We replace worn-out driveways and pour new ones across Concord. The clay under most lots moves with the seasons, so the base, the steel and the joints get as much attention as the surface. The approach at the street needs a city encroachment permit, which we plan for.
Most driveways we replace in Concord are original to the house. In the postwar neighborhoods that means about four inches of concrete or less, no steel, and a base of whatever soil was there. Clay under the slab has swelled and shrunk through decades of wet winters and dry summers, and the driveway has cracked into pieces that no longer sit level. A new driveway here starts below the concrete: the clay is cut down, crushed rock goes in and is compacted, and the slab gets steel held up in the middle of its thickness.
Joints are planned before the truck is ordered. We cut control joints at regular spacing so shrinkage cracks follow straight lines, and we put isolation joints where the driveway meets the garage slab, the house and the public sidewalk. The surface is pitched so rain runs to the street and not back to the garage. In the hills on the east side of the city, a steeper drive gets a heavier broom texture for grip.
The part of the driveway between the sidewalk and the street is the approach, and it is in the city right of way. Concord requires an encroachment permit for work there, with proof of liability insurance from the contractor. On hot days we pour at first light and cure the surface so it does not dry too fast. Plan on about a week before you park a car on the new concrete.
Concrete driveways in Concord: common questions
Why did my Concord driveway crack into so many pieces?
Usually because it is thin, has no steel and sits on clay that moves every year. Once water gets through the first cracks, the soil under each piece swells and shrinks at a different rate, and the pieces tilt. A thicker slab on compacted rock with steel and planned joints handles that movement far better.
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway in Concord?
The approach between the sidewalk and the street is in the public right of way, and Concord Municipal Code chapter 12.15 requires an encroachment permit for that work. The part on your own lot is checked with the Building Division for your address. We sort this out before the job is scheduled.
Can you widen my driveway for a second car or a trailer?
Often, yes. The limits are the city's rules on the curb opening and on paving in the front yard, the location of meters, street trees and utility boxes, and where the water will go. We measure, check the rule for your address and then quote.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We visit and measure.
- Written quote: Clear pricing with finish options.
- Prep & forms: We excavate, grade, compact the base and set forms and reinforcement.
- Pour, finish & cure: We pour, finish, cut control joints and tell you when you can use it.