Concrete contractor in Inglewood, CA - cracked driveways replaced from the base up
Redondo Beach Concrete Company is a concrete contractor working in Inglewood, CA. We tear out cracked or sunken driveways, patios, walks and steps and pour new ones, and we build footings and slabs for property owners.
Older slabs on long, narrow Inglewood driveways
Most of what we pour in Inglewood goes around single-family houses on regular city lots, with a driveway running back along the side of the house, a walk to the front door and a patio out back. A lot of that concrete has been down a long time, so by the time we get the call it's cracked across, dropped at one end or lifted where the ground moved under it. It's a short drive up from our base in Redondo Beach, and the calls look a lot like the ones we get in Hawthorne next door, more than the tight lots we work on in Hermosa Beach.
Those narrow side driveways shape the job. There's often no room to swing big equipment, so the tear-out and base work take more hand labor, and nobody knows what the dirt underneath has been doing until the old slab is out.
Permits, prep and price on an Inglewood job
Permits here go through the city's Building Safety Division, which issues building and grading permits, reviews plans and does the inspections. When a job needs drawings, the division checks them before it issues the permit, so your start date waits on that review. If your job needs a permit, I tell you at the estimate and we handle the paperwork, but the division makes the call, so we check with them before we break ground. We're licensed and insured.
The price moves mostly with what you can't see yet, like how much old concrete has to come out, how much digging and packing the ground needs, how big and thick the new slab is and the finish you want on top. The schedule turns on the permit if there is one, getting utility lines marked and the cure, the stretch after the pour when the concrete hardens and you stay off it. My estimate writes each of those down for your job, so you're not guessing.
Concrete services in Inglewood
- Concrete driveway building
- Concrete patio construction
- Stamped concrete services
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Slab foundation building
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
Most failed slabs here gave out from underneath
When a driveway or patio sinks or breaks into pieces, the cause is usually the subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on. Plenty of older slabs were poured on ground that was raked level and never dug out or packed, so the dirt kept settling and the concrete went down with it. We dig to firm ground, bring in base rock and pack it in layers, and that's the part I won't skimp on. If the budget's tight, put the money into the base and keep the top simple, because a plain broom finish, the light texture that keeps it from getting slick, on good ground will outlast a fancy surface on bad ground. Once the ground's right, stamped concrete is an option too.
The other thing we check is where the water goes. Old side driveways often end up falling back toward the house or the garage, so water pools against the wall or sits in low spots. We set the new slab to shed water away from the house before we pour.
Get a free estimate on your Inglewood concrete job
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Inglewood property myself, walk and measure the job and write down what's included, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
How a concrete job goes when you call us in Inglewood
Call or send the form
Call (424) 402-3940 or send the form and tell us what you've got, a cracked driveway, a sunken walk or a new patio. A couple of photos of the problem spots help me come out ready.
I walk and measure the site
I come out myself, look at the old concrete and the slope, and ask how you'll use the new slab, since a patio and a driveway with a truck on it need different prep. You get a written estimate that spells out the prep, the joints and the finish.
Sort out any city permit
If the job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork with the city before anything starts. Jobs with drawings go through the city's plan review first, so your start date follows that review.
Mark utilities and build the base
We get utility lines marked so nobody digs into a gas or water line, then tear out the old slab and dig out and pack the base. Where the job calls for it, we set rebar, steel bars that hold the slab together so cracks don't spread apart.
Pour, finish and clean up
We pour, finish the surface and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a planned place to crack. Then we clean up and tell you how long to keep off it while it cures.
Driveways, patios, walks and steps
Inglewood concrete questions we hear
Who issues permits for concrete work in Inglewood, CA?
The City of Inglewood's Building Safety Division issues building and grading permits, and it also handles plan review and inspections. You can reach the division at (310) 412-5294 with permit and inspection questions. If your job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork for you.
Do I need a permit to replace a cracked concrete driveway in Inglewood?
You might, so don't assume a repair is outside the rules. The city's permit guidance says a building permit is required whenever a structure is built, altered, repaired, improved, enlarged or demolished, which reaches repair work as well as new building. We check your job with the city before we start and tell you up front what it needs.
How do I request a building inspection for concrete work in Inglewood?
Inspections in Inglewood are requested online through the Building Safety Division's OpenGov portal, and the homeowner or the contractor books each one there. On a permitted job, we plan the pour around the inspections the permit calls for, so the concrete doesn't go in ahead of them.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Inglewood?
Your price comes from what your site needs, and I write it out at a free on-site estimate. Narrow side driveways that need more hand work and slabs that need a lot of base work cost more, and a stamped or colored finish costs more than a plain one. If the job needs a permit, the city's fee varies with the type and complexity of the project, and the city will give you a fee estimate if you call.
Will a new concrete patio in Inglewood crack like my old one?
It may crack, because almost all concrete does, but it shouldn't break up and sink the way a slab on bad ground does. We cut control joints at the right time so cracks follow those lines and not the middle of the slab. I'll show you where the joints go before we pour.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new driveway in Inglewood?
You walk on it first and drive on it later, once it has cured, because concrete keeps getting stronger for days after it looks hard. Driving on it too early is how you get cracks and broken edges. I give you the dates for your job before we pour, so you can plan where to park.
Tell us about your Inglewood concrete job
Call (424) 402-3940 or send the form, evenings and weekends included, and ask how the city's permit steps apply to your job.