Concrete Contractor in Sonoma, CA - Driveways, Patios and Slabs Built on a Solid Base
Allied Petaluma Concrete pours driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations for homes and small businesses in Sonoma, CA. I come out to look at each job, and our own crew forms, pours and finishes the work.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Sonoma driveways, patios and the houses behind them
Sonoma is a short drive from our base in Petaluma, and most of our calls here are for flatwork, the driveways, patios, walks and steps that lie on the ground. The homes range from long-held family houses near the Plaza to newer places on quieter streets, and some small businesses call too because they need a slab they can count on.
We do the same work in Napa and across the North Bay, and in Sonoma the house itself usually decides how the job goes. An older slab often sits on dirt that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, so on these properties the old concrete and the ground under it usually both have to go before we pour.
Concrete services for Sonoma homes and businesses
Concrete driveway building
When an older Sonoma driveway has sunk or cracked across the middle, we dig out the soft base, pack new rock and pour a fresh slab.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio needs to drain away from the house and meet the back door at the right height, so we set the grade first.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives the look of stone or brick that suits many older Sonoma houses, and it lasts only as long as the base underneath.
Concrete sidewalk building
Older front walks that have heaved at a joint trip people up, so we replace the raised sections and slope the new walk to shed water.
Garage floor concrete
A cracked or chipping garage floor can be broken out and repoured as a flat slab that's easy to sweep, park on and work on.
Decorative concrete
Color and texture let a walk, patio or entry match the style of your Sonoma house, while the slab under the finish stays plain, strong concrete.
Concrete retaining walls
A concrete retaining wall holds back a sloped yard or a cut beside a driveway, and we plan its drainage so water doesn't build up behind it.
Concrete floor installation
For a shop, studio or outbuilding, we pour an interior floor that's flat and level, with the base sorted out before anything sits on it.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to drain away from the water and give bare feet a safe grip, so we choose the finish and slope with that in mind.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses often settle away from the porch, so we rebuild them with even step heights and tie them in at the house.
Slab foundation building
When you're adding a garage, studio or addition, a slab foundation gives it a level start, and the dig-out and base under it decide how it holds up.
Foundation installation
For new construction or a full rebuild, we form and pour the foundation to your drawings, so the framing crew starts on something square and level.
Concrete parking lot building
Small businesses and shared lots in Sonoma need parking that drains, takes daily traffic and stays even, so we build the base for the load it carries.
Concrete footings
Decks, fences, sheds and posts sit on concrete footings, the buried pads that carry the weight, and we size and set them to the job.
Foundation raising
When part of an older house has settled and doors start to stick, foundation raising can bring it back up, and I'll tell you plainly if it can't.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut old slabs for removal, openings for drains or doorways, and clean edges where new concrete meets old, so the slab you're keeping stays whole.
Get a free written estimate for your Sonoma concrete job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the 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
Working in Sonoma: permits, licenses and what moves the price
Here, the City of Sonoma's building official issues the permit for most construction and repair work, grading included, and the Building Division is the place to ask whether your slab needs one. When it does, we help with the application and plan our start around the city's approval and inspections, so the permit usually sets the first date on the calendar. Before you hire anyone here, check that the contractor holds a state contractor license and has filed the city's business license, which every business working inside city limits has to file each year.
Most of what moves the price is the size of the slab, how much old concrete and base has to come out, how close our crew and the concrete truck can get, and the finish you choose. The schedule turns on the permit, our crew's calendar and curing, the wait while new concrete hardens before you can use it, and a tight lot where the truck can't reach means more hand work to plan for. We do this same work around the North Bay, from Napa over to Corte Madera, and every estimate I write lists each of those items so you can see what's included.
Older Sonoma slabs and why they crack and sink
A lot of the concrete we're asked to look at here was poured decades ago on a subgrade, the dirt and rock a slab sits on, that was raked level instead of dug out and packed. That ground keeps settling, so the slab sinks at one end, cracks where nobody planned it and starts to tilt, and once a driveway or patio falls toward the house, water from the roof and the hose runs at your foundation instead of away from it. We dig down to firm ground, pack a new base in layers and check where the water will run before any forms go in.
Patios and pool decks have their own trouble, usually a top that turns dusty or chips because the pour went on in the midday heat or the slab was never kept damp while it cured. We plan pours for the cooler part of the day and cut control joints, shallow saw cuts that give the slab a planned line to crack along, before the concrete has a chance to choose its own.
How a Sonoma concrete job runs once you call us
From your first call to the final walk-through, here's who you'll talk to at each step and when it helps to be home.
Call or send the form
Tell us what's going on with the slab, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. A few photos of the cracks or sinking help me arrive with the right questions.
I come out and measure
I look at the site, check the base and drainage, and ask how you'll use the space, so it helps if you're home for this visit. You then get a written estimate that lists each part of the job, so you can see what moves the price before you decide.
We set a date and pour
Once any permit the city requires is approved, we set a date that fits its inspections. Our own crew digs out, packs the base, forms, pours and finishes, and you don't need to be home while we work.
Walk the finished job together
Before we pack up, I walk the new concrete with you and tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for cars. We leave the site clean, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Questions about concrete work in Sonoma
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Sonoma, CA?
You may, because the city requires a permit for most construction and repair work, including grading, and its handout doesn't settle every slab job by name, so ask the Building Division before you count on skipping one. The handout's exemption for digging is narrow, covering a small, shallow excavation that leaves drainage courses and your neighbors' drainage as they are, and exempt work still has to meet state rules and the city code. You can reach the division at Building@sonomacity.org, and its office is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Fridays by appointment.
When does a contractor need a California state license for concrete work?
A contractor needs a license from the Contractors State License Board when the job needs a building permit, uses any additional workers or comes to $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A larger job can't be split into smaller pieces under $1,000 to get around that, so check the license on any concrete bid you get. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'm glad to show you our license before you sign anything.
Do contractors working in Sonoma need a city business license?
Yes, the city requires every business operating inside city limits to file a business license each year, and that includes subcontractors, independent contractors and sole proprietors. The license runs January 1 to December 31, so asking whether a contractor's license is current for this year is a fair question.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Sonoma?
I can't give you a fair number until I've seen how much old concrete and base has to come out, because that's where the biggest swings in a driveway price come from. When a budget is tight, the base is the last thing I'd cut, since a plain broom finish, the brushed texture that gives feet and tires grip, on a well-packed base will outlast a fancy finish on dirt that's still settling. The written estimate breaks out the tear-out, base, concrete and finish so you can see where you could save.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack, and will a new one crack too?
Most cracks come from a base that settles, joints that were cut late or skipped, and concrete that dried too fast, and any slab can still crack, but a good one cracks where we planned it and stays together. Rebar, the steel bars set inside the slab, holds the pieces tight if a crack opens, and the control joints described above give it a planned line to break along.
How long does a new concrete driveway take before I can drive on it?
You can walk on a new slab well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength for days while it cures. The wait depends on the mix and the conditions that week, so I give you both days at the walk-through, and parking on it early is the quickest way to crack a new driveway.
Petaluma, CA
Tell us about your Sonoma concrete job
Calling early gives us time to sort out any permit and fit your job onto our crew's calendar before the date you have in mind, so call (707) 283-3110 or send the form.