Concrete Contractor in Alamo, CA - Driveways and Patios Built for Sloped Lots
Pleasanton Concrete Company pours driveways, patios, walks, pool decks, retaining walls and foundations in Alamo, CA, for homeowners on flat backyards and long hillside drives, and builds parking lots for property managers.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work for Alamo homes and lots
Alamo is mostly homes, on bigger lots than you find in most of the valley, with a short stretch of shops and offices along the main road. Many of the houses are ranch-style homes that have stood a long while, with newer custom houses built between and behind them, and plenty sit above or below the street. That's why so many calls here are for long driveways, pool decks, front steps and walls that hold a flat yard on a slope.
We're a concrete contractor based in Pleasanton, and we do the same kind of work next door in Danville and up in San Ramon. The ground in Alamo is seldom flat, so on most jobs here the layout and grade take as much thought as the pour.
What we pour and build in Alamo
Concrete driveway building
Long Alamo driveways often climb from the road, so we slope the slab to send water to the edges, not into the garage.
Learn more about Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
Big backyards here leave room for a real patio. We lay it out with you first, because once it's poured, it stays put.
Learn more about Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a walk or patio the look of stone or brick, a common pick for the ranch-style and custom homes around Alamo.
Learn more about Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Front walks on sloped Alamo lots often need a step or a turn, and we form them to stay even and shed water.
Learn more about Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Older Alamo garages often have cracked, sunken floors. We break out the old slab, rebuild the base and pour fresh.
Learn more about Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored and exposed-aggregate finishes suit the larger outdoor spaces here, from pool surrounds to entry courts where plain gray would look unfinished.
Learn more about Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
Hillside yards in Alamo often need a wall to hold back soil for a flat patio or drive, and we plan the drainage behind it.
Learn more about Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
For workshops, pool houses and outbuildings on Alamo's larger lots, we pour interior floors flat and level so equipment and storage sit right.
Learn more about Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
Many Alamo backyards have a pool. We slope the deck away from the water and finish it so bare, wet feet can grip.
Learn more about Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Homes set above the street often need steps from the drive to the door, built with every step the same height so nobody misjudges one.
Learn more about Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
For a new garage, pool house or guest unit here, we pour the slab foundation on ground we've dug out and packed first.
Learn more about Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
Additions to Alamo's older ranch homes need a new foundation tied into the old one, and I check every form before the truck arrives.
Learn more about Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Property managers call us for lots at offices, churches and small shopping centers around Alamo, laid out to drain and stripe cleanly.
Learn more about Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Footings carry decks, walls and outbuildings, and on Alamo's sloped lots we dig each one to the depth the plans call for.
Learn more about Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When part of an older Alamo house has settled, we raise and support the foundation and tell you plainly what it can and can't fix.
Learn more about Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
We saw-cut old slabs for removal, cut openings for new drains and cut clean edges where new concrete meets old around Alamo homes.
Learn more about Concrete cutting
What Alamo's sloped lots ask of concrete
On a sloped lot, rain runs downhill across whatever you pour, and a slab that tips toward the house sends that water to your foundation or under the garage door. Before any forms go in, I walk the lot to see where the water goes now, then our crew digs out the soft soil and packs the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, because a base that's only raked level settles with the dirt and takes the slab with it. That base is hidden on day one, so it's the first thing people want to cut from a budget. I'd put the money there before a fancier finish, since a nice surface on a sinking slab doesn't stay nice for long.
Contra Costa County can require a drainage plan before work like this, for example for 1,000 square feet or more of new hard surface, 500 square feet or more of construction on ground steeper than 10 percent, or work within 100 feet of the top of a mapped creek bank, and a long Alamo driveway can reach those numbers. So the price here mostly follows the size of the job, the digging and base work and whether plans are needed, and the schedule turns on any county review plus curing, the days the concrete needs to gain strength before you walk or drive on it. Your written estimate shows each of those on its own line.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Alamo property
Tell us what you want poured or replaced and where the property is, and we'll reply within one business day. I come out to measure, free and with no obligation, and write the estimate up line by line.
Alamo concrete questions, answered
Who issues building permits for concrete work in Alamo, CA?
The county does, because Alamo is unincorporated, so the county provides its building permit and inspection services. The county will only issue a permit to a licensed contractor, the property owner or the owner's authorized agent. Before we start, we confirm which office covers your address, and when a permit is needed we take care of the application and the inspections and keep you posted.
How do I find out if my concrete project in Alamo needs a permit?
Ask the county first, since it says almost all projects in unincorporated Contra Costa County need a building or grading permit. A retaining wall 3 feet or more needs a building permit, a larger paved area or a sloped site can call for the drainage plan mentioned above, and the county asks owners to contact its staff about other permits. Its permit information page also has the CCMAP mapping tool, which shows which jurisdiction covers your address.
Does a concrete contractor need a county business license to work in Alamo?
Yes, the county requires a business license, which is an annual tax, for doing business in its unincorporated areas, and that includes state-licensed contractors no matter where they're based. A company from an incorporated city needs that city's license and the county's, which covers us since we're based in Pleasanton. The county also asks for a copy of the contractor's current state license with the application, and we're licensed and fully insured.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Alamo?
It comes down to the size of the area, how much digging and base the ground needs and the finish you pick, and I put each of those on its own line in a written estimate after measuring. A long or steep drive, an old slab to break out and haul away, rebar, the steel grid that holds a slab together if it cracks, and a tight spot for the concrete truck all raise the price. A plain broom finish, the light texture that gives tires and shoes grip, costs less than stamped or colored work, and a required drainage plan adds design time.
How much of a down payment can a contractor ask for on a home project in California?
The Contractors State License Board caps it at $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. The board says the rule applies to all home improvement projects, so it covers a driveway, patio or foundation job in Alamo the same way.
What causes concrete driveways to crack in Alamo, and how do you prevent it?
Shrinkage and ground that settles cause most cracks, and nobody can promise concrete that won't crack, so the aim is to keep cracks small and put them where we choose. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along, soon after the pour, and we set the slab on a dug-out, packed base so it doesn't sink on a slope. We also avoid pouring in the midday heat when we can, because a slab that dries too fast ends up with a weak, dusty top.
Planning concrete work in Alamo?
I'll come out, measure the job and give you a written estimate with each item on its own line.
Other areas we serve
We work across the East Bay and into the South Bay. Pick your city below if it's listed, or call (925) 468-2730 to ask about your address.