Concrete contractor in San Rafael, CA - slabs that sit flat and drain
Premier San Rafael Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in San Rafael, CA. We build driveways, patios, garage floors, retaining walls, footings and foundations here, and I come out to look at every job myself.
- Concrete driveway building
- Concrete patio construction
- Stamped concrete services
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Slab foundation building
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
San Rafael concrete work as we see it
I started this business in San Rafael in 2017, after learning concrete working for a contractor in Marin. We take jobs in many cities around it, from San Anselmo next door to Richmond across the bridge.
The city calls itself the economic heart of Marin County, and our calls here reflect that. Homeowners need driveways, patios and garage floors, and shop owners and builders need a parking lot, a sidewalk or footings done to plan. On the residential side, we see a lot of older houses with their original concrete and hillside lots with narrow access. So most jobs here start with breaking out an old slab and working out how the truck gets close enough to pour.
What San Rafael houses and lots ask of a slab
- A lot of the old concrete we tear out here was poured on raked dirt instead of a dug-out, packed base, so it settled and cracked along with the ground.
- Sloped lots and hillside driveways are common here, so every slab needs enough fall to carry water away from the house and toward the street, not into the garage.
- Concrete cracks as it shrinks, so we cut control joints early, grooves that give the crack a straight line to follow instead of letting it wander across your driveway.
Concrete services for San Rafael homes and businesses
Concrete driveway building
Sloped driveways here need the right fall to the street and a broom finish, a rough texture that gives tires and shoes grip, all on a packed base.
Concrete patio construction
Backyard patios here are often tucked against a slope or a wall, so we plan the edges, the steps and where the water leaves before we set forms.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick, but a pattern won't save a bad base, so we prep it like any slab.
Concrete sidewalk building
When an old walk settles into trip edges, we pour a new one on a packed base and match it to the driveway and steps it meets.
Garage floor concrete
Cracked, out-of-level garage slabs in older homes here make coatings and storage a fight, so we break them out and pour new floors flat and sound.
Decorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes suit a front entry or a patio you look at every day, as long as the slab under them is built to stay flat.
Concrete retaining walls
Sloped yards here often need a wall to hold a terrace or a driveway cut, and a taller wall or one carrying a load may need an engineer first.
Concrete floor installation
Workshops and additions need an interior floor that's flat for what goes on it, so we level the subgrade, the ground the floor sits on, before pouring.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to drain away from the water and the house and give bare feet some grip, so we plan the slope and texture before the pour.
Concrete steps construction
Old front steps often pull away from the house or tip, so we set new ones on footings with rebar, steel bars that hold the concrete together.
Slab foundation building
For an addition, a garage or a backyard unit, we build the slab foundation to the plans and check the base, steel and forms before the truck shows up.
Foundation installation
Builders and owners call us when a house or addition needs foundation work done to plan, and I'll tell you up front if it needs an engineer.
Concrete parking lot building
Shops and offices around San Rafael need lots that drain and hold up to daily traffic, so we build a heavier, packed base and plan the joints.
Concrete footings
Decks, walls, fences and additions stand on footings, so we dig them to the size and depth on the plans and keep them clean for inspection.
Foundation raising
When part of a house has settled and floors slope or doors stick, we look at the cause first, because lifting it without fixing the cause only buys time.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches and clean edges so you can remove a cracked section or run a line under a slab without breaking out the whole thing.
- Request an estimate
Get a free on-site estimate for your San Rafael concrete job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time to come out. I look at every San Rafael job myself, so I'm the one checking the old slab, the ground and where the water runs. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to book.
(628) 234-2042Questions about concrete work in San Rafael
How do I find out if my concrete project needs a permit in San Rafael?
Ask the city's Building Division. It issues building permits for work that builds, alters, repairs or demolishes a building, and its list doesn't spell out flatwork, meaning flat slabs like driveways, patios and walks. New applications and inspection scheduling go through the city's OpenGov system. I check with the city for your address before we start, and when a permit is needed, we handle the application and the inspections.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in San Rafael?
Under the city's older permit handout, a retaining wall 4 feet or less from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall is exempt. That exemption doesn't apply if the wall holds back flammable liquids or a surcharge, which is an extra load like a driveway or a slope above it. Anything taller or carrying a load isn't on that exempt list, and the city's planning, fire or public works offices can still set conditions on a wall that needs no building permit. On a wall near that line, I'd bring in an engineer before we dig rather than guess.
Does a slab for a small shed or a fence need a permit in San Rafael?
The city's older handout exempts two things. One is a one-story detached shed or playhouse up to 120 square feet with no plumbing, electrical or heating. The other is a fence up to 7 feet high, though a fence may still need Planning review. Separate plumbing, electrical or mechanical permits can apply even when the structure itself is exempt, so I confirm with the city for your address before we pour the slab or the fence footings.
How long does a building permit stay valid in San Rafael?
A San Rafael building permit is good for 2 years. Minor permits, such as water heater and furnace permits, last 180 days. If a permit hasn't passed its final inspection by the expiration date, it needs a renewal fee, so we book each inspection as soon as that stage of the work is ready.
What affects the cost of a concrete driveway or patio in San Rafael?
Most of the price comes from a few things. Those are the size, how much old concrete comes out, how much digging and base the ground needs, how the truck reaches your lot and the finish you pick. Stamped and colored finishes cost more than a plain broom finish, and a steep or tight lot adds labor. People want to save on the base because it's buried on day one, but it's the one place I won't cut, because a good surface on a weak base still cracks and sinks. The schedule depends on permits, inspections and curing, which is the time the slab needs to harden before you walk on it and longer before you drive on it. I'll go through all of it at the estimate.
Does a concrete contractor need a business license to work in San Rafael?
Yes. The city requires a business license for anyone doing business inside city limits, even a company whose office is outside them. That license is a tax, not proof the holder knows the work, so also ask any contractor how they'll prepare the base, handle drainage and cut the joints.
Call about your San Rafael concrete project
Call (628) 234-2042 or send the form before you pick a date, so I can check permits with the city and plan the work around any inspections.