Concrete cutting in San Carlos CA - straight cuts, planned around what's inside
Need a trench across the driveway, a slab section out or a wall opening? We check what's inside first, then cut it straight.
What does it take to cut concrete in San Carlos?
Concrete cutting in San Carlos means sawing a clean, straight line through a driveway, sidewalk, patio or garage slab, or through a foundation wall, so a section can come out, a trench can go in, a joint can be added or a doorway can be opened without cracking the concrete around it.
Most calls start with a cracked section someone wants gone, a pipe that has to run under the slab or a plan for a new concrete driveway that has to tie cleanly into what's already there. The price moves with how long and deep the cut is, how much steel is in the concrete and whether it's a wall or flatwork, the driveways, walks and patios that lie flat. The schedule turns mostly on whether the slab needs a scan first and on lining up the right saw for the job. California's state licensing board puts concrete sawing under its D-6 Concrete-Related Services class, which is worth knowing when you check who you hire, and we're fully licensed and insured. The written estimate after my visit spells out the work, so you see your own figure before anything starts.
How do you know your slab or wall needs cutting?
Most people don't call about cutting itself. They call because something has to come out, go under or go through the concrete, and a saw is the cleanest way to get it done.
A cracked or sunken driveway section usually means a straight cut, so it comes out without breaking the rest.
A plumber or electrician needs a line run under the slab, which means a trench cut through the concrete.
Random cracks usually mean the control joints, the grooves that tell cracks where to go, were cut late or skipped.
You want a new doorway or window in a foundation wall, which takes a different saw than a driveway cut.
Patio water running toward the house usually means cutting back that edge before a new patio goes in.
A raised sidewalk panel between good ones can often be cut out on its own and repoured.
Call before the plumber or the new pour is on the calendar, because the scan, the saw and the slurry plan need settling before anyone cuts.
What happens when you call us to cut concrete in San Carlos?
I like to see the concrete before anyone talks about saws, because its thickness, the steel inside it and where the slurry will run decide how the cut gets made. Here's how a job goes.
Call or send the form
Tell us what needs cutting and where, by phone or through the form. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I come out and measure
I usually come out myself to measure, check the thickness and what could be inside, and talk through what you want cut. You get a written estimate with the work spelled out, including the scan and cleanup where the job needs them, so you know what you're paying for.
We check, cut and clean up
When cables or pipe could be inside, we get the slab scanned first, then our crew sets up the saw that fits the cut and I check the work as it goes. The slurry, the gray water and fine grit that wet sawing throws off, gets caught so it stays out of your gutter.
We go over it together
When the cut is finished and the area is cleaned up, I go over the job with you, checking the line and the depth against what we agreed. We call it done after that walk, not before.
Get a written estimate for your concrete cut
Send the form and we reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The on-site estimate is free, comes in writing and carries no pressure and no obligation.
- Call
- (650) 866-1977
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Saws, water and slurry on a cutting job
How thick the concrete is and how much steel is in it decide how we make the cut. A saw can only cut as deep as its blade's radius allows, so a thick footing or wall takes several passes or a different method. On very thick walls, or walls packed with rebar, the steel bars that hold concrete together, a wire saw may come in instead of the wall saw or alongside it.
Most concrete sawing runs wet, because water on the blade keeps the dust down and makes the blade last longer. California workplace rules call for walk-behind saws with a built-in water feed that runs to the blade the whole time it cuts. The catch with wet cutting is slurry, which has to be vacuumed up or contained, and where water isn't practical, dry cutting with a vacuum is the other choice.
San Mateo County's stormwater guidance warns that cement wash from job sites can get into the county's storm drains and run untreated into local creeks, the Bay and the Pacific, and it says to keep washout off driveways, streets, gutters and drainage ditches. That's why we catch slurry as we cut, here in San Carlos and in the cities around it. Broken concrete can be recycled too, so ask where the pieces from your job will go.
Concrete cutting questions we hear in San Carlos
How much does concrete cutting cost per foot in San Carlos?
Professional concrete cutting across the US usually costs about $3 to $10 per linear foot of cut. That's the market's range for the sawing, not a quote, and the written estimate after I've seen your concrete gives you the figure for your job.
What is the best way to cut a concrete driveway or open a foundation wall?
A driveway or slab is usually cut with a flat saw, a walk-behind saw that rides across the surface, while a doorway or window in a foundation wall is a job for a wall saw. The two call for different crews and gear, so we choose the saw to fit the cut once we've seen it.
Is it safe to cut a concrete slab that has post-tension cables?
Only once you know where the cables are, because post-tension cables, steel cables pulled tight inside the slab, carry stored force, and cutting one can damage the structure or release that tension near the people working. One scanning company advises going over the structural drawings and post-tensioning records, then having the slab professionally scanned before any cutting.
How do I find out what's inside my concrete before it's cut?
A professional scan is how you find out, since one scanning company says a scan can help find embedded cables, rebar and conduit, while drawings and what you can see on the surface fall short of showing a clear path by themselves. We ask for any drawings you have and get the slab scanned when cables or pipe could be inside.
How is concrete slurry cleaned up after cutting?
Cleanup is the cutting crew's job, so ask upfront whether the slurry will be vacuumed up and contained. Raw slurry running into a storm drain counts as an environmental violation in many areas, which is why we plan for it before the saw starts.
Do I need a permit to cut concrete in San Carlos?
Work that places an encroachment in a State highway right of way needs an encroachment permit from Caltrans, though their list names excavations and driveways rather than cutting itself. When a job does need a permit, we settle with you who pulls it before work starts and write that into the contract.
Concrete work that often follows a cut
Concrete driveway building
When the cut shows the base underneath has failed, a new driveway on a properly dug-out and packed base is often the better spend than patching.
Concrete patio construction
After an old patio is cut back from the house, a new slab can be pitched so rain runs away from your walls instead of toward them.
Call (650) 866-1977 to plan your cut
Have the cut's location, its rough length and any structural drawings or post-tensioning records handy, or send them through the form, because they tell me whether we need a scan before I even come out.
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM