Concrete contractor in Santa Ana - driveways and patios on solid ground
United Irvine Concrete is a concrete contractor working in Santa Ana, CA, where we tear out and replace driveways, patios, walks and steps, and build new slabs and walls on ground we dig out and pack ourselves.
Concrete contractor for Santa Ana homes
We're based in Irvine and work in Santa Ana the same way we do next door in Orange and Tustin. Many of the houses we see here have stood a long time, and so has their concrete, with driveways, front walks and back patios that have cracked, sunk or lifted over the years.
What moves the price here is mostly how much old concrete and base has to come out, the size and thickness of the new slab, and any finish beyond a broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives shoes and tires some grip. The schedule turns on whether the job needs a city permit or HOA approval, and on curing, the wait while the new concrete hardens before you use it. The written estimate shows what's included for your job. On older lots the subgrade, what the slab sits on, has often settled or washed out, so that's where most of our care goes before any concrete arrives.
What happens when you call us in Santa Ana
Call us or send the form
Call (949) 518-3401 or send the form with a line about the job, and we'll set a time for me to come out. You don't need measurements or drawings ready, because I take those myself.
I look over your property
I measure, look at what the ground under your old slab is doing and where the water runs, and ask how you'll use the concrete. Then you get a written estimate that shows what's included, so you know what you're paying for before you decide.
We handle permits and approvals
When the job needs a city permit, we prepare and file it and keep you posted, and in Santa Ana most building permit applications need the city Planning Division's approval first. If you're in an HOA, we give you the drawings and details their approval calls for.
Our crew does the pour
Our own crew digs out, packs the base, sets the forms and pours, with me or my foreman running the site. Before we leave, we walk the finished work with you and tell you how long to stay off it while it cures.
What we build in Santa Ana
The work Santa Ana homes call for most is a new driveway where the old one has cracked or sunk, front walks and concrete sidewalk work where tree roots have lifted the slabs, and back patios that hold water against the house. We pour steps, garage floors and retaining walls here too, each on a packed base.
- 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 Santa Ana concrete needs work?
Concrete on older Santa Ana lots has usually had years for the ground under it to shift, so these are worth a look before a small crack becomes a tear-out.
- Cracks that keep getting wider
- Sinking slab by the garage door
- Water pooling against the house
- Walkway edges lifted by roots
- Chipped, flaking or dusty surface
- Steps pulling away from the house
Repair or replace your Santa Ana driveway?
If the cracks are thin and the slab is still level, a repair or replacing one section is usually the honest answer, and I'll tell you so. When the slab has sunk, tilts toward the house or cracks again after a patch, the trouble is in the ground under it, and nothing on top will fix that.
When we replace, the base gets your money first. It's buried before anyone sees it, so it's the first thing a tight budget cuts, but a slab raked level over loose dirt settles with that dirt. I'd sooner pour a plain finish on a dug-out, packed base than a fancy one on a weak base. We also cut control joints, grooves that give cracks a straight line to follow.
Why hire a local concrete crew in Santa Ana
The City of Santa Ana requires every business operating within city limits to hold a city business license, and its permit pages say a contractor must carry a current one, so it's fair to ask anyone you're considering to show you theirs. A local crew also knows the city inspects the work it permits and plans the job around those visits.
I come out to look at each job myself, and our own crew does the work, with me or my foreman running it on site, so you're not handed off to people you've never met. We've worked as a concrete contractor in Irvine, CA since 2013, a short drive from Santa Ana, and we're licensed and insured. If something under the old slab changes the plan, I'll tell you before we go any further.
Careful work and a straight quote
Your yard and your time get the same care as the concrete. We keep our trucks and tools where we said they'd go, show up when we said we would, and clean up as we go. Before any work starts, I walk you through what we're doing and why, and the estimate says plainly what you're paying for. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
You can count on us to do exactly what the estimate says and leave your property as tidy as we found it.
Ask about your Santa Ana concrete project
Call (949) 518-3401 and ask what your job involves and which city permit steps it may need before you plan around it.
A free written estimate for your Santa Ana job
Tell us where you are and what you want built or replaced. We reply within one business day to set a visit, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation.
Santa Ana concrete questions
Do I need a permit for concrete work in Santa Ana?
Your job may need one, and the city's Building Safety Division is the office to ask, since it issues building permits and the city's list of exempt work names finish jobs like painting and tiling without mentioning driveways or patios. The city's permit FAQ names the 2022 California building and residential codes, so check with the division for the edition in force now. If your job needs a permit, we'll handle the filing.
Is a retaining wall exempt from a permit in Santa Ana?
A retaining wall no taller than 4 feet, measured from the bottom of its footing to the top, is exempt under the city's permit FAQ unless it holds up extra weight above it or holds back certain flammable or combustible liquids. A city handout from 2022 says retaining walls need Planning Division review, so ask about that step even on a short wall. You can read more about our concrete retaining walls.
Can I get a concrete permit the same day in Santa Ana?
Some permits are issued over the counter the same day, but the city's examples are jobs like water heater change outs, minor reroofs, patio covers and swimming pools. Other projects may need plans submitted for review, which takes longer. I'll tell you at the estimate which way your job is likely to go.
How long does a building permit stay valid in Santa Ana?
A permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within 180 days after it's issued, and it also lapses if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days once it starts. That's why it pays to settle your start date before the permit is pulled.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Santa Ana?
The price comes down to the driveway's size and thickness, how much old concrete and soft ground has to come out, and the finish you choose, so I give you a number after I've measured it. On older lots the tear-out and base work usually make the biggest difference, and stamped or colored finishes cost more than a plain broom finish. The written estimate lists what's included so you can see where the money goes.
How do I keep a new driveway from cracking like the old one?
Build it on a base that's dug out and packed, slope it so water runs away from the house, and cut the control joints on time, because most new cracks trace back to settling dirt, standing water or joints cut late or skipped. No one can honestly promise a slab won't crack, but built this way it stays level, and any crack usually lands in a joint where it was planned.
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