Concrete Contractor in Lawndale, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Packed Base
Premium Carson Concrete, a concrete contractor based in Carson, CA, pours driveways, patios, steps and slabs for homes and businesses in Lawndale, CA. We break out old concrete, pack a firm base and pour on schedule.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Lawndale's small lots and older concrete
Lawndale is a small, packed city, mostly single-family houses on narrow lots, with apartments and small businesses mixed in along the busier streets. The calls we get here are usually for driveways that have cracked or sunk, front walks that have lifted, backyard patios and garage floors, plus slabs and footings for owners adding a room or a back unit. It's close to Torrance and Gardena, and we see a lot of the same houses and the same problems there.
Tight lots shape most jobs here. A driveway often runs between the house and a neighbor's wall or fence with little room for forms and equipment, so we plan the breakout, where the old concrete goes and how the new concrete gets to the back of the lot before the crew shows up.
Concrete services we offer in Lawndale
When a driveway has cracked, sunk or tilted toward the garage, we break out the old slab, rebuild the base and pour new concrete that drains away.
On smaller backyards here, a patio sloped away from the house turns bare dirt or worn grass into space you can set a table and grill on.
Stamped concrete gives a front walk or patio the look of stone or brick in one pour, which suits homeowners here who want curb appeal without loose pavers.
Front walks that have heaved or split into trip hazards are common on older Lawndale houses, and we replace them with level panels and a grippy surface.
Garage floors here often do double duty as storage and workshop space, so we pour a flat, solid slab that stands up to cars, shelving and dropped tools.
Colored and scored finishes let a small Lawndale front yard look neat and clean, with less upkeep than a lawn in our dry, sunny weather.
Where a yard steps down or a raised planter holds soil against a fence, a concrete retaining wall keeps the dirt from pushing over or washing out.
For room additions, garage conversions and small shops along Lawndale's commercial streets, we pour interior floors that come out level and ready for flooring.
Where a Lawndale backyard has a pool, the deck takes sun, splash water and bare feet, so we slope it to drain and give it a textured finish.
Front steps on older houses here often crack or settle out of level, so we form and pour new ones with even step heights throughout.
Adding a back unit, a room or a garage on a Lawndale lot starts with the slab, and we pour it on packed ground to your approved plans.
For new construction and bigger additions here, we dig, form and pour the foundation in step with your builder's schedule, since framing can't start until it's done.
Apartment buildings and small businesses in Lawndale often have tight lots with heavy daily traffic, so we pour parking areas built for that load and graded to drain.
Block walls, patio covers and posts along Lawndale's narrow property lines sit on footings, the concrete base under them, dug and poured before anything goes on top.
When a slab or part of a house has settled and doors stick or floors slope, we find out why it moved before we work on raising it.
Cutting a trench through a garage slab, opening a wall or taking one broken panel out of a driveway goes cleaner with a saw than a jackhammer.
Get a free written estimate for your Lawndale concrete job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. After I measure, you get a free written estimate with no pressure to book.
(424) 528-1319- Based in
- Carson, CA 90745
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
What working in Lawndale means for your concrete job
In Lawndale, building permits come from the city's Building & Safety Department, and when your concrete job needs one, we take care of the application and the inspections for you. The permit has to be issued before we set forms, so on permitted work it's the permit, not the crew, that sets the start date. Before you hire anyone, ask for their state contractor license, since the Contractors State License Board licenses and regulates California contractors, and ask about a Lawndale business license, which the city's Finance Department handles at (310) 973-3200. We're licensed and fully insured.
After the permit, price and schedule come down to the job itself. Price moves with the size of the area, how much old concrete we break out and haul away, how deep we dig for a solid base, how hard the spot is to reach on a narrow lot, and the finish, since a plain broom finish, the light texture brushed across the top for grip, costs less than stamped or colored work. The schedule moves with the permit, the weather and the curing time, the days the concrete needs to harden before you use it, and your written estimate lays out each piece. We've done this work out of Carson since 2017, the same way in Compton and Inglewood as here.
Why Lawndale driveways and patios crack and sink
Most of the cracked and sunken concrete we break out in Lawndale was poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab dropped as the ground under it settled. A lot of it also slopes toward the house, which sends rain against the foundation and under the slab instead of out to the street. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the new slab will sit on, pack a base over it and set the slope away from the house before anyone orders concrete. That base is buried on day one and it's the first thing people want to cut from a budget, but it's the part I won't skimp on, because a nice finish on a bad base cracks just the same.
Heat is the other thing working against new concrete here, and it comes late in the year too, with an extreme heat warning covering much of LA County from October 2 to 8. Concrete poured in midday heat dries too fast on top and turns weak and dusty later, so we pour early in the day and keep the surface damp while it hardens.
How a concrete job runs with us in Lawndale
Here's the order a Lawndale job runs in, from your first call to the day you can use the new concrete, so you know what's coming at each step.
Call or send a request
Call (424) 528-1319 or send the form with your address and what you have in mind, and we get back to you to set a time. You don't need measurements or a design yet.
I look over the site
I usually come out myself to measure, see where the water runs and check how the crew and the truck will get in, and it helps if you're home to walk me through what you want. You get a written estimate that lists what's included, so you know what you're paying for before you decide.
We schedule, permit and pour
Once you say yes, we set the dates, handle any permit and go over pour day and the care after it with you, then our crew lead and crew form, pour and finish. Lawndale allows construction work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, with none on Sundays or city holidays, so we book every pour inside those hours.
We clean up and hand over
The crew pulls the forms, hauls off the old concrete and leaves the site swept. Then you stay off the new slab until the walk and drive dates we gave you, and you can call me with any question while it cures.
Questions about concrete work in Lawndale
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete driveway in Lawndale?
Front yard concrete falls under Lawndale's Flatwork Permit, which covers front yard hardscape like driveways and walks and costs $75. The permit is good for up to six months, and the Planning Department may extend it another six depending on the circumstances. For a backyard patio or other concrete, call the city's permit line at (310) 973-3230 to confirm what your job needs.
How do I get a permit for sidewalk work in front of my house in Lawndale?
Work in the public right-of-way, which usually includes the city sidewalk and the spot where your driveway meets the street, goes to Lawndale's Public Works Department at (310) 973-3260. Your own driveway and walks on private property go through the building permit side instead. When I measure, I'll point out which parts of your job sit on which side of that line.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Lawndale?
Your number comes in the written estimate after I measure, because a Lawndale driveway's price is built from its size, the old concrete we break out, the base under it and the finish you pick. On front yard work, add the city's flatwork permit fee from the first question. If the budget is tight, trim the finish, not the base.
Will a new concrete driveway in Lawndale crack like the old one?
A new slab can still get fine hairline cracks, because concrete shrinks a little as it hardens, but on a packed base it shouldn't break up and sink the way a slab on raked dirt does. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned line to crack along, while the concrete is still fresh, and we add rebar, steel bars inside the slab that hold the pieces together if a crack does open.
How long does new concrete need to cure before I can drive on it?
You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, because it keeps gaining strength long after it looks dry, and a car asks a lot more of it than your feet do. The weather and the mix move the timing, so I give you the walk and drive dates for your pour before the crew arrives rather than guessing at a number now.
How much of a down payment can a concrete contractor ask for in California?
On a home improvement job in California, a contractor can't take a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. The state board applies that rule to all home improvement projects, so it covers a driveway or patio at your house too. Anyone asking for more up front is asking for more than the state allows.
Carson, CA
Get your Lawndale concrete job on the calendar
Pour days fill up around the weather and our other jobs, so calling (424) 528-1319 or sending the form early gives you more dates to pick from.