Concrete Contractor in Novato, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Packed Base
First Choice Napa Concrete pours driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations for homeowners in Novato. We're a concrete contractor based in Napa, and I come out to look at each job myself and explain what your slab needs.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Novato driveways, patios and the ground beneath them
In Novato, most of what we pour is around houses: the driveway out front, the patio out back, and the walks and steps that tie them together. Some of those homes still have their first slab, cracked across and tipped where the ground under it gave way, while others are newer and need a patio, a garage floor or a footing for a deck added on. We also get calls from small property owners who need a walkway or a parking area redone.
It's the same work we've done around Napa since 2013 and over in Sonoma. What changes from one Novato lot to the next is the ground under the slab and the way the yard falls, and those two things decide how much soil we dig out and how much forming the job takes.
Concrete services we offer Novato homeowners
- Concrete driveway building
When the old driveway has sunk, cracked or tipped toward the garage, we tear it out, dig down to firm ground and pour a new one that drains.
- Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio gives you an even spot for a table and grill, and we pitch it so rain runs into the yard instead of toward your door.
- Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete presses a stone, brick or wood pattern into the wet slab, which suits an entry walk or patio where you want the look without laying pavers.
- Concrete sidewalk building
We replace front walks and side paths that have heaved or split into trip edges, and we tie them neatly into your driveway and steps.
- Garage floor concrete
An old garage floor that's cracked, stained or sloping the wrong way can be broken out and repoured, with a smooth finish that's easy to sweep.
- Decorative concrete
Color, an exposed pebble finish and a contrasting border can make a patio or entry suit your house, and we go over the finish choices before we pour.
- Concrete retaining walls
On a yard that slopes, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back so you get a level spot for a patio or lawn, with drainage behind it.
- Concrete floor installation
For a workshop, shed, studio or room addition, we pour an interior concrete floor over a packed base, with rebar, steel bars set inside that keep any crack tight.
- Concrete pool decks
A pool deck needs a surface that grips wet feet and sheds water away from the pool and the house, so we plan the finish and drains together.
- Concrete steps construction
Front steps that have pulled away from the porch or rock underfoot get rebuilt to even heights, so nobody misjudges a step coming home in the dark.
- Slab foundation building
For a new garage, backyard cottage or addition, we form and pour the slab foundation on prepared ground, timed around any inspection your permit requires.
- Foundation installation
When an addition or outbuilding needs a raised foundation instead of a slab, we dig, set the steel and pour, so the framing above sits on something solid.
- Concrete parking lot building
Small property owners call us when a lot behind a shop or rental building has broken up, and we repour it thick enough to carry cars and trucks.
- Concrete footings
Decks, fences, pergolas and garden walls all need footings, the concrete pads under them, sized and set below loose topsoil so they hold steady.
- Foundation raising
If one side of a house has dropped and doors stick or floors slope, we find out why it settled before we talk about lifting it.
- Concrete cutting
We saw clean cuts in existing concrete for a drain line, a driveway widening or a new door, so you keep the rest of the slab.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Novato concrete job
Send the form and we reply within 1 business day to set a time. I come out, look at the job and explain what the estimate covers and what it doesn't, with no obligation.
Call (707) 254-6028Working in Novato: permits, licenses and what sets the price
Building permits in Novato come from the city's Building Division, which also reviews plans and sends inspectors out, so whether your slab needs a permit is the division's call, and when it does, the pour waits on its sign-off. We talk with the city early so that wait is planned into the schedule instead of holding it up. Before you hire anyone, ask to see a state contractor license, which means the contractor passed the state's law and trade exams except in a few narrow cases, and a City of Novato business license, which the city requires of businesses working here. We're licensed and insured.
We come over from Napa with the same crew and the same way of working we bring to Suisun City and our other cities. What moves your price is the size of the slab, how much old concrete has to be broken out and hauled off, how much base work it takes to reach firm ground, how close a truck can get, and the finish you pick. What moves the schedule is any permit and inspection, plus the curing wait before you can use the slab, and your estimate spells out what's included and what isn't so you can see where the money goes.
Settled slabs and pooling water on Novato properties
A lot of the concrete we're called to replace was poured on dirt that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, so the subgrade, the soil and gravel the slab sits on, settled over the years and took the slab with it. That's the uneven driveway, the patio with a dropped corner and the walk that catches a toe. We dig down to firm ground, bring in base and pack it before any forms go up, because a slab is only as steady as what's under it.
The other thing we see is water. When a slab falls toward the house, rain sheets against the foundation and pools by the door, so before we set forms I check where the water runs now and pitch the new concrete to carry it away.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Novato
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send the form
Call (707) 254-6028 or send the form with a few lines about the job and the address. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I look at the site
I come out myself, check what the old slab sits on and where the water runs, and ask what you need from the space. You get an estimate that says what's included and what isn't, so you know what you're paying for before anything is torn out.
We line up permits, then pour
Once you say yes, we line up any permit and inspection the job needs and set the pour date around them. Our crew digs out, packs the base, forms and pours, and I'm on the job with them.
Walk the finished job together
When the work is done, I walk it with you and go over how to care for the new concrete. My aim is that you could explain your own job to a neighbor.
Questions about concrete work in Novato
Can I apply for a building permit online in Novato?
Yes. Novato takes permit applications through its Novato Permits portal, and you need an account there before you can apply. If your concrete job needs a permit, we settle early who files it so the pour date isn't waiting on paperwork.
Does a concrete driveway or patio qualify for Novato's instant permit?
No, concrete work isn't on the city's instant permit list. That online path, issued once the city confirms the details, covers same-for-same residential water heater, HVAC and electrical panel replacements, reroofs, window and door replacements, and bathroom and kitchen remodels. The city also publishes a permit guide that sorts work into required and exempt, and we check where your job falls before we set a pour date.
How do I schedule a building inspection in Novato?
You request it through the same Novato Permits portal, and only for a permit that's already been issued. The person asking has to be listed as a contact on that permit record, which is why we tell you before work starts who books each inspection. We plan the pour around any sign-off the job needs, so the forms and steel are ready for the inspector before the truck is called.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Novato?
The biggest swings in a driveway's price come from what's under it and what's on top, meaning how much tear-out and base work it needs and whether you want a plain or decorative finish. A broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives tires and shoes grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete. If the budget is tight, I'd rather you go plain on top than thin on the base, because a bad base can't be fixed later without tearing out the slab.
What causes a new concrete driveway to crack?
Most cracks come from concrete shrinking as it hardens, so the job is to decide where they go. We cut control joints, shallow grooves across the slab, while the concrete is still young, so it cracks along those lines instead of across the middle, while joints cut late or skipped leave cracks wherever the slab chooses. We also set rebar where the slab needs it and avoid pouring in the worst midday heat, which can leave a weak, dusty top.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway in Novato?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, because the slab keeps gaining strength for days while it cures, hardening slowly as it holds its moisture. A car on it too soon can crack or mark a slab that looks finished but isn't, so at the walk-through I tell you the wait for your slab and how to look after it in the meantime.
Napa, CA
Plan your Novato concrete project with us
Our phone hours run 6 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 10 PM on weekends, so you can call (707) 254-6028 after work or send the form tonight.