Concrete contractor in Torrance, CA - slabs built for ground that moves
Redondo Beach Concrete Company pours driveways, patios, walks, steps and footings for homes and properties in Torrance. We start with the ground under the slab, because that's what decides how long it lasts.
A big city of driveways, patios and backyards
Torrance is the big neighbor right next to us. We're a concrete contractor based in Redondo Beach, CA, so it's a short drive for our crew. Most calls here come from homeowners on long residential streets who want a driveway, a back patio or a front walk redone. The rest come from property owners with shops, rentals and small lots that need a slab, steps or a parking area.
Much of the city is flat streets with a driveway out front and a slab out back, and the south end climbs toward the hills the way Lomita does next door. On the flat lots the work is mostly in the base and the drainage, and the sloped ones add steps, walls and more digging.
Permits, licenses and pricing for Torrance jobs
In Torrance, building permits go through the city's Building and Safety Division, and that office decides whether your driveway, patio or wall needs one. The city wants zoning clearance from its Planning or Environmental Division before an application goes in. Since January 5, 2026, every plan and permit submittal goes in electronically, so a permitted job waits on that review before we break ground. If yours needs a permit, we tell you up front and take care of the paperwork. Before you hire anyone, check that they hold a California contractor license and a Torrance business license. We're licensed and insured.
Most of what moves the price is stuff you won't see once it's poured. That's the tear-out, the digging and the base under the slab, plus the finish you pick for the top. The schedule turns on the permit, if there is one, and on curing, the days the concrete needs to harden before you walk or drive on it. My estimate spells out the prep, the joints and the finish for your job, the same way I write them up in Inglewood and the other cities around us.
Concrete work we do in Torrance
- 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
The soil here swells, so the base comes first
Parts of Torrance sit on expansive soil, enough that the city made its foundation rules stricter because of it. That kind of ground swells when it's wet and shrinks as it dries, and it lifts and cracks a slab poured on dirt that was only raked level. So we dig out the soft material and bring in base rock, then pack it in layers before any forms go up. That base work costs money on day one, and nobody sees it once the slab is down. That's why it's usually the first thing people want to cut. I won't cut it, because a nice finish over a bad base still ends up cracked.
A lot of the houses here have driveways and back patios that have been down for decades. Many of our calls start with a sunken slab or with water pooling against the house. We tear out the old slab and regrade so the new one falls away from your walls. If you're adding to the backyard while we're there, our concrete patio construction page explains how that part goes.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Torrance concrete job
Send the form, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Torrance property myself to walk and measure the job. Then I write down what's included, and you're under no obligation to hire us.
What happens when you call us about a Torrance job
Call or send the form
Reach us at (424) 402-3940 or through the form, and tell us whether it's a driveway, patio, walk, steps or something bigger. A photo or two helps me picture the job before I come out.
I walk and measure the site
I come out myself, look at the ground, the slope and where the water runs, and ask how you'll use the concrete. Parking a truck and setting out a table call for different slabs, so it matters.
Get the estimate in writing
You see everything that's included before you decide anything. If a line isn't clear, ask, because it's a lot easier to change on paper than in wet concrete.
Sort out permits and utilities
If the job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork with the city, and you can follow its status on the Torrance Online Citizen Portal. We also get utility lines marked before anyone digs.
Dig, pour, finish, clean up
I work alongside our crew from the groundwork through the pour and the finish, often a broom finish, a light texture that gives shoes and tires some grip. We leave the site clean and tell you how long to stay off it while it cures.
Driveways, patios and walks in concrete
Torrance concrete questions homeowners ask
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Torrance?
Ask the city before you pour, because concrete work isn't on its draft list of work that's exempt from a building permit. That draft ordinance names things like small detached sheds and playhouses, low fences and finish work such as painting, tile and counters. We check your job with the city's Building and Safety office before we start.
When does a concrete contractor need a California state license?
A contractor needs a state license when the project needs a building permit, uses any other workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials across its contracts. The state licensing board also says a bigger job can't be split into smaller contracts to get under that $1,000 line. Most driveways and patios clear that easily.
Does a concrete contractor need a Torrance business license?
Yes, if they're doing the work in Torrance. The city requires a business license from anyone with a company located there or who will physically work there, and from anyone delivering into the city in their own vehicles. So a contractor coming in from a nearby city needs one for a Torrance job too.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Torrance?
Your price is set mostly by the tear-out, the digging and base under the slab, and the finish on top. A plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored concrete. Adding rebar, steel bars that hold the slab together if it cracks, adds cost, and so does a tight side yard where we can't get a truck in. The free estimate gives you the number for your driveway.
What causes concrete driveways in Torrance to crack and sink?
Usually it's the base, a slab poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, and the swelling soil described above makes it worse. Water running toward the slab and joints cut late or skipped add to it. Concrete still cracks some, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give it a straight line to crack along.
How do I check if my Torrance property is in an earthquake hazard zone?
Look up your address on the California Geological Survey's EQ Zapp map, which shows whether it sits in any mapped earthquake hazard zone. It also tells you if the survey hasn't evaluated your area yet. That's worth knowing before footings, foundations or retaining walls, since the city ties its stricter soil investigation rules to nearby faults and hillside lots.
Call about your Torrance driveway, patio or slab
If your job needs a permit, the paperwork starts before the digging does, so call (424) 402-3940 or send the form to get it moving.