Concrete Contractor in Downey, CA - Driveways and Patios on a Packed Base
Superior Compton Concrete is a concrete contractor working in Downey, CA. Our crew tears out and replaces driveways, patios, garage floors, walkways and steps, and builds walls and foundations for homeowners and small property owners.
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Downey's single-family streets and their older slabs
Downey is mostly single-family houses, going by older city records, with apartments and condos making up the rest. On our jobs here that means a lot of front driveways, side driveways running back to a garage, backyard patios and the walk and steps up to the front door, many of them poured long ago and patched more than once since. We do the same kind of work right next door in Norwalk.
Older concrete like that usually went down on whatever dirt was there. So before I price a replacement, I want to see how far the slab has dropped, where the water goes and whether roots or a soft spot are behind it, because that decides how much digging the new base needs.
Permits, licenses and pricing for Downey jobs
In Downey, building permits come from the city's Building and Safety Division, which also does the plan check and the inspections, so when your job needs a permit, the pour waits until it's issued and the inspection becomes part of our schedule. The city also requires a business license from any contractor doing work there, including ones based outside Downey like us, and a contractor pulling a permit needs a current one, so it's a fair thing to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring. We're licensed and insured, and we check with the division for your address and handle the permit side when your job needs one.
What moves the price is mostly what you can't see on day one: the size of the slab, how much old concrete and soft dirt has to come out, how thick it needs to be for what parks on it, whether it gets rebar, steel set inside to hold it together, and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the permit and on curing, the wait while new concrete hardens before you can walk or drive on it, and the written estimate I give you spells out what's included. As a concrete contractor in Compton, CA, we work these same kinds of older residential streets in Paramount and out in Torrance, and we keep the sidewalk and street clear while the trucks are out front.
What do driveways and patios in Downey need?
Most of the older driveways and patios we see here cracked and dropped because the dirt under them was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, so it kept settling for years after the pour. When we replace one, we dig down to firm ground and pack a new subgrade, the layer the slab sits on, so it holds the concrete up instead of sinking under it.
That base is the first thing people want to cut when the budget gets tight, since nobody sees it once the concrete is down. I'd rather keep the base right and go simpler on the finish, because you can change a surface later but you can't fix the dirt under it without tearing the whole thing out.
- Call (424) 400-7244
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
- Compton, CA 90220
Concrete work we do in Downey
Concrete driveway building
Older Downey driveways often sink near the garage or the street. We tear out the slab, rebuild the base and pour new concrete sized for your cars.
Garage floor concrete
Older detached garages often have cracked floors that hold water. We break out the old slab and pour new garage floor concrete on a packed base.
Concrete patio construction
Many backyard patios here have sunk toward the house. We pour a new one sloped away from your walls, with a brushed broom finish for grip.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks on older lots often lift over tree roots. We take out the raised section, trim roots where it's safe and pour it level again.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older homes crack and pull away from the porch as the ground settles. We rebuild them on solid footing with even step heights.
Concrete cutting
Sometimes only part of a slab has failed, or you need an opening for a new line. We saw-cut clean edges so the rest stays sound.
How it works when you call us about a Downey job
Call or send a request
Call (424) 400-7244 or use the form, and tell us a little about the job. We set a time for me to come out to your Downey address.
I measure and look it over
I check the old slab, the ground under it and where the water runs, and ask how you'll use the space. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, so you know where the money goes before anything starts.
We handle permits and prep
We check with Building and Safety for your address and take care of the permit when your job needs one, and applications and plans can now go in to the city online. Then we break out the old concrete, dig out and pack the base and set the forms.
We pour, finish and walk it
Our own crew pours and finishes with me on site, and we tell you when the slab has cured enough to walk on and later to drive on. Before we pack up, I walk the job with you.
Get a written estimate for your Downey concrete job
We get back to every Downey call and request within one business day to set a time for me to come out. I look the site over, measure and give you a free written estimate on site. There's no obligation to go ahead.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (424) 400-7244
- Location
- Compton, CA 90220
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
Questions about concrete work in Downey
How do I get a permit for a new concrete driveway in Downey?
You get it from the city's Building and Safety Division, and permits are issued at the Building counter in Downey City Hall, with applications and plans now accepted online too. The city's wording is that generally any new construction, alterations or repairs need a permit, and hardscapes are on its list. When you hire us, we check what your address needs and handle it, and for an unusual case the division is the place to ask.
Can I pull a permit for concrete work on my own house in Downey?
Yes, if you live in the single-family house the permit covers, the city can issue it to you as an owner-builder. Permits for duplexes, townhomes, condos, apartments and commercial property only go to licensed contractors. Whoever holds it, a permit lapses if work doesn't start within 12 months or stops for 180 days, so plan the pour inside that window.
Does a low block wall or fence need a permit in Downey?
A block wall or fence no taller than 42 inches doesn't need a building permit, but it still needs approval from the city's Planning side and possibly Engineering. Anything taller needs a building permit on top of that approval. If a wall runs along a new patio or driveway, I'll bring it up at the estimate so it's part of the plan.
Do I need a permit for a small shed and its slab in Downey?
The shed itself doesn't need a building permit if it's one story, detached and 120 square feet or less, but any electrical, plumbing or mechanical work in it needs its own permit no matter the size. The city's guidance doesn't say how the slab under it is treated, so we check that with Building and Safety before we pour.
How much does it cost to replace a concrete driveway in Downey?
On most Downey replacements, the biggest swing in price is the tear-out and base work, because breaking out an old slab, hauling it away and rebuilding soft ground takes more than pouring on firm dirt. Access matters too, like a long driveway down a narrow side yard to a back garage. I put each of those on your written estimate after I measure, so you can see what you're paying for.
What causes a new concrete slab to crack?
Usually shrinkage, water and timing more than the concrete itself, and some cracking is normal because concrete shrinks as it cures. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell the slab where to crack, while it's still young, and we slope it away from the house so water doesn't get under it. On hot days we'd rather pour early, because a slab finished in midday heat can end up with a weak, dusty top.
Tell us about your Downey concrete job
If the driveway, walk and steps all need work, I can look at all of it on one visit and put it on the same estimate.
Request an estimateCall (424) 400-7244