Concrete Contractor in Costa Mesa, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Solid Base
All Star Aliso Viejo Concrete is a concrete contractor working in Costa Mesa, CA. We pour driveways, patios, walks, steps and foundations for Costa Mesa homes, and we build a solid base under every slab.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Costa Mesa homes and the concrete around them
Costa Mesa is a busy, built-out city, and a lot of the calls we get here come from single-story ranch homes that have had the same driveway, front walk and back patio for a long time. Mixed in with them you'll find condos, townhomes and apartments, plus shops and offices along the commercial streets. Right next door in Newport Beach, the houses and the jobs look a lot alike.
Lots here tend to be snug, with narrow side yards and the house close to the driveway, so before I quote anything I work out how the old concrete comes out and how the new concrete gets in. Older slabs also tend to sit on ground that was never packed right, so we usually plan for real base work before the pour.
Concrete services we offer in Costa Mesa
Concrete driveway building
Plenty of Costa Mesa driveways are original and cracked across the middle, so we tear out, haul off, rebuild the base and pour a new one.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio here usually gets plenty of use, so I ask how you'll use it, then we size it and slope it away from the house.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete presses a stone or brick pattern into the surface, which suits a front walk or patio when you want more than plain gray.
Concrete sidewalk building
Tree roots lift a lot of walks between the driveway and the front door here, and we replace the heaved sections so nobody catches a toe.
Garage floor concrete
An older garage slab that's cracked, stained or sunk at the door can be broken out and poured again over a properly packed base.
Decorative concrete
Colored concrete and finishes that show the small stones in the mix can dress up an entry or backyard, and I'll say when plain concrete serves you better.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps up or down, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back, and we plan drainage behind it so water doesn't push it over.
Concrete floor installation
For a room addition, workshop or converted space, we pour an interior floor slab flat and level, so flooring goes down without fighting the concrete.
Concrete pool decks
Around a pool the deck needs a texture that grips wet feet and a slope that sends splash water away from the pool and the house.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here often settle away from the porch, so we rebuild them on footings with even step heights that are easy on the knees.
Slab foundation building
For an addition, backyard unit or garage, we build the slab foundation it stands on, with the ground packed, steel set and forms checked before the pour.
Foundation installation
When a new build or a rebuild needs footings and walls rather than a single slab, we lay out and pour the foundation the plans call for.
Concrete parking lot building
Costa Mesa has plenty of small shops and apartment buildings, and we pour parking areas thick enough for daily traffic and sloped to drain to the right spot.
Concrete footings
Patio covers, block walls and posts sit on concrete footings that carry their weight into the ground, and we size and pour them so nothing leans or sinks.
Foundation raising
If a corner of the house or a slab has dropped and doors have started sticking, we look at why before we talk about raising it back up.
Concrete cutting
We saw clean openings in existing concrete for a new drain line, a wider driveway or a door, so the rest of the slab stays intact.
Your free concrete estimate for a Costa Mesa home
Send the form and I'll get back to you within one business day to set a time to come out. The estimate is free, done at your house, and there's no pressure to book.
- Based in
- Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Costa Mesa permits, licenses and what moves the price
Building permits in Costa Mesa come from the city's Building Safety Division, and whether your concrete job needs one is their call, not mine. I check with them on every job, handle the paperwork when a permit's needed and tell you up front whose name it goes under, and when there is one, the pour waits until it's issued. Before anyone bids on your job, ask for their state contractor license, and for the record, we're licensed and fully insured.
Costa Mesa is an easy run up the 405 from Aliso Viejo, the same drive that takes us to jobs in Irvine and Fountain Valley, so getting our crew here is simple. What moves your price is how much old concrete comes out and gets hauled, how big and thick the new slab is, how much work the base needs, how easy the spot is to reach and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather and the cure, and your written estimate spells out the tear-out, hauling and finish so you can see your own number.
Why Costa Mesa driveways and patios wear out
The concrete we replace here usually failed from underneath. A lot of older slabs were poured over dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so they settled, cracked across and tipped toward the house until water started pooling by the door. We dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab actually sits on, and check where the water runs so the new slab drains away from your house. If the budget gets tight, I'll cut a fancy finish before I'll cut the base, because the finish is what you see on day one, but the base decides whether that finish stays flat.
Backyards here get a lot of use, so patios, pool decks and walks take more foot traffic than people expect. On a warm day we pour early, because concrete that dries too fast in midday heat ends up with a weak, dusty top, and we give walking surfaces a broom finish, a light brushed texture that keeps feet from slipping.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Costa Mesa
Here's how a job goes once you reach out, from the first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll deal with at each step.
Call or send the form
When you call (949) 619-8302 or send the form, you talk to me, and we pick a time for me to come out. Try to be home for it, since I'll want to hear how you use the space.
I measure and write it up
I measure, look over the old concrete, the ground and where the water runs, and ask what you'll use the space for. You get a written estimate that lists the tear-out, hauling and finish, so you can compare it fairly with other bids.
We prep, form and pour
Our crew digs out, packs the base, sets the forms and steel and pours, and I'm working on site right alongside them. You don't need to be home for this part, as long as we can reach the work area.
Cure, walk through, clean up
The new concrete then cures, the wait while it hardens and gains strength, and I'll tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for your car, which takes longer. Before we pack up, I walk the job with you, and my dad would have my head if we left the site messier than we found it.
Questions about concrete work in Costa Mesa
Do I need a licensed contractor for a concrete job in Costa Mesa?
In most cases, yes. The Contractors State License Board requires a license when a project needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and a bigger job can't be split into smaller contracts to get under that line. Contractors are supposed to hold the license before they bid, so ask for it at the estimate.
How do I apply for a building permit in Costa Mesa?
You apply online through TESSA, the city's permit system, and enter everything there directly, because the city ignores paper forms and sends incomplete applications back. The city's building permits page walks through it, and the building office can be reached at (714) 754-5273 or buildingpermit@costamesaca.gov. City Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed alternating Fridays.
Which jobs can get an Insta-Permit in Costa Mesa?
Insta-Permits cover simple jobs with a limited scope, and the city's list names residential HVAC, re-pipe, water heater, EV charger, panel upgrade and re-roof work, each with one version for licensed contractors and one for owner-builders. Concrete work isn't on that list, so ask the building office whether your job needs a regular permit. The city also posts residential handouts, including one on retaining wall specifications, which is worth a look if a wall is part of your plans.
What are the penalties for unlicensed contractors in California?
A first offense for contracting without a license is usually a misdemeanor, with up to six months in jail, a $500 fine or both. The state can add an administrative fine of $200 to $15,000 on top of that, which is one more reason to see a license before anyone bids on your job.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Costa Mesa?
Your price comes down to the driveway's size and thickness, how much old concrete we tear out and haul, how much work the base needs and the finish you pick. A plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored concrete, while the base is the part I'd keep, for the reason I gave above. Your written estimate lists each of those pieces, so you can see where the money goes.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack, and will a new one crack too?
Most driveway cracks come from a base that settled, joints that were cut late or skipped, or a pour in midday heat. Concrete can still crack a little, so we cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell it where to crack in a straight line, and set rebar, steel bars inside the slab that hold the pieces tight together. That doesn't make a slab crack-proof, but cracks are far more likely to stay thin and land where we planned them.
Get your Costa Mesa concrete estimate started
Call (949) 619-8302 or send the form whenever it suits you, because we answer until 10 PM on weekdays and 9 PM on weekends.
Aliso Viejo, CA