Concrete for the places you drive, walk and build in San Clemente, CA

It can still get a small crack or two, since concrete shrinks as it dries, but it shouldn't break up and sink like a poorly built one. Old driveways usually fail because the dirt under them was raked level instead of dug out and packed. We pack the base and cut control joints before the slab sets up too far, so the cracks that do show up tend to follow the lines we picked.

It means digging out soft soil, bringing in base rock and packing it down in layers, so the slab doesn't settle along with loose dirt underneath. It's the part you can't see on pour day, which is why it's the first thing some bids trim and the last thing I'd trim. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you go with a plainer finish than a thinner base.

We check where water runs on your lot before we set any forms, then slope the slab away from the house so rain heads for the yard or a drain. A slab that falls toward the house sends water at your foundation every time it rains, and it's one of the most common mistakes we see. If the lot gives water nowhere to go, we'll talk about a drain as part of the quote.

Go with a broom finish if you want grip and a lower cost, and stamped if looks matter most. A broom finish is a light brushed texture that gives shoes and tires some grip when it's wet, which is why it's the usual choice on driveways and walks. Stamped concrete adds a pattern and usually color, so it costs more and takes more work on pour day.

Plan on walking on it well before you drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength for days after the pour. The exact wait depends on the mix and the weather, and I'll give it to you before we pour so you can plan where to park. Heat matters too, because a slab that dries too fast in midday sun can end up with a weak, dusty top, so we time pours around it.

The City of San Clemente allows construction Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., subject to any conditions on the permit. No construction is allowed on Sundays or city-recognized holidays. We plan pour days inside those hours, which is one more reason a schedule turns on more than the weather.

It depends, and the city's Building and Safety Division makes the call for your project. Its reference list exempts driveways up to 30 inches above the ground beside them, unless they're over a basement or story below or part of an accessible route. Retaining walls holding back four feet of earth or less, measured from footing bottom to wall top, are listed too, unless they carry extra load or hold back flammable liquids.

Yes, in most cases. The state licensing board requires a license when the work needs a building permit, uses any extra workers or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The City of San Clemente also requires a business license for anyone doing business in the city, so both are fair questions for any bid. We're fully licensed and insured.