Concrete contractor in Placentia, CA - driveways and patios on a solid base
D&M Placentia Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Placentia. We pour driveways, patios, walks and steps for people who live in their homes, and our own crew does the work with me on site.
Concrete work for lived-in Placentia homes
Placentia is home base for us. Most of our calls come from homeowners here and in the cities around it, like Fullerton, who want someone careful in their yard. I learned the trade on new housing tracts where nobody lived yet, so noise and mess didn't bother anyone. At your house your kids, your dog and your sprinklers are right there, and we work like it.
Before we set a single form, I ask a lot of questions. Where does the water go when it rains? Who parks where, and what should the yard look like when we're gone? I want you to understand what we're doing and why before we start, because it's your yard we're digging up.
What we check under and around your slab
On every Placentia job I start with the ground, not the finish. I look at where the old slab cracked or sank, which way water runs off your roof and yard, and what the subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on, looks like once the old concrete is out. Those answers decide how much we dig and pack, and that hidden work is what keeps a new slab flat.
- A loose base. Where a base was only raked level instead of dug out and packed, the slab settles with the dirt and cracks as it sinks.
- Water toward the house. If a slab falls toward the house, rain and sprinkler water pool against the wall, so we set the slope to carry it away first.
- Joints cut late. Control joints are grooves we cut so the slab cracks along a line we chose, and when they're late or skipped, it cracks wherever it likes.
The work we do for homeowners in Placentia
A driveway usually needs us when a crack keeps growing or a corner has sunk and holds water after it rains. If the base under it has moved, patching the top won't hold, so we break it out, dig down to firm dirt, pack a new base and pour fresh. That's the heart of our concrete driveway building, and if the budget gets tight, the base is the last place I'd cut, because you can't fix it later without tearing the slab out.
Patios, walks and steps are the rest of the flatwork, the flat concrete around a house. Where a walk has lifted and caught a toe, or a patio puddles by the back door, we pull it out, fix the grade and pour it with a broom finish, a brushed texture that keeps feet from slipping.
Getting us out to your yard
We're based in Placentia and work here and across the cities around it, including Anaheim and Yorba Linda. Call or send the form and I'll come out myself to measure and walk the spot with you. Price turns on size, tear-out and base work, and the schedule turns on the weather and the cure.
Tell us about your slab
Tell us what's cracked, sunk or pooling and where it is, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come look.
(714) 798-2825- Free estimate at your house
- Measured and put in writing
- No pressure to book
Common questions about concrete in Placentia
Does a new concrete driveway need a permit in Placentia?
It can, so we check with the city before we start. The city's list of work needing no building permit includes driveways and walks that don't sit too far above the ground or over a room below, but a drain or light along one can need its own permit. When one's needed, we file it and set up inspections with the city's Building Division.
Does a concrete contractor need a California license for home work?
Yes, on most home jobs. California requires a current license from the state licensing board for anyone who contracts for work that needs a building permit, uses employees, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. We're licensed and insured, and you should ask any contractor for their license before you sign.
Does a contractor need a Placentia business license too?
Yes. The city requires every business working in Placentia to hold an annual city business license, and that license number is on the list the city asks for when a building permit is pulled. It's fair to ask a contractor for it along with their state license.
What affects the cost of a new concrete driveway in Placentia?
The biggest pieces are the size and how much old concrete and soft dirt has to come out before we pour. A plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored work, and if the budget's tight I'd keep the base work and simplify the finish. I'll measure and put your price in writing at the estimate.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can park on it, because it keeps gaining strength for days after the pour. That wait is curing, and cutting it short is how tires leave marks and edges chip. I'll tell you when yours is ready for feet and when it's ready for the car.
Will my new concrete patio crack like the old one?
Concrete can still get hairline cracks, but a packed base, rebar and well-placed control joints keep them small and where we planned them. Rebar is steel set inside the slab that holds it together if it does crack. We also pour early in the day, because a slab that sets in midday heat can end up with a weak, dusty top.