Concrete Contractor in Irvine, CA - Driveways, Patios and Steps Built From the Base Up
Custom Tustin Concrete Company pours driveways, patios, steps and other concrete work for homeowners and property managers in Irvine, CA. We're based nearby in Tustin, and I come out to look at every job myself.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work on Irvine homes
Thank you for looking us up. We're a concrete contractor in Tustin, CA, right beside Irvine, and we work here the same way we do in our own Tustin and in Costa Mesa. Much of Irvine is planned neighborhoods of stucco homes with attached garages and short driveways, set close together among apartment communities, shopping centers and office buildings.
Most calls here are about a cracked driveway, a patio that holds water, or steps that have pulled away from the house. What you'll pay turns on the size of the area, how much old concrete comes out, how much base work the ground needs, how easy the spot is to reach and the finish you choose. The schedule turns on any permit and on curing, which is the wait while new concrete hardens before it can take weight, and your written estimate spells out what's included. On lots this close together, the way into the backyard often shapes the job as much as the slab itself.
- Base dug out and packed firm
- Slab sloped away from your house
- Joints cut where cracks should go
- Written estimate listing what's included
Concrete services we offer in Irvine
Here's what we pour and repair in Irvine, with a note on where each one usually comes up on the homes and properties here.
Concrete driveway building
In Irvine's older neighborhoods, driveways often crack where they meet the garage or sidewalk. We remove the old slab, dig out and pack a new base, then pour.
Explore Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
Backyards tend to be compact here, so a patio has to drain without sending water toward the house or a neighbor's wall. We set the slope first.
Explore Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives an entry or patio the look of stone or tile, which sits well beside the stucco homes common here. We'll go over patterns and colors.
Explore Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Side-yard walkways on Irvine lots are often the only way to the backyard, so we give them a broom finish, a texture that grips underfoot.
Explore Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
Attached garages are common in Irvine, and many floors are cracked, stained or uneven. We break out the bad sections or the whole floor and pour new.
Explore Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Want your entry to stand out on a street of similar homes? Color, a pebble finish or a scored pattern can do that, and I'll explain how each wears.
Explore Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
Homes that back onto slopes or sit above a neighbor often need a wall to hold the ground. We plan its footing and drainage before concrete goes in.
Explore Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
Shops, offices and home additions in Irvine need interior floors poured flat over a packed base, with rebar, the steel that holds any cracks tight.
Explore Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
Pool decks in Irvine backyards often run right up to the house, so we slope them away from it and choose a finish that's kind to bare feet.
Explore Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front steps that have pulled away from the porch or chipped at the edges are a common call here. We rebuild them with even step heights.
Explore Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
Additions and backyard units on Irvine lots start with a slab, and we prepare the subgrade, the ground it sits on, before any forms go up.
Explore Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
When a project needs more than a slab, such as a raised floor or a heavier addition, we build the foundation to the approved plans.
Explore Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Property managers in Irvine ask us about small lots and shared drives at apartments and offices, where we plan the work around tenants who still need to park.
Explore Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
A patio cover or garden wall in an Irvine backyard needs footings, the buried concrete that carries its weight, and we dig and pour them to the plans.
Explore Concrete footingsFoundation raising
If a foundation or porch on an older Irvine home has settled, leaving cracks or a trip edge, raising it can sometimes spare a rebuild. I'll explain which fits.
Explore Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
On close-set Irvine lots, a clean saw cut lets us remove one bad driveway section or open a slab for a plumber without disturbing the rest.
Explore Concrete cutting
Ask for your Irvine estimate
Tell us what you'd like poured or repaired. We reply within one business day to set up my free on-site visit, with no obligation.
What Irvine lots ask of new concrete
Irvine homes sit close together on planned streets, with tight side yards and small backyards, so a lot of the job is planned before the first truck arrives.
One narrow way in
Getting concrete to an Irvine backyard often means one narrow path past the house, so I plan the route at the estimate and we cover what lines it.
Water with neighbors close
With houses this close, water off a slab can end up against your house or next door, so we check where it runs before setting forms.
Older driveways that sank
When an older Irvine driveway has sunk or cracked, the base is usually why, so we dig out and pack a new one rather than pour over it.
Don't see your city? Please call
If your property is in one of the other cities listed here, its page covers what we see on the homes there and how we approach the work in that city.
If your city isn't listed, please call (714) 361-0137 anyway. We work in cities across Orange County and nearby, and the ones here simply have their own page.
From your call to a finished Irvine slab
I keep the estimate simple. I come out myself, measure, look over the ground and access, and put what's included in writing so you can decide in your own time.
You get in touch
Thank you for calling or writing. Tell us what you have in mind, and we'll set a time for me to come out to the property.
I visit the site
I look at the job myself, listen to what you want, and check the ground, where water runs and how the crew will get in.
Your written estimate
I send a written estimate that spells out what's included, with each choice and its reason laid out plainly so you can weigh them.
Permits, pour, walkthrough
Once you're ready, we handle any permit steps, prepare the base, form and pour, and I check in with the crew. Then we walk the finished job together.
Questions from Irvine homeowners
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Irvine?
It may need one, because the City of Irvine's Community Development Department issues permits for most construction and repair work the code covers, and you can call them at (949) 724-6313 to ask about your job. Even work on the city's list of exceptions still has to meet the codes and city, county and state rules. Where a permit applies, we help with the application, which now goes through the city's PermitsDIRECT! system online, and if we're unsure what applies, I ask the city before we start.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Irvine?
Irvine doesn't require a building permit for a retaining wall up to 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless it holds up extra weight behind it, such as a slope or a driveway, or holds back flammable liquids. A wall that's taller or carries that extra weight falls outside the exemption, and every wall still has to meet the codes. When I plan one, I measure from the footing, since that's how the city counts the height, not from the part you see.
Does a concrete contractor in Irvine need a license?
Yes, a concrete contractor needs a California license when the job needs a building permit, uses employees or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials, under the rules of the Contractors State License Board. The City of Irvine also requires every business working in the city to hold a city business license before starting. State law caps the down payment on a home improvement job at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, which is worth knowing whoever you hire. We're fully licensed and insured.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Irvine?
Your price comes from the written estimate I prepare after measuring and looking over the site, because size, tear-out, base work, access and finish vary a great deal from one Irvine driveway to the next. A plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored concrete, and a tight path to the work adds labor. If the budget is tight, I'd suggest keeping the base and saving on the finish, because the base is the part you can't fix later without tearing the slab out.
How long does a new concrete driveway in Irvine take before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on new concrete within a few days, but driving on it takes longer, because it needs time to cure and gain its strength. Putting a car on it too early is an easy way to crack the edges. Any permit adds time before we start, and I'll give you the wait for your slab and help you plan where to park at the estimate.
What causes a new concrete driveway or patio to crack?
Most cracks in new concrete come from a base that settles, joints cut late or not at all, or a pour rushed in midday heat that leaves a weak, dusty top. Control joints are shallow grooves cut into the slab so that when it shrinks and cracks, as concrete does, it cracks in a straight line where we chose, so we cut them on time and plan pours for the cooler part of the day. Nobody can promise concrete won't crack, but those steps keep the cracks where they belong.
Ask Custom Tustin Concrete for an estimate
Call (714) 361-0137 or use the form, and mention where water sits or cracks have opened, so I can look at those spots when I visit.