Concrete Contractor in San Rafael, CA - Driveways and Slabs on Solid Ground
Allied Petaluma Concrete is a concrete contractor working in San Rafael, CA. We build driveways, patios, walkways, steps, retaining walls and foundations for homes and small businesses, and I come out to look at each job myself.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
San Rafael homes, hillsides and a busy downtown
San Rafael has a real downtown, with shops, offices and apartment buildings close to the older neighborhoods around them, so our calls here run from a cracked front walk to a worn parking area behind a small business. Many houses sit on streets that climb into the hills, with driveways that rise or drop sharply from the curb, while newer homes and commercial buildings fill the flatter ground. It's much the same mix we see a little north in Novato and south in Corte Madera.
Most of what we pour here is flatwork, the driveways, walks and patios that lie on the ground instead of holding up a building. On a sloped lot that work starts with where the water will run and how deep we dig to reach firm ground, and on an older property it often starts with breaking out concrete that was poured on loose dirt.
Concrete work we do on San Rafael properties
Concrete driveway building
Many San Rafael driveways slope to the street, so we dig out the old base, pack fresh rock and pitch the slab away from the garage.
Concrete patio construction
Small, sloped backyards here often leave room for one good patio, so we set its height and slope with you before forming, keeping water off the house.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or front walk the look of stone or brick, which suits older homes here better than a plain gray slab.
Concrete sidewalk building
When a walk has heaved or cracked at the joints, we replace it with a broom finish, a light brushed texture that gives shoes grip on a slope.
Garage floor concrete
Older garage floors here are often cracked or pitched the wrong way, so we break them out and pour a new slab that drains toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Color, exposed stone and borders let a driveway or entry match the house, which matters on streets where homes sit close and the front yard is mostly paving.
Concrete retaining walls
Sloped lots often need a wall to hold back a bank or level a yard, and the footing we pour first is what keeps it standing.
Concrete floor installation
For a downtown shop, a studio or a room addition, we pour interior floors flat and level so tile, wood or a sealed finish can go right on top.
Concrete pool decks
Backyard pools here often sit close to the house, so we slope the deck away from both and pick a finish that isn't slick when wet.
Concrete steps construction
Homes set above the street here often have long front steps, and we pour them with every step the same height so nobody trips on an odd one.
Slab foundation building
For an addition, garage or small commercial building, we pour a slab foundation with rebar, the steel bars inside that hold the concrete together if it cracks.
Foundation installation
When an older house here needs a new foundation under part or all of it, we dig, form and pour the footings and walls to the approved plans.
Concrete parking lot building
San Rafael has plenty of small businesses and apartment buildings with tired lots, and we pour concrete parking that drains and stands up to daily traffic.
Concrete footings
Decks, fences, sheds and posts on sloped ground need footings dug to firm soil, and we size and pour them so the structure above stays put.
Foundation raising
If a house here has settled and doors stick or floors slope, we look at why it moved before we talk about lifting it back toward level.
Concrete cutting
We saw clean openings for a new drain, utility line or wider driveway, so you can replace one section instead of tearing out the whole slab.
Get a written estimate for concrete work in San Rafael
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a visit. I'll come out, look at your site and send a free written estimate, with no pressure to book.
- support@petalumaconcretecontractor.com
- Based in
- Petaluma, CA 94952
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What we deal with on San Rafael jobs
The City of San Rafael decides whether your job needs a permit, and when it does, the city's Building Division reviews it and our start date waits on its approval and inspections. Most businesses working in the city need a San Rafael business license, even when their office is outside city limits, and the city says plainly that it's a tax, not proof that a contractor is qualified. So ask any contractor for theirs, and judge the work by past jobs and a clear written estimate. When a job needs a permit, we help with the application and plan our start around the city's approval and inspections, so you aren't left with a torn-up driveway and no crew.
