Concrete Contractor in Lawndale, CA - Driveways and Slabs Built on a Solid Base
Lawndale driveways need room to drain on tight lots
Lawndale sits right next to Hawthorne, where we're based, so it's a short drive for me to come out and look at a job. Most streets here are lined with older single-story houses on narrow lots, many with a driveway running along the side of the house to a garage in back, and the shops along the main roads bring us the odd storefront walk or small lot. A lot of the concrete we see is the original slab, patched more than once. The calls here are much like the ones we take in Hawthorne and Westmont.
That layout shapes nearly every job here, because the driveway is often the only way in for our crew and the only way out for the rain.
What we fix on Lawndale driveways and patios
Original slabs giving out
Many Lawndale driveways are the slab poured with the house, often laid on dirt that was raked flat instead of packed. Over the years they crack, chip and settle in sections.
Driveways squeezed between houses
A side-yard driveway leaves little room for forms or a truck, so tear-out and the pour take more planning. I work out access at the estimate visit so it's priced in from the start.
Water running toward the house
A slab that tips toward the house sends rain against the wall or leaves it pooling by the door. We check where water runs before we form and slope the new slab away.
Hot afternoons at pour time
Concrete poured in midday heat can dry on top before it's finished, leaving a weak, dusty surface. On warm days we pour early so our lead finisher works the slab in cooler air.
Should you patch or replace your Lawndale driveway?
If the slab is mostly sound and the cracks are narrow and level, a repair is usually the sensible choice. If sections have sunk, the slab tips toward the house or the cracks keep widening, the trouble is usually in the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, and patching the top won't reach it. In that case I'll tell you that replacing is the better use of your money.
On a replacement, the price turns on the slab's size, how much old concrete comes out, the base work and the finish you choose, and the schedule turns on the curing wait before you can drive on it and on any permit the job needs. Your written estimate spells out what's included and what isn't. If the budget is tight, I'd rather keep the finish simple than cut the base, because a dug-out, packed base does more than anything else to keep the new slab from settling and cracking like the old one.
Concrete services in Lawndale
- Concrete driveway building in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete patio construction in Lawndale, CA
- Stamped concrete services in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete sidewalk building in Lawndale, CA
- Garage floor concrete in Lawndale, CA
- Decorative concrete in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete retaining walls in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete floor installation in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete pool decks in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete steps construction in Lawndale, CA
- Slab foundation building in Lawndale, CA
- Foundation installation in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete parking lot building in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete footings in Lawndale, CA
- Foundation raising in Lawndale, CA
- Concrete cutting in Lawndale, CA
Questions we hear from Lawndale homeowners
Do I need a permit for a new concrete driveway in Lawndale?
If the driveway is in your front yard, the city's permit list includes a flatwork permit for front yard hardscape, which costs $75 and stays valid for up to six months. Work in the public right-of-way, such as the curb apron or the sidewalk, goes to the Public Works Department at (310) 973-3260, and you can read the rest of the list on the city's Do I need a permit? page. If your job needs a permit, I'll tell you at the estimate, and we handle the application and arrange the inspections.
How do I know if my patio or wall project needs a grading permit in Lawndale?
The city requires a grading permit when a job cuts, fills or moves more than 50 cubic yards of soil. Leveling part of a yard or backfilling behind concrete retaining walls is where the dirt adds up, so I measure the soil work at the estimate and tell you which permits apply. For your own questions, the city's Building & Safety Department takes permit calls for private property at (310) 973-3230.
What hours can concrete contractors work in Lawndale?
The city allows construction Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no work on Sundays or city holidays. Work outside those hours can lead to a stop work notice and code enforcement, so we plan the tear-out, the deliveries and the pour to finish inside them.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Lawndale?
Your price comes from the measured size of the driveway, what has to come out first and how much base work the ground needs, and I put it in writing after I see the job. On Lawndale lots, a narrow side yard that slows tear-out and a curb apron that brings in Public Works can both move the number, and the estimate lists what's included and what isn't.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?
On a home improvement project, a California contractor can't take a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. That rule comes from the Contractors State License Board, the state office that licenses and regulates contractors, and it applies to all home improvement projects. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm glad to go over any part of the paperwork with you.
What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink in Lawndale?
Most cracking and sinking starts under the slab, where dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed settles and lets the concrete drop. A slab without control joints, the shallow cuts that give it a straight line to crack along, will split wherever it likes. We dig out and pack the base and cut the joints on time, so any cracks that come tend to follow the joints instead of running across your driveway.
Other cities nearby, or call about yours
Pick another city below to read about our work there, or call (424) 307-8166 if yours isn't listed, since we work in many cities around Hawthorne.
Tell us about your Lawndale concrete job
Tell us what you'd like poured and where. We reply within one business day, and I come out to write your free on-site estimate, with no obligation.