Concrete driveway building in Lakewood CA - a slab that sits on solid ground
Old driveway cracked, sinking or holding water? We pack the ground hard and pour a stiff mix, so your new slab starts on firm footing.
A concrete driveway is mostly ground work
A concrete driveway is flatwork, the trade's word for slabs that sit on the ground, and we build them in Lakewood and many of the cities around it. Most calls start with a slab that's cracked, sunk or holding water, and the trouble usually began underneath, in dirt raked level instead of dug out and packed.
Size, tear-out, how much the ground needs and the finish you pick set the price, while the schedule turns on access and curing, the wait for new concrete to gain strength before it takes a car. Your own numbers come from my estimate. We're licensed and fully insured, and if you're thinking about a concrete patio too, I can look at both on one visit.
- Soft soil dug out, base packed hard
- Slab sloped so water runs off
- A stiff mix, not watered down
- Joints cut early, so cracks follow them
Patch, replace or add a pattern
The right call depends on whether the trouble is on top or underneath, because a patch over moving ground just buys time until it cracks again.
Patch the cracks
- When it fits
- Thin cracks on a slab that's still level and draining.
- What it takes
- Cleaning and filling cracks, which won't help if the ground underneath is moving.
Replace the slab
- When it fits
- Sunken, broken or holding water, usually because the ground underneath gave out.
- What it takes
- Tear-out, a packed base and a broom finish, the brushed texture for grip.
Rebuild with a pattern
- When it fits
- You want the new slab to look like stone, brick or tile.
- What it takes
- The same base work, then stamped concrete and color on top, which adds time and cost.
How a driveway job goes
Call and site visit
You call or send the form, then I come out myself to look at the ground, the access and what you have in mind.
Plain written estimate
I write the estimate in plain words, laying out the prep, the finish and whether a permit applies, which we settle before we price the job.
Tear out and pack
Our crew tears out the old slab, packs the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and sets the forms for the new driveway.
Pour, finish, walk-through
I run the crew on pour day, starting early so the heat doesn't dry the top too fast, and at the end I walk the job with you.
What to think through first
These shape how we build your driveway and what goes into the estimate, so they're worth thinking about before I come out.
Base before the finish
The base is the first thing people want to cut, because nobody sees it once the concrete's down. I'd cut the finish first, since a nice top over loose dirt still sinks.
Where the water goes
A driveway that tips toward the garage or the house sends water where you don't want it. We check where water runs now and slope the new slab away from the house.
What parks on it
A heavier truck or an RV calls for a thicker slab and more rebar, the steel inside that holds cracked pieces together, so tell me what you'll park there.
Old slab and access
Breaking out and hauling off the old driveway is part of most jobs, and a narrow side yard or a long reach for the concrete truck adds work.
What good driveway work looks like
Look for straight, even edges, joints cut clean across the slab and a surface that tips away from the house. Open any photo for a closer look.
Tell me about your driveway
Call or send the form with the square footage and whether it's new or a replacement. We reply within one business day to book a free, no-obligation estimate on site.
To talk now, call
(562) 249-2521Driveway questions people ask us
Another question? Call (562) 249-2521
How much does a concrete driveway cost near Lakewood, CA?
Installed concrete slabs in the Los Angeles area usually run about $8 to $17 per square foot, which is the going rate around here, not our quote. Your own number comes from the estimate I write after looking at the site.
Who is allowed to build a driveway in California?
Usually a contractor licensed by the Contractors State License Board, because a home's driveway counts as home improvement, and you can check the license before signing. The minor-work exemption stops at $1,000 and only covers jobs with no permit and no hired workers. If yours needs a permit, we handle it with the city or county office for your address.
Why do concrete driveways sink or settle in Lakewood?
Usually because of what's under it, since slabs settle from poor drainage, tree roots pulling moisture out or soil that wasn't packed well. Los Angeles County rates low overall for soil that shrinks and swells, but slabs still settle for those other reasons. We compact the ground well before anything gets poured.
Will a new concrete driveway crack like my old one?
Some cracking is normal, so the goal is to control where it shows up. National guidance on home concrete says the more water a mix holds, the more it shrinks, and less water for the same cement makes it stronger, so we keep ours stiff. Control joints, grooves we cut across the slab, give cracks a straight place to form.
Does California have rules for driveway contracts?
Yes, state law sets special requirements for home improvement contracts, written to head off as many problems as possible, so ask any contractor how theirs meets them. Ask us too, and we'll go through ours before you sign, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job.