Concrete Contractor in Sonoma, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Solid Base
First Choice Napa Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Napa that pours driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations for homes and small properties in Sonoma, CA, with the owner on every estimate and every pour.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Sonoma houses and yards as we see them
Sonoma is a short drive west of our base in Napa, and the work there is mostly residential. Shops, restaurants and small offices sit around the Plaza, and a few blocks out the streets turn to houses, with older homes on established lots next to newer ones. Much of what we're asked to look at is flatwork, the driveways, patios and walks that lie flat on the ground, and a lot of it is original concrete that has been cracking, tipping or holding water by the back door for years.
Old slabs usually show how they were built once we break them out. When the concrete went down on raked dirt instead of a dug-out, packed base, we plan for more digging and base work on these houses before we ever talk about finishes.
Concrete work we do on Sonoma homes
- Concrete driveway building
When an original driveway on an older Sonoma lot has cracked or sunk, we tear it out, dig down to firm ground and pour a new slab.
- Concrete patio construction
For backyards where people eat and entertain outside, we pour patios sloped away from the house so rain runs off instead of pooling against the wall.
- Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walkway the look of stone or brick, which suits older Sonoma homes where a plain gray slab would look out of place.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks lifted by tree roots or broken into trip edges are common on established streets, and we replace them with a level, even path to the door.
- Garage floor concrete
Older garages often have thin, cracked floors with low spots that hold water, and we break them out and pour a new floor that drains toward the door.
- Decorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes let a slab match the house and garden around it, and we talk through which finishes hold up best where you'll use them.
- Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard climbs from the street or a slope crowds a patio, a concrete retaining wall holds the ground back and gives you a flat, usable area.
- Concrete floor installation
For workshops, studios and outbuildings that need a hard, flat floor, we set the base and rebar, the steel that keeps cracks tight, before we pour.
- Concrete pool decks
Around a backyard pool, we pour decks with a textured top for grip under wet feet and a slope that carries splash water away from the pool edge.
- Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses wear unevenly and pull away from the porch, and we rebuild them with every step the same height so nobody catches a toe.
- Slab foundation building
For a new addition, garage or accessory unit on a Sonoma lot, we pour slab foundations on a dug-out, packed subgrade, the ground the slab sits on.
- Foundation installation
When an addition or outbuilding needs a foundation running under its walls instead of a flat slab, we form it to your plans and pour it level and square.
- Concrete parking lot building
Small property owners call us for parking areas at shops and rentals, built thicker than a home driveway so daily traffic doesn't break the edges.
- Concrete footings
Decks, garden walls, pergolas and new posts need concrete footings, the buried pads that carry the weight, set deep and wide enough to stay put.
- Foundation raising
When an older house has a foundation that sits too low or is failing in spots, we raise the house and pour a new foundation under it.
- Concrete cutting
We cut openings and trenches in existing concrete so a plumber can reach a line or a patio can be trimmed without breaking up the whole slab.
Get an on-site concrete estimate in Sonoma
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the site and give you a free estimate that shows what's included, with no obligation to go ahead.
Call (707) 254-6028Permits, licenses and price on Sonoma jobs
Permits for work inside Sonoma city limits come from the City of Sonoma, whose building official issues them for most construction and repair jobs, and the city's list names grading and demolition, both things a tear-out and new slab can involve. Whether your job needs one is the city's call, so we talk with the Building Division early and plan the pour around any required sign-off, because an inspection date can set the schedule more than our crew does. You can ask the division questions yourself by email or at its office, which is open Monday through Thursday and Fridays by appointment. Before you hire anyone here, check that they hold a California contractor license and a City of Sonoma business license.
