeps pieces from drifting apart, where the job calls for it. Before we pour, I'll tell you what to expect as it ages and what upkeep it needs.
How do I check a concrete contractor before hiring in Santa Ana?
Ask to see a current City of Santa Ana business license, because the city requires one for any contractor working inside city limits, along with proof that they're licensed and insured. Then ask how they'll prepare the base and which way the water will run, since those answers say more about how the slab will age than a finish sample does.
Concrete work, up close
Other cities we work in
If your city is listed, choose it to see how we work there. If not, get in touch, since these aren't the only places we work.