Concrete Contractor in Fountain Valley, CA - Driveways and Patios on a Solid Base
All Star Aliso Viejo Concrete is a concrete contractor pouring driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs in Fountain Valley, CA. We tear out old cracked concrete and build the new work on a properly packed base.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Fountain Valley homes and the concrete around them
Fountain Valley is mostly blocks of single-family homes, with shopping centers and offices along the bigger streets, and a lot of the driveways, patios and walks we see here have been down a long time. We drive up from our home base in Aliso Viejo for flatwork, our word for the concrete that lies flat on the ground, and we do the same work next door in Costa Mesa.
On older lots like these, a job usually starts with breaking out the old slab and hauling it off. Once it's out, what we find underneath tells us how much the base needs before anything new goes down.
Concrete work we do on Fountain Valley properties
Concrete driveway building
A lot of driveways here are older and showing it, with cracks, sunken sections and patches. We tear out the old slab, rebuild the base and pour new.
Concrete patio construction
Lots of backyards here have a cracked or undersized patio. We pour a new one sized to how you use the yard and sloped away from the house.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a driveway or patio the look of stone or brick in one pour. I'll tell you whether the pattern is worth it on your yard.
Concrete sidewalk building
Walks to the front door and along the side yard take a beating from roots and settling. We replace the lifted pieces with new sections that sit level.
Garage floor concrete
Older garage floors here often have oil stains, cracks and a low spot by the door. We break out the worn slab and pour a smooth, level floor.
Decorative concrete
Color, exposed aggregate or a scored pattern can dress up a plain front walk without a full redesign. We'll talk through what lasts and what's just extra cost.
Concrete retaining walls
When a yard steps down or a planter needs holding back, a concrete wall does it. We check height and what sits behind it before we pour.
Concrete floor installation
New concrete floors for room additions, workshops and converted spaces start with a dug-out, packed base. We pour and finish it flat for whatever goes on top.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to drain away from the water and give wet feet some grip. We replace cracked, lifted decks with new concrete and a textured finish.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps that have settled or chipped are easy to trip on. We form new ones with every step the same height, so nobody gets surprised.
Slab foundation building
For an addition, a detached garage or a backyard cottage, the slab foundation carries everything above it. We dig, pack and pour it to the approved plans.
Foundation installation
Building onto the house or putting up a new structure starts with the foundation. We set forms and the steel rebar that holds it together to the plans.
Concrete parking lot building
Small lots behind shops, offices and apartment buildings crack and pond water when the base gives out. We rebuild the base and pour concrete thick enough for traffic.
Concrete footings
Patio covers, block walls and posts all sit on footings, the buried concrete under the load. We dig them deep enough that nothing leans later.
Foundation raising
When part of a slab or foundation has dropped, doors stick and cracks open up. I'll find what caused the settling, then lift and support the low spot.
Concrete cutting
Running a new drain line, widening a driveway or adding a doorway means cutting concrete cleanly. We saw-cut straight lines so the rest of the slab stays intact.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate in Fountain Valley
Send the form and I'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, measure and write up a free estimate, and there's no obligation to book.
- Based in
- Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What we check before we pour in Fountain Valley
In Fountain Valley, building permits come from the city's Building & Safety Division, and the application goes in before the work starts, so I check with the Building Division at 714-593-4429 on every job before we set a start date. When a permit's needed, we handle the paperwork and tell you up front whose name it goes under. We're licensed and fully insured, and when you're comparing bids, ask each contractor for their state license from the Contractors State License Board, which licenses contractors across California. The city also wants every subcontractor on a job to hold a Fountain Valley business license before starting, and the Business License Dept. answers questions about that at 714-593-4421.
What moves the price here is mostly how much old concrete has to come out and get hauled off, how much digging and packing the base needs, the size and thickness of the slab, and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the permit, if there is one, and on giving the concrete time to cure before you use it, and your estimate gives you your own figure. Most of our jobs here sit on residential streets a short hop off the 405, so we time the truck, the tear-out and the haul-away to keep your street open and sweep up before we go, the same way we work in Newport Beach.
Older slabs here and why they crack and sink
Most calls here are about the same few problems: a driveway panel that's tipped, a patio holding water against the back of the house, cracks running wherever they please. The cause is usually underneath, from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or a slab poured with a fall toward the house instead of away from it. We dig down to the subgrade, the native soil the slab sits on, pack a proper base on top and set the slope so water runs to the yard or the street.
If the budget has to give somewhere, I'll tell you to cut the fancy finish before the base. My dad drilled that into me, because nobody sees the base on day one, but it's the part still holding your slab up long after the pattern stops looking new.
What to expect when you call us about concrete in Fountain Valley
Here's how a job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll talk to and what you'll have in hand before anything gets poured.
Call and talk to me
When you call (949) 619-8302, you get me, not a call center. We set a time for me to come out to your house.
I measure and write it up
I measure, look over the site and ask how you plan to use the space, so the job fits the way you live. You get a written estimate that spells out tear-out, hauling and the finish, so you can line it up against other bids.
We form, pour and cure
If the job needs a permit, that's settled first, then our crew sets the forms and I'm on site pouring alongside them. Curing, the wait while the concrete hardens and gains strength, comes next, and I'll tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for cars.
Walk the finished job together
I walk the finished job with you before we pack up, and we leave the site cleaner than we found it. On permitted jobs the city wants the subcontractor form two weeks before the final inspection request or the final gets delayed, so we file ours early.
Questions about concrete work in Fountain Valley
How do I find out if my concrete driveway needs a permit in Fountain Valley?
Ask the city's Building Division before work starts, because the city's list of work that needs no building permit names things like painting, tiling, small sheds and short fences, not driveways or patios. We make that check on every job we bid, so you'll know the answer before we set a form.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Fountain Valley?
It comes down to the size of the driveway, how much old concrete has to be broken out and hauled, how much the base underneath needs and the finish you pick, so I can't give you a fair number until I've seen it. A plain broom finish, the light texture swept in for grip, costs less than stamping or color, and I'll tell you straight if an upgrade isn't worth it on your house.
How do I keep a new concrete patio in Fountain Valley from cracking?
You can't make concrete crack-proof, but you can decide where it cracks and keep it from cracking early. Control joints, the shallow grooves we cut across the slab, give it a straight line to crack along, and they only work if they're cut on time. We pour in the cooler part of the day so the top doesn't dry out weak and dusty, then you stay off it while it cures until I say it's ready.
Does a concrete retaining wall need a permit in Fountain Valley?
A retaining wall no taller than 4 feet, measured from the bottom of its footing to the top of the wall, is on the city's exempt list. That exemption ends when the wall carries extra load from something behind it, like a slope, a driveway or a building, or when it holds back certain liquids. I measure the wall with you at the estimate, and anything taller or loaded goes through the Building Division first.
Can I apply for a Fountain Valley building permit online?
Yes, the city's Permit Center takes applications and PDF plan uploads online. If a project needs Fire Department review, paper plans go in separately. On jobs where we handle the paperwork, that part's on us.
How much of a down payment can a contractor ask for in California?
The state contractors board says a contractor can't ask for or accept a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. That rule sits in the board's guidance on rebuilding after a disaster, but the board says it applies to all home improvement projects. Ask any contractor how their payments work before you sign.
Get your Fountain Valley concrete estimate started
Call (949) 619-8302 any day of the week, evenings included, or send the form, and you'll talk with the person who'll actually be on your job.
Aliso Viejo, CA