Concrete contractor in Garden Grove - driveways and patios built on a solid base
D&M Placentia Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Placentia that pours driveways, patios, walks and steps for homeowners in Garden Grove, with the owner on site and our own crew doing the work.
Concrete work for Garden Grove homes
Garden Grove is one of the cities around Placentia where we work, along with neighbors like Santa Ana. We're best known for the everyday concrete around a lived-in house, like the driveway, the patio out back, the front walk and the steps. Your kids, your dog and your sprinklers are right there while we work, so I care about leaving your yard the way you'd want it.
Work on your property here falls under the City of Garden Grove. Its Building & Safety Division applies the state and local building rules to every building and structure in the city. Since we're based in Placentia, the city counts us as an out-of-town business working here, and it has its own business license form for that. I'd like you to know who stands behind the rules before we pour anything.
What we check before we pour
Before I price anything, I walk the spot with you and look at the subgrade, which is the ground the new slab sits on. I also look at where the water goes when it rains or the sprinklers run. The city has flood-area development rules that apply to some properties here, so that's worth checking before we dig, not after.
- Base that settles. If the old slab went down on dirt that was only raked level, that dirt keeps settling, and the concrete sinks and cracks right along with it.
- Water running backward. If a driveway or patio slopes toward the house, rain and sprinkler water pool against the wall when it should be running off to the yard or the street.
- Cracks nobody chose. Control joints are the grooves cut so a slab cracks along a straight line. If they're cut late or skipped, the slab cracks wherever it wants.
The jobs that bring Garden Grove homeowners to us
Most often it's a driveway or a walk that's cracked, sinking or uneven, and the fix is usually tearing out the old concrete and starting over from the ground up. If the budget gets tight, the base is the part I'll push back on. It's hidden on day one, so it's the first thing people want to cut, but it's what keeps your new slab from settling the way the old one did.
Other calls are about a patio, a set of steps or something with color or a pattern, and that's where decorative concrete comes in. We pour those in the cooler part of the day, because a slab finished in midday heat can end up with a weak, dusty top.
Getting us out to Garden Grove
We come over from Placentia, and I'm the one who comes out to measure. The price turns on the size, how much old concrete comes out and how much base work it needs. The schedule turns on the curing wait and on any permit through the city's Building & Safety Division. Call or use the form, and I'll put it all in writing.
Tell us about your slab
Tell us what the job is and what's going on with the old concrete. We'll get back to you within one business day and set a time to come look.
(714) 798-2825- Free estimate at your property
- Everything put in writing
- No pressure to book
Garden Grove concrete questions
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway in Garden Grove?
You might, and the city's Building & Safety Division is the place to find out before work starts. Its list of common examples of work that needs a permit includes building or altering a structure, pool and spa work, and masonry fences over 36 inches high. When your job needs one, we handle the application and set up the inspections.
Who pulls the permit for concrete work in Garden Grove, me or the contractor?
The property owner or the owner's authorized agent can get it, but when a contractor does the work, the city says it's always wise to have the contractor get it. We take care of that. A permit expires if work doesn't start within 180 days of being issued, so we line the application up with your pour.
What hours can a concrete crew work in Garden Grove?
The city lists construction hours as 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. No construction work is allowed on Sundays or federal holidays. We plan the pour inside those hours, and I'll tell you when the truck is coming so you can move the cars.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?
The Contractors State License Board caps the down payment on any home improvement project at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. If anyone asks you for more than that up front, stop and ask why before you sign.
Will my new concrete driveway crack like the old one did?
A good base and joints cut in time make it far less likely to crack and sink the way an old slab on raked dirt does. We dig out and pack the base so it doesn't settle. We cut the joints early, so if a crack forms, it follows a line we chose and doesn't wander across your driveway.
How long until I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
Not until it has cured, which is the wait while concrete hardens enough to hold a car. You'll be able to walk on it well before you can drive on it. The wait depends on the mix and the weather the day we pour, and I'll go over the timing for your driveway before we start.