Concrete contractor in Berkeley, CA - slabs built for hillside lots and older homes
Alliance Walnut Creek Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Walnut Creek, and we build driveways, patios, steps and retaining walls in Berkeley, from steep hillside lots to the older houses down toward the bay.
Request an estimate
Berkeley's hills and flats shape every pour
Berkeley runs from the flats near the bay up into the Berkeley Hills, and the work changes a lot on the way up. Down low we find older houses set close together on small lots, with narrow side yards and driveways squeezed between neighbors, a lot like the streets we work just over the line in Oakland. Up in the hills and around Northbrae, lots tip steeply, front steps climb from the street, and you can hit rock not far below the surface.
So the same driveway can be two different jobs here. On the flats the puzzle is usually tight access and old concrete coming out, and in the hills it's holding the slope and getting water around the house instead of under it.
Permits, licenses and pricing for a Berkeley job
Building permits in Berkeley come from the city's Permit Service Center, which requires one for all construction work and most repairs unless the work is specifically exempted, so whether your job needs one is the city's call. If it does, nothing gets poured until the permit is in hand, which is why we work out early whether your job touches the street or needs a sign-off, and we can handle the application and paperwork for you. Before you hire anyone, check that they're licensed with the California Contractors State License Board, because a contractor needs that license before bidding whenever a job needs a building permit, brings on extra workers or runs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. They should also carry the city's business license, which Berkeley requires of every business working here, including contractors who apply for permits. We're licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Hill streets here are narrow and parking is tight, so I check how close a concrete truck can get before I price anything, because a long run with a pump or wheelbarrows adds crew time. Tearing out and hauling an old slab, how steep the lot is, rock just under the surface and any wall needed to hold the grade move the price too. The schedule mostly turns on the permit, the weather and curing, the wait while new concrete gains strength before it can take your weight or your car, and your written estimate lays all of that out. It's the same base-first work we've done since 2013 in Pleasant Hill and the other cities around Walnut Creek, just more often on a slope.
What do Berkeley driveways and patios need most?
Berkeley sits close to major earthquake faults, and hillside ground can creep and settle over the years, so a slab here needs more than a layer of concrete poured over raked dirt. We dig down to firm subgrade, the soil the slab actually rests on, pack a real base over it and set rebar, steel bars inside the concrete that hold the pieces together if the ground shifts and a crack does form.
Water is the other half of it. On a sloped lot rain runs downhill into whatever's in its way, and a lot of the sinking patios and broken walks we see got that way because water found its way underneath, so before we pour I check where the water goes now and pitch the new concrete to send it away from the house.
- Call (925) 448-9528
- Mon–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
- Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Concrete work we do in Berkeley
Concrete driveway building
Steep Berkeley driveways crack when water gets under a loose base. We dig out and pack the base, then pitch the slab away from the house.
Concrete retaining walls
Hillside lots here lean on old walls that often weren't built to drain. We build reinforced concrete walls with drainage behind them so water doesn't push them over.
Concrete steps construction
Hillside houses often have long runs of front steps that have heaved or crumbled. We form and pour new steps of even height, reinforced with steel.
Concrete patio construction
Sloped backyards leave little flat ground, and old patios often tip toward the house. We level the ground, pack the base and pour a patio that drains away.
Decorative concrete
Older Berkeley homes have character, and plain gray concrete can look out of place beside them. Our decorative concrete adds color and texture over the same well-built base.
Concrete cutting
Remodels here often mean cutting an opening or a trench through an old slab. We saw clean, straight cuts so the rest of the concrete stays sound.
What happens when you call us about a Berkeley job
Call and tell me about it
Call (925) 448-9528 or send the form, and I'm usually the one who calls you back. I'll ask what's cracking, sinking or holding water so I know what to look for.
I walk the site with you
I come out myself, look at the slope, the old concrete and where the water runs, and ask a lot of questions. Then you get a written estimate that spells out the work, so you can see exactly what you're paying for.
We handle paperwork and prep
Once you're ready, we sort out any permit paperwork and the marking or scanning for buried lines before anyone digs. Then our own crew digs out, packs the base, pours and finishes, and I'm on site for the parts that matter most.
Walk the finished job together
When it's done, I walk the job with you and go over how to look after it while it cures and for years after. You'll know when it's safe to walk on and when you can drive on it.
Get a written estimate for your Berkeley concrete job
We reply within one business day, and I'm usually the one who calls you back about your Berkeley project. The estimate is free and on site, with no pressure and no obligation, so I'll walk the job with you, ask what you have in mind and put it all in writing.
- Licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (925) 448-9528
- Location
- Walnut Creek, CA 94596
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
Questions about concrete work in Berkeley
Do I need a permit to replace my concrete driveway in Berkeley?
You might, and the city's list of exempt work doesn't name driveways or patios, so don't count on skipping one. Even exempt work still has to meet the state building code and Berkeley's own laws, which you can read in the Berkeley Municipal Code, and some jobs need a zoning permit, a land use approval, as well. When I come out, I'll look at whether your job touches the street or needs a sign-off.
Do I need a permit for a concrete retaining wall in Berkeley?
A low retaining wall can be exempt from a building permit, but the exemption goes away when the wall holds back extra weight, like a slope, a driveway or parking above it. Height is measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, so a wall that looks short from the yard may not count as short, and any retaining wall in a required setback needs a zoning permit. Walls that have to handle water are a big part of what we do, so I'll measure yours before we talk permits.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Berkeley?
The cost depends mostly on your site, not just its size, and I'll give you a written figure after I see it. The access, tear-out, slope and rock I mentioned above are the big swings here, and a decorative finish adds on top. If the budget's tight, cut the fancy finish before the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it decides whether the slab stays flat.
What causes concrete driveways and patios in Berkeley to crack or sink?
Most of the time it's what's underneath, either a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or water getting under the slab and washing the soil away. Control joints, the shallow cuts that give a slab a planned place to crack, get cut late or skipped, and a pour in midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top. No slab is crack-proof, but we pack the base, check the drainage, cut the joints on time and pour in the cooler part of the day.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, because it needs time to cure and gain strength before it takes the weight of a car. How long depends on the weather and the mix, so I'll go over how long to stay off it when I write up your estimate. On a Berkeley job, the permit, if one's needed, can also push back when we start.
What is the best way to pour a patio on a sloped Berkeley lot?
The best way is usually to build the flat spot first, with a short wall or a few steps to take up the grade, then pour on a packed base pitched so water runs away from the house. Pouring straight onto a slope and hoping the slab holds it is how patios slide and crack. Sloped backyards are some of my favorite puzzles, so I'll ask a lot about how you want to use the space before we plan anything.
Tell us about your Berkeley concrete project
Bring your permit questions up front, since sorting that out early is what keeps a Berkeley job from stalling once you're ready to pour.
Request an estimateCall (925) 448-9528