Concrete driveway building in Loma Linda CA - a slab built on solid, packed ground
If your driveway is cracked, sinking or holding water by the garage, we'll build a new slab on packed ground, graded so water runs off.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What goes into building a concrete driveway, from tear-out to the first car?
Concrete driveway building in Loma Linda covers digging out soft or unstable dirt, packing a firm base and setting a grade that sends water away from the garage, then forming, pouring and finishing the slab. At Loma Linda Concrete, the job often starts with breaking out an old driveway, and many people add a walkway or patio while we're set up.
Most calls I get start with a driveway that's cracked through, sunk at one corner or holding water by the garage door. The price turns mostly on the size, whether an old slab has to come out first, how thick it needs to be for what you park and the finish you choose, and the schedule turns on the tear-out, what we find underneath and the curing wait before cars can go on it. When I come out, I'll leave you a written estimate that sets down what the price covers, so you can weigh it with the details in front of you.
How do you know your driveway needs replacing?
Cracks that keep spreading
Cracks that open wider each year or break off into loose pieces usually mean the ground underneath has moved, or the slab had no joints to crack along. Once water gets into them it washes out more of the base, so the longer they sit, the more of the slab ends up coming out.
Water pooling by the garage
Puddles that sit at the garage door or along an edge after rain or a hose-down usually mean the slab was never graded to drain, or part of it has sunk. Standing water keeps softening the dirt beneath it, which speeds up the settling and can push water toward the house.
Sunken or tilted sections
A panel that's dropped or tipped, leaving a lip that catches tires and toes, usually means the base was raked level instead of dug out and packed. It keeps settling as long as the dirt does, and that lip becomes a trip hazard well before the slab gives out.
Often built alongside a driveway
Concrete patio construction
If the back of the house needs somewhere to sit, a patio can be planned alongside the driveway so the grading and drainage of both work together.
Stamped concrete services
When plain gray feels too plain for the front of the house, stamped concrete presses in a pattern and color that can look like stone, brick or tile.
How we handle concrete driveway building
Before I price a driveway, I ask what you'll park on it, because a heavy truck or a trailer changes the plan. Our crew then digs out the roots and soft dirt down to the subgrade, the ground the slab will sit on, packs the fill firm and sets the grade so water runs off instead of pooling at the garage or the edges. We set the forms, pour and finish, and cut control joints on time, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along instead of one it picks for itself. Curing starts as soon as the finishing is done, because concrete gains strength while it stays damp and comes out weaker if it dries too fast. If a budget has to come down, the base is usually the first thing people want to trim since nobody sees it on day one, and I'll advise against that, because a nice surface on loose dirt settles and cracks right along with the dirt.
A driveway is often the first piece of a bigger plan. If you'd like a concrete patio out back as well, I'd rather lay out both before we pour so the water from one doesn't end up on the other, and if you want more than a plain surface out front, our stamped concrete services can pattern the whole drive or just the edges.
Tear-out and replacement
This suits a driveway that's cracked through or sinking, because patching a slab over bad ground usually just moves the crack somewhere else. We break out the old concrete, haul it off and look at what it sat on before we build the new base.
New driveway on dirt or gravel
This fits a lot where cars have been parking on dirt or gravel, or where you want room for another car. We still dig down to firm ground, since loose material left in place can settle under a new slab.
Broom finish or a decorative surface
A broom finish, a light dragged texture that gives tires and shoes some grip, suits most driveways and is the simplest to finish. Stamped or colored work suits a front yard that's on show, and it costs more because it takes more time and care.
Get a written estimate for your new driveway
Send this and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free and obligation-free, and you're welcome to call instead.
Call (909) 760-1346Why people in Loma Linda call us about their driveways
I write every estimate myself
I come out to look at every driveway and write the estimate myself, and I work on site with our small crew, who do the forming, pouring and finishing. The person who priced your job is the one watching the base go in.
Licensed and fully insured, every job
Driveways fall under the concrete class at California's state licensing board, which covers forming, pouring and finishing flatwork, the flat concrete of driveways, patios and walks. Any city that requires a permit also requires a signed statement from a licensed contractor, so the license counts on the paperwork as well as on the pour.
Building in Loma Linda since 2023
I opened the business here in 2023 after pouring walkways and small patios for neighbors on weekends, and many of our calls still come from people we've worked for. We take jobs across many of the cities around Loma Linda too, so if yours isn't named on the site, please call and ask.
The ground under a driveway decides how it holds up, so that's the first thing I'll want to see. You can request a visit or call (909) 760-1346.
What happens after you call us about a driveway?
Call or send a request
Thank you for getting in touch. We'll get back to you and find a time that suits you for me to come out to your property.
I visit and write the estimate
I look at the ground and where the water runs, ask how you'll use the driveway and leave you a written estimate. It sets down what the price covers, so you aren't left guessing about any part of the job.
We prepare, pour and finish
Once you're ready, we sort out the permit side if there is one, then our crew prepares the ground, pours and finishes the slab. The base work comes first and gets the time it needs before any concrete arrives.
We walk it together
When the work is done, I walk the finished driveway with you and answer any questions about looking after it. If anything doesn't look right to you, that's the time to tell me.
Common questions
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Loma Linda?
In this area, an un-reinforced concrete driveway usually costs about $7 to $12 per square foot, going by San Bernardino figures, and that doesn't include taking out an old one. Removing an existing driveway adds to the cost per square foot, and steel, a thicker slab or a decorative finish move it up from there. Your written estimate shows what the price covers, and our promise is satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
How thick should a concrete driveway be for regular cars?
For ordinary passenger cars, a national driveway guide says planning often starts around a 4-inch slab. Heavier loads or weak ground underneath can call for a different design, and local and project requirements set the final thickness and mix, which is why I ask what you'll park on it before I price anything.
How long does new concrete need before I can drive on it?
Longer than it takes to look ready, because new concrete keeps gaining strength after you can walk on it, and its color or how hard the surface feels is no sign it can carry a car or a heavy load. Curing should start right after finishing, and the edges and corners need protecting from early traffic. We'll tell you when it's ready for cars and ask you to keep tires off the edges until then.
Which Loma Linda office handles permits for a new driveway?
Loma Linda's Building & Safety division issues permits and does inspections, and applications go through the city's Online Permit Portal, where plans are submitted, fees paid and progress tracked. Its list names building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits rather than driveways, and work in the public right-of-way is reviewed by Public Works & Engineering, so I check with the city instead of guessing. If a permit is needed, I'll tell you at the estimate and take care of the application.
How do I keep a new concrete driveway from cracking?
Concrete can't be made crack-proof, but you can control where it cracks and how wide, mostly through even support underneath and well-planned joints. Welded wire or rebar, steel set inside the slab, can help hold crack widths tight, while fiber in the mix may add some crack control but shouldn't be treated as equal to designed steel, so it's fair to ask each bidder which one they include. It's also fair to ask for the joint plan, since joints work best in roughly square panels with care at inside corners, curves, drains and where the drive meets the street.
Does a concrete driveway contractor need a license in California?
Yes, unless the whole contract, labor and materials together, comes to less than $500, which is the minor-work exemption in the state licensing board's guide. That exemption doesn't cover small work inside a bigger project, and a job can't be split into hourly fees to stay under it. You can also look up a contractor's workers' compensation coverage or exemption at cslb.ca.gov or by calling 1-800-321-CSLB.
Tell us about the driveway you need
Call (909) 760-1346 or use the request form, and if you mention the rough size, what you'll park on it and whether an old driveway comes out first, I'll come to the visit prepared.