Our crew comes down from Petaluma on 101, the same way we head out to Napa and the other cities around the North Bay, and on San Rafael's narrow hillside streets my first question is where a concrete truck can park and how far the concrete has to travel to your forms. What moves your price most is the size and thickness of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how much digging and packing the ground needs, the finish you pick and that truck access. The schedule turns on the permit, if there is one, and on the curing wait after the pour, and the written estimate I send after seeing your site lists what's included.
Why San Rafael driveways and slabs give out
Most of the cracked and sinking driveways we break out here were poured on a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the dirt settled and took the slab with it. On a sloped lot, water running off the street or the hill gets under that loose base and keeps working at it, and a slab that tips toward the garage sends water straight to the house. We dig down to firm subgrade, the soil the slab rests on, pack rock over it in layers and check where the water goes before we set a single form.
The shops, offices and apartment buildings here put far more feet and tires on their walks, steps and parking areas than a house does. When those slabs heave or chip, the raised edge becomes something to trip on, so we replace the worn section with concrete built for that traffic and finished for grip.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in San Rafael
Here's how a San Rafael job goes from your first call to the final walk-through, with your estimate in writing before anything is booked.
Call or send the form
Call (707) 283-3110 or send the form with a few lines about the job, and we'll set a time for me to come see it. Photos help, though I'll still want to stand on the ground myself.
I look at the site
I walk the space with you, ask how you'll use it and check the slope, the old concrete and where the water runs. You get a written estimate that lists what's included, so you can see what you're paying for before you decide.
We pour and finish the work
Once you're ready, we sort out any city steps, set a date and our own licensed and fully insured crew forms, pours and finishes the job. You don't need to be home on pour day as long as we can reach the work area.
Walk the finished job together
I walk the finished job with you before we pack up and write down the curing wait, the days new concrete needs to gain strength before you walk or drive on it. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Questions about concrete work in San Rafael
How do I get a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in San Rafael?
You ask the city's Building Division whether your driveway or patio needs one, and if it does, you apply through the city's OpenGov permitting system, where new applications and inspection scheduling now go. The city's permit list is written around buildings and doesn't name driveways or patios, and Public Works or Planning can still set conditions on work that needs no building permit. We'll go over this with you at the estimate.
Does a concrete retaining wall need a permit in San Rafael?
Under the city's older permit handout, a retaining wall no more than 4 feet from the bottom of its footing to its top is exempt from a building permit. That exemption doesn't apply if the wall carries a surcharge, extra weight like a driveway or a slope above it, or holds flammable liquids. Because the handout is older, we confirm the current rule with the city before we form a wall.
Does a slab for a small shed need a permit in San Rafael?
The same older handout exempts a one-story detached shed or playhouse up to 120 square feet from a building permit, as long as it has no plumbing, electrical or heating. Separate electrical or plumbing permits can still apply if you run power or water out to it, and Planning can set conditions even when no building permit is needed. A bigger shed, or one with power, is a question for the city before we pour.
How long does a building permit stay valid in San Rafael?
A San Rafael building permit issued after January 1, 2023 is valid for two years, and minor permits last only 180 days. If the work hasn't passed its final inspection by then, the city charges a renewal fee, so it pays to keep the job moving once the permit is issued.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in San Rafael?
It comes down to your driveway's size, the old concrete that has to come out and the slope and ground under it, so I give a price only after seeing the site. A steep approach adds forming and sometimes steps, a stamped or colored finish costs more than a plain broom finish, and a street that keeps the truck far away adds labor. If the budget has to give somewhere, I'd rather trim the finish than the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it's what decides whether the slab settles.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack or sink?
Sinking usually comes from the ground under the slab, and stray cracks usually come from joints cut late or skipped. Along with the packed base described above, we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a planned place to crack, soon after the pour, and we avoid pouring in midday heat, which can leave a weak, dusty top. Concrete still cracks, but done this way the cracks usually land in the joints instead of across the middle of your driveway.
Petaluma, CA
Call about your San Rafael concrete project
A visit to your site shows how the slope, the old concrete and the path of the water will shape the job, which no photo can tell us.