Concrete Contractor in Richmond, CA - Driveways and Patios Built Right Underneath
Custom Vacaville Concrete Company is a Vacaville concrete contractor that builds driveways, patios, walks, steps, footings and foundations in Richmond, CA, for homeowners, property owners and builders, with our own crew doing the digging, forming, pouring and finishing.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
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Richmond concrete work, from driveways to footings
The short answer: Yes, Custom Vacaville Concrete Company takes concrete work in Richmond. I started the business in Vacaville in 2013 after summers on concrete crews, and we're known for flatwork, the driveways, patios and walks that sit on the ground. We build it right underneath, with the base dug out and packed and the joints planned before the pour.
Richmond runs a long way along the bay, and our jobs here range from homes near the shoreline to streets well back from the water. Most calls come from homeowners who want a cracked driveway, a tired patio or a front walk replaced. The rest come from property owners and builders who need footings or a slab they can count on. It's the same crew and the same way of building we bring to Vallejo and the other cities around Vacaville.
A lot of the work here is replacing old concrete, not pouring something new, so the job usually starts with breaking out and hauling off the old slab. What we find under it decides how deep we dig before anything new goes in.
Why Richmond driveways and patios crack and sink
Most calls start with something you can see, like a driveway that's sunk at one corner, a patio cracked through the middle, or water pooling against the house after it rains. The cause is usually underneath. The subgrade, the dirt and gravel the slab sits on, was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled and took the concrete down with it. We dig that out, compact a new base and check where the water runs before we form anything, so your new slab falls away from the house instead of toward it.
We also get calls from owners and builders here who need footings, a slab foundation or a garage floor that has to carry real weight. That work comes down to thickness and steel, so I ask what the concrete will hold first and size the rebar to match. Rebar is the steel rod set inside the slab that holds cracks tight so they don't spread.
Concrete work we do on Richmond properties
Concrete driveway building
When your driveway has sunk, split or holds water near the garage, we tear it out, rebuild the base and pour a new one sized for your cars.
Concrete patio construction
For a backyard that's all dirt or an old patio tipping toward the house, we pour a new slab that sheds water away from your walls.
Stamped concrete services
If you want a patio or walk that looks like stone or brick, stamped concrete gives you the pattern in one pour, on the same packed base.
Concrete sidewalk building
When a front walk has heaved, chipped or turned into a trip hazard, we replace it with an even path and joints that decide where it cracks.
Garage floor concrete
A garage floor that's cracked, pitted or dusting at the surface gets torn out and replaced with a slab poured thick enough for the cars parked on it.
Decorative concrete
Colored or textured concrete suits a front entry or pool area where plain gray looks flat, and we still build the base before we worry about looks.
Concrete retaining walls
On a sloped yard where dirt keeps sliding onto the patio or drive, a concrete retaining wall set on a proper footing holds the grade back.
Concrete floor installation
For a shop, studio or room addition that needs a concrete floor, we pour a flat, level slab inside the space so the finish flooring goes down right.
Concrete pool decks
When the deck around your pool is cracked or slick underfoot, we pour a new one with a finish that grips wet feet and sends water to the drains.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps that have cracked, settled or pulled away from the porch get rebuilt with even risers on a footing, so they sit on solid ground.
Slab foundation building
Builders and owners putting up a garage, an addition or a new house call us for slab foundations formed and reinforced to carry what goes on top.
Foundation installation
When a structure needs a new foundation under it, we dig, form and pour it to the plans, so the walls above start on something level and solid.
Concrete parking lot building
For a small commercial lot or a shared drive at a rental property, we pour concrete thick enough for the traffic it takes every day.
Concrete footings
Decks, sheds, fences and additions all need footings, the concrete feet that spread the load into the ground, and we dig and pour them to size.
Foundation raising
If part of your foundation has dropped and doors stick or floors slope, we lift that section back toward level before the cracks get worse.
Concrete cutting
When you need an opening, a trench for a pipe or a section of old slab removed cleanly, we saw-cut the concrete instead of breaking it apart.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Richmond property
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Richmond property myself and walk the job with you. Then you get a free written estimate that spells out what's included, with no obligation to book.
Working in Richmond: what the city asks for
In Richmond, building permits come from the city's Building Division, and a job that needs one doesn't start until it's issued. That's why we settle the permit question before we put you on the calendar. When a contractor registers for a permit, the city asks for a Contractor's State License Card, a workers' compensation insurance certificate and a current City of Richmond Business License, so those are three easy things to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring. We're fully licensed and insured. We find out what the city wants for the work at your address, and when a permit is needed we pull it, keep the papers on site and meet the inspector.
We come over from Vacaville for Richmond jobs the same way we do for work in Concord. On a narrow street or a lot with no side access, how the concrete truck reaches your forms is one of the first things we plan. Your price moves with the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how deep we dig to reach a firm base, the thickness and steel it needs, and whether we can pour straight from the truck or have to pump or wheel it in. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather on pour day and the wait before you can use the new slab. Your written estimate spells out what's included.
What to expect when you hire us in Richmond
Here's how a Richmond job goes from your first call to the finished slab, with the city's permit step sitting right where it affects your start date.
- Step 01
Call or send a request
Call (707) 898-1384 or fill out the form and tell us what you've got, such as a sunk driveway, a new patio or footings for an addition. We set a time for me to come out.
- Step 02
I walk the site with you
I look at the old concrete, the ground and where the water runs, and I ask what the new slab has to carry. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
- Step 03
We permit, build and walk it
If the city wants a permit we pull it first, and the city says most single-trade permits and residential remodels that need no drawings are issued once it has received and verified the application documents. Then we prep the ground, set the forms, plan the joints, pour, finish and cure the slab, and I walk the finished job with you.
Richmond concrete questions we hear most
How do I find out if my concrete driveway or patio needs a permit in Richmond?
We find that out for you, by checking what the city wants for the work at your address before we set a start date. Richmond requires a permit before you build, alter, repair or demolish any building or structure. The city's list of work exempt from permits says a permit is likely required for anything not on it.
Do I need a permit to put in a fence in Richmond, CA?
Yes, the city requires a Planning Division permit for any fence, even though fences no taller than 7 feet are on its building permit exempt list. If we're setting fence posts or footings in concrete, that permit needs to be in place before we dig.
Who is allowed to pull a building permit in Richmond?
The city issues permits only to property owners or their authorized agents and to licensed contractors. When you hire us, we pull the permit as the contractor, so the paperwork sits with us instead of with you.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Richmond?
There's no set price, because it's built from the things I listed above, mostly size, tear-out, base and finish, and you get your figure in writing after I've walked the site. If the budget's tight, I'll tell you to save on the finish before the base, because the base is buried on day one and you can't fix it later without tearing the slab out. A plain broom finish, the brushed texture that gives shoes and tires some grip, on a well-packed base will hold up longer than a fancy surface over dirt that settles.
How long does new concrete need to cure before I can walk or drive on it?
You can walk on it well before you can drive on it, and I give you both dates for your slab on pour day, because the thickness, the mix and the weather all change them. Curing is the slow hardening after the pour. Keeping weight off until it's strong enough helps protect the edges from chipping and the surface from cracking early.
Will a new concrete driveway in Richmond crack like the old one?
Concrete cracks, so I'd rather show you how we control where it cracks than promise it won't. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, on time instead of late. We also stay away from pouring in the midday heat, which can leave a weak, dusty top later.
Call us about your Richmond concrete job
Call (707) 898-1384 or send us the details, and if the city wants a permit for your job, starting early gives us time to pull it before your pour date.