Concrete Contractor in Costa Mesa, CA - Driveways and Patios That Stay Level
United Irvine Concrete builds and replaces driveways, patios, walkways and slabs for homeowners in Costa Mesa, CA. We dig out and pack the ground under each slab before we pour, so the new concrete sits flat.
Concrete work for Costa Mesa homes
Costa Mesa is a short drive from our base in Irvine, and as a concrete contractor in Costa Mesa we work mostly on homes that have been lived in a long while, along with small rental buildings and lots for the property managers who call us. Many of the driveways, walks and patios I'm asked to look at here were poured decades ago, then patched, added onto or pushed up by a tree that grew bigger than anyone planned. We do the same flatwork, the driveways, patios and walks that lie on the ground, next door in Fountain Valley and Newport Beach.
What decides most of these jobs is the ground underneath. When I lift a piece of old slab, I often find dirt that was raked flat and never packed, which is why the concrete sank and split, so we dig that out and build a firm base before anything new goes down.
What happens when you call us about a job in Costa Mesa
Call or send us a message
Call (949) 518-3401 or send the form on this page, and we'll set a time for me to come out to your property. It helps if you can be there, because I'll want to hear how you use the driveway or yard.
I measure and look it over
I take measurements, check where the water runs and how the old concrete failed, and then give you a written estimate that shows what's included. The price turns mostly on the size, the tear-out, the base we have to build and the finish you choose, and the schedule turns on any permit and the weather.
We file permits and pour
If the job needs a city permit, we prepare and file it and keep you posted while it's reviewed, since that review usually decides our start date. Then our own crew digs out, packs the base, sets the forms and pours, with me or my foreman running the work on site.
We walk the finished work
Before we leave, we walk the new concrete with you and leave your property as tidy as we found it. We'll also tell you when it's ready to walk on and when it's ready to drive on.
Concrete services we offer in Costa Mesa
Most of what we're asked to do in Costa Mesa is replace tired driveways, walks and backyard slabs. Concrete patio construction is close behind, usually because an old patio has sunk toward the house or the family has outgrown it. We also pour garage floors, steps and retaining walls, and every service we offer here is listed below.
- Concrete driveway building
- Concrete patio construction
- Stamped concrete services
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Slab foundation building
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
What signs mean your Costa Mesa concrete needs work?
Much of the concrete around Costa Mesa homes has been down a long time, so small problems have had years to grow. These are the signs worth a closer look.
- Cracks that keep getting wider
- One slab sitting lower than another
- Water pooling after you hose it
- Patio sloping back toward the house
- Chipping or a dusty, flaking surface
- Roots lifting a section of walk
Should you repair or replace concrete in Costa Mesa?
A repair makes sense when the ground under the slab is sound and the trouble is limited, such as a crack that hasn't moved or a chipped corner by the garage. We can often saw out one bad section and pour just that piece, and I'll tell you plainly when that's the better choice, because there's no sense tearing out concrete that still has years in it.
Replacement is the honest answer when sections have sunk, water runs toward the house or cracks keep opening, because those trace back to the base, and patching the top won't reach it. The base is also the first thing people want to trim from a budget, since nobody sees it on pour day, and it's the one place I won't cut. I'd sooner spend your money on the ground and keep the finish plain than the other way around.
Hiring a local concrete crew in Costa Mesa
Being based in Irvine puts Costa Mesa a short drive away, so our crew can be on site early on pour day and get the concrete placed and finished before the afternoon heat, which can dry the top too fast and leave it weak and dusty later. I come out to look at each job myself, and either I or my foreman runs the work, so the person you talk to is the person responsible for it.
A contractor close by also knows how jobs run in this part of Orange County, from city permits to HOA approvals. We use our own crew rather than whoever is free that week, and our quotes say plainly what you're paying for, including the base work nobody sees once the concrete is down.
Our commitment to Costa Mesa homeowners
I learned concrete under a strict boss who made me tear out forms and set them again until they were right, and I've run United Irvine Concrete that same careful way since 2013. We do exactly what the estimate says and leave your driveway, yard and street as tidy as we found them. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
I'd rather explain a job than sell one. On site I'll show you where the water runs, why the old base has to come out and what the finish will look like, and if something isn't worth doing, sir or ma'am, I'll tell you so.
You can count on a written estimate that shows what's included, work that matches it, and a property left as tidy as we found it.
Get your Costa Mesa concrete looked at
Call (949) 518-3401 any day of the week, from early morning into the evening, and we'll set a time to come out.
Get a free estimate for your Costa Mesa concrete job
Tell us your address and what you'd like done, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The on-site written estimate is free, with no obligation.
Costa Mesa concrete questions
How much does a concrete driveway or patio cost in Costa Mesa?
The cost of a driveway or patio in Costa Mesa comes down to the size, how much old concrete comes out, how much base goes under it and the finish you choose. Hauling away a thick old slab or digging out soft ground adds cost, while a broom finish, a lightly brushed texture that gives shoes and tires some grip, costs less than stamped or colored work. I give you a written figure only after measuring, and it lists each of those so you can see what you're paying for.
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Costa Mesa?
Ask the city's Building Safety Division at (714) 754-5273, because its Insta-Permits for simple, limited jobs list re-roofs, water heaters, panel upgrades and HVAC work, not concrete, so that list doesn't settle it for your driveway or patio. When one of our jobs needs a permit, we prepare and file it and keep you posted, and if you're in an HOA we'll give you the drawings and details the board needs.
How do I apply for a building permit in Costa Mesa?
You apply online through TESSA, the city's permit system, where you submit plans and enter all the application details yourself. The city doesn't work from paper forms and sends back applications that are missing information, so have everything ready before you start. If we're doing your job, we take care of the application for you.
Does my concrete job in Costa Mesa need a licensed contractor?
Most driveway and patio jobs do, because California's Contractors State License Board requires a license when a job needs a building permit, uses employee labor or adds up to $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and a larger job can't be split into smaller contracts to stay under that line. Working without a license is usually a misdemeanor on a first offense, with up to six months in jail, a $500 fine or both, and an administrative fine of $200 to $15,000 can come with it. We're licensed and insured, and the board expects any contractor to hold a license before bidding, so ask to see it first.
How long does new concrete take to cure before I can drive on it in Costa Mesa?
You can walk on a new slab well before you can drive on it, and I give you both dates for your job on pour day. Curing, the time the concrete spends gaining strength, depends on the thickness and the weather that week, and hot, dry days pull water from the top too quickly, which is why we pour early in warm weather. Until your drive-on date, park on the street.
What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink in Costa Mesa?
Most cracking and sinking we see on Costa Mesa jobs starts under the slab, with a subgrade, the ground the concrete rests on, that was raked level instead of dug out and packed. Water running under the edges and tree roots make it worse, and control joints, the grooves cut so the slab cracks along a line we chose, are often cut late or skipped. No slab is crack-proof, so we pack the base, slope the concrete away from the house and cut the joints on time.
Nearby cities we serve, and more
Pick your city below to see the work we do there, or call (949) 518-3401 if yours isn't listed, since we work across Orange County.