Concrete Contractor in East Palo Alto - Slabs Poured Level and Pitched to Drain
Complete San Carlos Concrete is a concrete contractor based in San Carlos that builds and replaces driveways, patios, walkways, steps and slabs for homeowners and property owners in East Palo Alto. I usually come out to measure the job myself.
East Palo Alto homes and the concrete around them
We're based in San Carlos, a short drive south past Redwood City, and most of our calls from East Palo Alto are about a driveway, front walk or back patio that has cracked, sunk or started holding water. The city is mostly single-family houses on modest lots, with apartment buildings and small commercial properties along the main roads, so most of what we pour here is flatwork, the driveways, walks, patios and garage floors that lie flat on the ground.
Much of the ground here is close to flat, which makes it easy to build on, but it also means water won't leave a slab unless we build the pitch in. So every job here starts with a string line, a level and a plan for where the rain goes.
What East Palo Alto properties ask of new concrete
These are the things we look at on East Palo Alto properties before we write an estimate, because each one changes how the slab gets built and what it costs.
Older slabs we tear out here often sit on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, which is why they sank.
Roots from nearby trees can lift and crack driveways and walks, and taking a tree out is a question for the city's Planning side, not us.
Narrow side yards on many lots mean we plan how concrete reaches a back patio before pour day, which can change the cost.
Most front driveways run out to a public sidewalk and the street, so our new edge has to meet theirs cleanly, at the same height.
Size, tear-out and base work move the price, while the wait for new concrete to harden and any permit set the schedule, and your written estimate spells out both.
Where we work around East Palo Alto
We're based in San Carlos and work in East Palo Alto, next-door Palo Alto, Mountain View and other cities around them. The cities below have their own page, and they aren't the only places we go.
Concrete work we do in East Palo Alto
Concrete driveway building
When a driveway has sunk or split, we tear it out, dig down to firm ground, pack a new base and pour a slab pitched toward the street.
Concrete patio construction
A back patio on a flat yard needs a slight fall away from the house, so rain runs to the lawn instead of pooling against your siding.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick in one pour, and we seal it so the pattern holds its color.
Concrete sidewalk building
A front walk that has heaved or chipped is a trip hazard, so we replace the bad sections and match the new concrete to the steps and driveway.
Garage floor concrete
When a garage floor has cracked, gone dusty or settled, we break it out and pour a new slab with steel inside to hold it together.
Decorative concrete
Colored, scored or exposed-aggregate finishes dress up a plain front walk or patio, and I'll tell you which ones wear best where you walk most.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard changes level at a fence line or a raised bed, a poured retaining wall holds the soil back, with drainage behind it so water can't push it out.
Concrete floor installation
For a shed, workshop or new addition, we pour an interior concrete floor level and flat, so the walls and flooring go on without shimming.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to drain away from the water and stay grippy when wet, so we pitch it carefully and give it a slip-resistant finish.
Concrete steps construction
When front steps have cracked or pulled away from the porch, we rebuild them with even step heights, so nobody misjudges one coming home in the dark.
Slab foundation building
For an ADU, garage or addition built on a slab, we form and pour the slab foundation square and level to the approved plans.
Foundation installation
When a new building needs footings and stem walls, the short concrete walls a frame sits on, we dig, form and pour them to the plans.
Concrete parking lot building
Small commercial lots and apartment parking along the main roads take heavy daily traffic, so we pour them thicker over a deeper packed base.
Concrete footings
Decks, fences, pergolas and small additions all need footings, the concrete pads under the posts, dug to firm soil so the structure stays put.
Foundation raising
When part of a house has settled and doors start sticking, we look at why before raising it, because lifting a foundation without fixing the cause rarely lasts.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches for drain or utility lines, and clean edges where a damaged section of driveway or walk comes out and new concrete goes in.
Get a free written estimate for your East Palo Alto concrete
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit, and I usually come out to East Palo Alto myself to look at the job and take measurements. The estimate is free, it comes in writing with the work spelled out, and there's no pressure and no obligation to go ahead.
- Call
- (650) 866-1977
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Why hire us for concrete in East Palo Alto
I started this business in San Carlos in 2017 after learning the trade under an experienced contractor, and what we're known for is flatwork that comes out square, level and pitched the way it should be.
I measure the job myself
I usually come out to look at the job and take the measurements myself, then our crew does the forming, pouring and finishing while I check the work as it goes.
The base comes before the finish
The subgrade, the dug-out and packed ground a slab sits on, is the part you never see and the first thing people want to cut. I won't, because a nice finish on a slab that settles is still a slab that settles.
Permits settled in the contract
When a job needs a permit, we settle with you who pulls it before work starts and write that into the contract. We're fully licensed and insured. Call (650) 866-1977 or use the form to set up your estimate.
East Palo Alto concrete questions we hear
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in East Palo Alto?
Your price comes from the size of the slab, whether old concrete has to be broken out and hauled away, how much digging and packing the base needs and the finish you choose. A broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives shoes and tires grip, costs less than stamped or colored work, and rebar, steel bars set inside the slab to hold it together, adds material and labor. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own driveway.
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in East Palo Alto?
Ask the city before we pour, because its Building Services Division issues permits here, and its list names building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, solar, re-roof and demolition work without spelling out driveways or patios. If the job reaches the public sidewalk or street, or involves grading, the city's Engineering side handles those encroachment and grading permits. The Permit Center at 1960 Tate Street is open 9 AM to 4 PM and closes from noon to 1 PM.
How long does permit review take in East Palo Alto?
A permit that isn't handled over the counter goes through the city's 30-day review, with two-week rechecks if plans have to be resubmitted. Applications and documents go by email to building@cityofepa.org, and staff get back to applicants with next steps within two business days. Keep the job card and any approved plans on site, because an inspection without them has to be rescheduled.
What happens if concrete work starts without a permit in East Palo Alto?
The city charges a penalty fee when work that needed a building permit starts without one, and it reports the contractor to the state license board for investigation. The city says it keeps actively enforcing unpermitted construction, which is why we settle the permit question in writing before anyone digs.
How do I check a concrete contractor before hiring one in East Palo Alto?
Start with their license, because the city checks a contractor's license status with the state licensing board as part of its permit process. Contractors also get a city business license through the city's online portal, and if a contractor registered as having no workers shows up with a crew, the city issues a stop-work notice until a workers' comp certificate is provided.
How do I keep a new concrete slab from cracking in East Palo Alto?
Most of it comes down to a packed base, control joints and a proper cure, and those are where the old slabs we replace here usually went wrong. Control joints are grooves we cut so the slab cracks along a straight line we picked, and they have to go in early, before it cracks on its own. Curing is the wait while new concrete hardens, and I'll tell you at the estimate how long to stay off a patio and how much longer before you drive on a driveway.
Call about your East Palo Alto concrete
We pick up weekdays from 8 AM and weekends from 7 AM until 11 PM at (650) 866-1977, or you can send the form, and catching a sinking slab early usually means less to tear out.
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM