Concrete contractor in Mountain View, CA - slabs that sit level and drain
Hallmark Menlo Park Concrete builds driveways, patios, steps, retaining walls and foundations for homes in Mountain View, CA, starting with the ground under the slab and finishing with concrete that sits level and sheds water away from the house.
Concrete work on Mountain View homes
We're a concrete contractor based in Menlo Park, CA, and Mountain View is one of the cities we cover, along with Palo Alto and Sunnyvale. Here we pour flatwork, the slabs you walk or park on, like driveways, patios and walks, and build the steps, retaining walls and footings that go with a house.
The city's historical association says the neighborhoods on either side of Castro Street were mostly built between the late 1800s and World War II. Where a house is that old, the slab out front has often been patched or poured over more than once, so I want to see what's under it before I tell you what it'll take.
What I check under your slab
Before I write an estimate, I look at what nobody sees once the job is done: the subgrade, which is the ground the slab sits on, where water runs when it rains, and how the old concrete failed. A long crack tells me something different from a corner that's dropped, and that decides how deep we dig and what we pack back in.
- A soft base. Where the old slab was poured on dirt that was only raked level, it settles with the soil, so we dig out and pack a firm base first.
- Water toward the house. If a driveway or patio falls toward the house, rain collects against the wall, so we set the forms to carry water away before we pour.
- Cracks in odd places. Concrete shrinks as it dries, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell it where to crack. Cut late or skipped, it picks its own spot.
Driveways and patios for Mountain View homes
When a driveway is cracked, sunk or holding water, the fix usually starts with taking it out and rebuilding the ground under it. Price moves with the size, how much base it needs and whether the slab gets rebar, steel inside that holds it together if it cracks. The schedule turns on any permit and on curing, the days a slab needs before you drive on it. I work out your own figure on site.
Patios and pool decks usually get a broom finish, a light texture that keeps wet feet from slipping. The City says summer days here often reach the seventies and eighties, so we pour in the cool of the morning, because a slab finished in midday heat can dry too fast and leave a weak, dusty top.
Getting us to Mountain View
We're based in Menlo Park and work in the cities around it, from San Mateo down to Cupertino and beyond, and Mountain View is one of them. Before we set a date, we check what the City of Mountain View asks for at your address. Call (650) 582-0556 or send the form, and I'll come out to look.
Tell us about your concrete job
Describe what you'd like poured or replaced and where it is, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come look.
(650) 582-0556- Free estimate at your property
- Written on site by me
- No obligation to hire us
Concrete questions in Mountain View
Do I need a City permit for concrete work in Mountain View?
The City of Mountain View decides, and its lists don't settle it for a driveway or patio, so we check before we set a date and handle the paperwork or help you with it if one's needed. Its no-permit list covers retaining walls up to 4 feet, footing included, that hold back no extra load.
Does a concrete contractor in Mountain View need a California state license?
Yes, for nearly any concrete job, because the Contractors State License Board requires a license when a job needs a building permit, uses other workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. We're licensed and fully insured.
Does a contractor need a Mountain View business license to work there?
Yes, the City of Mountain View requires a business license for anyone doing work in the city, construction included, and a company applies for it before it starts. It's separate from the state contractor's license, so a contractor working here usually needs both.
Will my new concrete driveway crack like the old one did?
It may crack a little, since all concrete shrinks as it dries, and I'd rather tell you now. We control where and how much with a firm base and the joints we cut. If the budget's tight, I'd trim the finish before the base, because the base can't be fixed without tearing out the slab.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You'll walk on it before you drive on it, because concrete keeps getting stronger for days as it cures, and a car puts far more weight on a young slab than a person does. The wait turns on the mix and the weather, so I'll tell you the time for your slab on the day we pour.