Concrete Contractor in Costa Mesa, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Solid Base
Blue Collar Fountain Valley Concrete pours driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations for homes and businesses in Costa Mesa, CA. We dig out and pack the base and work out the drainage before any concrete shows up.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Costa Mesa homes and the concrete under them
Costa Mesa is a short drive from our base, and most of our calls here come from homeowners on quiet residential streets set back from the busy commercial roads, planning a new driveway or patio. We see a lot of older single-story houses still sitting on their original driveways and walks, along with townhomes and newer homes squeezed onto tight lots, and we do the same kind of work next door in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach.
As a concrete contractor based in Fountain Valley, we find two things shape most jobs here. On the older houses the old slab has to come out first, roots, settled dirt and all, and on the tighter lots there's little room to move water or a truck, so I work out the drainage and the access before we talk about the pour.
Concrete work we do for Costa Mesa properties
Concrete driveway building
Older driveways here often crack and sink over a loose base, so we tear out, rebuild the base and pour a slab that drains away from the garage.
View service Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
On a small Costa Mesa lot, a patio has little room to shed water, so we set the slope away from the house before we form anything.
View service Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives an older home's front walk or patio the look of stone or brick, poured over the same packed base we'd put under a plain slab.
View service Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Older front walks lifted by roots or sunk at the seams catch toes, so we replace those sections and cut joints that keep new cracks where we chose.
View service Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Older garages here often have cracked or badly sloped floors, so we break out the old slab and pour one that drains toward the door.
View service Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored concrete and decorative borders suit a Costa Mesa front yard getting a refresh, and we only start on the finish once the base under it is right.
View service Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
When a backyard slopes toward the patio or the fence line, a concrete wall holds the dirt back, with drainage behind it so water doesn't build up.
View service Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
Additions and converted garages on Costa Mesa homes need a level interior floor, and we set the base and steel so it stays flat under the flooring.
View service Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
A pool deck here takes splash water all summer, so we slope it away from the pool and the house and finish it with grip for bare feet.
View service Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps on older homes often pull away from the porch or settle unevenly, so we rebuild them on footings with even rises that are easy to climb.
View service Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
Additions and backyard units on Costa Mesa lots start with a slab foundation, and we dig, pack and set the steel to the approved plans before the pour.
View service Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
A new structure on a Costa Mesa lot rests on its foundation, so we build it to the plans on ground we've dug out and packed ourselves.
View service Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Shops and offices here need lots that carry delivery trucks and drain to the right spot, so we plan the base and the water before we pour.
View service Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Patio covers and block walls in Costa Mesa backyards need footings, the buried concrete that spreads the weight, dug as deep as the plans call for.
View service Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When part of an older slab has dropped and doors start to stick, we work out why the ground moved before we lift anything.
View service Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
We saw-cut clean openings in old driveways and patios for new drain lines, planters or a wider parking pad, so the slab you keep has a straight edge.
View service Concrete cutting
Get a free on-site concrete estimate for your Costa Mesa property
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your property myself and write up a free estimate, and there's no pressure and no obligation to go ahead.
- info@concretefountainvalley.com
- Based in
- Fountain Valley, CA 92708
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Working in Costa Mesa: permits, licenses and the price
Building permits here come from the City of Costa Mesa's Building Safety Division, and applications go in online, where an incomplete one gets sent back, so a missing detail can push back the day work starts. I check with the city before we start any job, and when yours needs a permit we take care of the paperwork and the inspections as part of our work. Whoever you hire, ask for their state contractor license, because a contractor is supposed to hold it before they ever hand you a bid.
The price of a Costa Mesa job mostly turns on how much old concrete has to come out, how much work the base needs, the size and thickness of the slab and the finish you pick, and the schedule turns on any permit, the weather around pour day and the curing wait before you use it. Narrow driveways and side yards decide how we get a truck and crew in, which we plan for here the same way we do in Irvine, and you get your own figure in the written estimate.
Older slabs and tight yards in Costa Mesa
Most of the cracked, sinking driveways we look at here have the same problem underneath, a subgrade, the dirt and gravel the slab sits on, that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settled right along with the dirt. Mature trees make it worse by pushing roots under the edges. When a budget's tight, the base is where people want to cut because nobody sees it on day one, and I'll push back on that, since a nice broom finish, the light texture that keeps it from getting slick, cracks just the same on a loose base. Concrete does crack, so we cut control joints, shallow cuts that give the cracks a straight line to follow, and set rebar, steel that holds the pieces together if one opens up.
On the smaller lots, the other thing we see is water pooling against the house, usually because an old patio or driveway was poured falling toward the walls. We check where the water runs before we form anything and set the new slab to carry it to the street or a drain.
How a Costa Mesa concrete job runs, start to finish
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the final walkthrough, and who you'll be dealing with at each step along the way.
Call or send a message
Call (657) 329-2134 or use the form and tell us what you have in mind. We set a time for me to come out, and it helps if you can be there to walk the spot with me.
I look over the site
I check the old slab, what's under it and where the water runs, and listen to what you want. The written estimate spells out the prep, the concrete work and anything that isn't included, so you can see what you're paying for.
We schedule and pour
If you go ahead, we line up a date and any city paperwork the job needs. Our crew does the forming, pouring and finishing with me on site.
Walk the finished job
Once the forms come off, I walk the job with you. We go over how to look after the new concrete while it cures.
Questions about concrete work in Costa Mesa
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Costa Mesa?
We price each driveway after I've seen it, and the estimate is written out so you can see where the money goes. Beyond the tear-out, base work, size and finish covered above, a plain broom finish instead of stamped or colored is the easiest way to bring the number down, while cutting the base work is the one choice I'll talk you out of. Call (657) 329-2134 to set up a visit.
How do I get a permit for concrete work in Costa Mesa?
You apply online through TESSA, the city's permit system, where all the information goes in directly, paper forms aren't accepted and incomplete applications get sent back. The city's building permits page covers how it works, and you can ask about your job at (714) 754-5273 or buildingpermit@costamesaca.gov. When we do the job, I check with the city and handle the paperwork for you.
Can I get an Insta-Permit for a driveway or patio in Costa Mesa?
The city's Insta-Permit list covers residential HVAC, re-pipe, water heater, EV charger, panel upgrade and re-roof work, and flatwork, the driveways, patios and walks, isn't on it. Insta-Permits are for simple jobs with a limited scope, so for concrete it's worth asking the city whether your job needs a regular building permit, which we look into before we start.
Does my concrete project in Costa Mesa need a licensed contractor?
California requires a licensed contractor when a job needs a building permit, uses employee labor or adds up to $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Splitting a bigger job into smaller contracts to stay under $1,000 isn't allowed. You can check a contractor's license with the Contractors State License Board, and we're fully licensed and insured.
What happens if an unlicensed contractor pours my concrete in California?
For the person doing the work, a first offense of contracting without a license is usually a misdemeanor, with up to six months in jail, a $500 fine or both, and an administrative fine of $200 to $15,000 can come on top of that. That risk is the contractor's, but it says a lot about how the rest of the job may be run, so ask for the license before you sign anything.
How long do I have to stay off a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, because the slab keeps gaining strength after the pour while it cures, the wait before it's ready for weight. The timing depends on the mix and the weather that week, so I give you the dates for your own driveway at the walkthrough. On hot days we pour early so the top doesn't dry too fast and turn weak and dusty later.
Other service areas
Fountain Valley, CA
Get your Costa Mesa concrete job looked at
Call (657) 329-2134 or send the form, because one look at the old slab tells me whether all of it has to come out or just the bad section, and that changes the price a lot.