What moves the price here is mostly what's under the old concrete and how we reach it, and some of that I'll only know once the job is open. How much there is to break out and haul away, how deep we dig for a solid base, whether a narrow side yard means wheelbarrows instead of a chute off the truck, and the finish you pick all count, from a plain broom finish, the light texture that keeps shoes from slipping, up to stamped or colored work. If something has to give, I'd rather you trim the finish than the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it decides whether the slab stays flat. The schedule turns on any city sign-off and on curing, the days the concrete needs to harden before you use it. We price jobs this way in Fairfield and every other city we work in, and your estimate shows what's included so you know what you're paying for.
Why Sonoma driveways and patios wear out
On older Sonoma houses, the cracks and sunken sections you see in a driveway or walk usually started underneath, because the original slab was set on dirt that kept settling. Concrete cracks some as it dries and shrinks, so the real question is where, and that's the job of control joints, grooves we cut across the slab so it cracks in a straight line inside the groove instead of wandering across the middle. Old slabs often have too few or none. We dig down to firm ground, pack the base, add rebar where the job calls for it and cut the joints on time, which gives a new slab its best chance of not cracking like the old one.
The other thing we see is water. A patio or walk that was poured flat, or has tipped toward the house over the years, sends rain against the foundation and leaves puddles by the door, so we check where the water runs before we set a form and slope the new slab away from the house.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Sonoma
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll talk to and what you'll get at each step.
Call us or send the form
Tell us what's going on with your driveway, patio or slab by calling (707) 254-6028 or through the form. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I visit and size it up
I walk the site with you, look at the old concrete, where the water runs and how a truck gets in, and ask what you want the space to do. Then you get an estimate that says what's included and what isn't, so you're not guessing about cost.
We line up permits and pour
Once you say yes, we line up any permits and inspections and tell you who books each step. Our crew forms, pours and finishes the work, and I'm on the job with them.
We walk the finished job
When the forms come off, I walk the job with you and explain how to care for it, including when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for a car. You should be able to explain your own slab to a neighbor afterward.
Questions about concrete work in Sonoma
Do I need a permit to replace a concrete driveway in Sonoma?
It can need one, and we check with the city before we schedule a pour, because Sonoma's permit list covers most construction and repair work and names grading and demolition. On the digging side, the city's permit handout exempts a dig of 50 cubic yards or less that's under two feet deep at every point, makes no tall, steep cut slope, sits outside the flood hazard area and leaves your drainage and your neighbors' as it was, but that covers the dig, not the whole job. Exempt work still has to meet state and city code, and the handout is guidance, so the Building Division has the current rules.
When does a concrete contractor need a California state license?
A contractor needs a license from the state licensing board whenever the job needs a building permit, uses any additional workers or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A bigger job can't be split into pieces under $1,000 to get around that, so ask for the license before anyone starts. We're licensed and insured.
Do contractors need a business license to work in the City of Sonoma?
Yes, the city requires every business working inside Sonoma city limits to file a business license each year, and that includes subcontractors, independent contractors and one-person outfits. Licenses run on the calendar year, so it's fair to ask whoever you hire whether theirs is current.
How much does a concrete driveway or patio cost in Sonoma?
There's no honest single number, because each job is priced on its own size, tear-out, base work, access and finish, as covered above. A thicker slab, rebar, added steps or walls, and stamped or colored work all raise it, while a plain broom finish on a simple shape keeps it down. The estimate from my site visit puts a figure on your job and lists what it includes.
What is the best way to fix a cracked, sinking driveway in Sonoma?
Usually the best fix is to break out the old slab and rebuild from the base up, because the cracks and sinking start underneath. Pouring a thin layer over the top carries the old cracks through and raises the surface against your garage and doors, so we don't recommend it. If only one section has dropped, I'll tell you at the estimate whether replacing that piece makes sense.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on a new driveway well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength for days as it cures and a car is far harder on a young slab than feet. I give you the timing for your pour at the walk-through, and until then we keep it blocked off so nobody parks on it early.
Napa, CA
Tell us about your Sonoma concrete job
Call (707) 254-6028 any day of the week or send the form with a few details and photos, and I can come out already knowing what to look at under your old slab.