Concrete contractor in San Leandro - driveways and slabs on a solid base

The city's Permit Center decides, because San Leandro requires a building permit to build, alter or repair a structure, and that's the office that answers whether your job counts. Moving 50 cubic yards of soil or more, about 6 dump truck loads, or digging a hole or trench 5 feet deep or more brings in a grading permit, and any work on a street or roadway needs an encroachment permit from the city's Public Works Department, which can come up where a new driveway meets the street. City rules apply only inside city limits, and the same city page lets you check whether your address is in San Leandro. We confirm which office covers your address before work starts, and when a permit is needed we handle the application and inspections and keep you posted.

Not always, because the city's FAQ lists retaining walls no taller than 4 feet as needing no building permit, and that height is measured from the bottom of the footing, so the buried part counts. It only holds when the wall isn't carrying extra load from behind, like a slope or a driveway, and isn't holding back flammable or combustible liquids. That FAQ isn't dated and the city's codes changed at the start of 2026, so we check your wall with the Permit Center before we dig.

The city issues building permits only to a California-licensed contractor or to the property owner. Anyone doing business inside the city also needs a San Leandro business license before starting, so it's fair to ask any contractor about both before you hire. We're licensed and fully insured, and when your job needs a permit we take care of it.

Your number comes from a written estimate after I measure, because what's under and around a driveway here moves the cost more than its size. A thicker slab for heavy vehicles, rebar, a permit for street work and hauling off a cracked original driveway each add a line, while a plain broom finish keeps it lower than stamped or colored. The estimate lists every line, so you can see what you could trim and what I'd tell you to keep.

You'll be off a new driveway longer than the pour itself takes, because the concrete has to cure before it can carry a car. Walking on it comes first and driving comes later, and the weather that week moves both, so I give you the dates once the pour is set. We also plan pours around midday heat, which can leave a weak, dusty top.

Most cracking comes from a base that was never dug out and packed, water running under the slab, or control joints cut late or skipped. Control joints are the straight grooves we cut so the slab cracks along a line we chose instead of across the middle. No slab stays free of every crack, but a packed base, good drainage and joints cut on time usually keep the cracks small and where they belong.