Concrete Contractor in Los Altos, CA - Driveways and Patios That Sit Flat and Drain
Vertex Sunnyvale Concrete is a concrete contractor working in Los Altos, CA. We tear out and replace driveways, patios and front walks, and we build steps, retaining walls, footings and foundations for homes and small properties across the city.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
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Los Altos homes and what they ask of concrete
Los Altos is mostly homes, single-family houses on quiet streets with a small downtown of shops and offices, and much of the city grew up in the years after World War II. On our jobs here that shows up in the concrete. We find original driveways, front walks and back patios that have been patched more than once, and big trees that have had decades to send roots under them. We're a concrete contractor based in Sunnyvale, CA, a short drive away, and we see a lot of the same in Saratoga.
That age is why most Los Altos jobs start with breaking out the old slab and digging, not pouring over it, because new concrete laid on a tired base just picks up its old cracks.
Concrete work we do on Los Altos properties
Concrete driveway building
Plenty of Los Altos driveways are original to the house, cracked and sunk at the joints, so we break them out, rebuild the base and pour new.
Concrete patio construction
Backyards here often have an old patio that tips toward the house or holds puddles, so we pour one that sends water out to the yard.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a Los Altos patio or front walk the look of stone or brick, without pavers that shift and need resetting.
Concrete sidewalk building
Tree roots lift a lot of front walks around established Los Altos yards, and I spent years on a city crew fixing that exact kind of break.
Garage floor concrete
Garage slabs in older Los Altos houses are often stained, pitted or cracked from decades of cars, and a new floor gives you a flat, clean surface again.
Decorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes let a new walk or patio match the house instead of looking like a plain gray add-on, which matters on older Los Altos homes.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a Los Altos yard steps down or a planter bed pushes on a walk, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back and leaves level ground.
Concrete floor installation
For a converted garage, a workshop or a room added on the ground floor of a Los Altos house, we pour the floor flat so finishes sit right.
Concrete pool decks
Older pool decks around Los Altos backyards often have lifted edges and cracks that catch bare feet, and a new deck with a textured top gives better footing.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older homes here settle away from the porch or crumble at the edges, so we pour new ones with every step the same height.
Slab foundation building
When a Los Altos lot gets a new house or an addition, we build the slab on a dug-out, packed base so the building stays put.
Foundation installation
Rebuilds and additions on older Los Altos homes often need new foundation work tied in with the old, and we form, set the steel and pour it.
Concrete parking lot building
Small offices and shops around Los Altos need parking that drains and takes daily traffic, so we build it with the same careful base as a driveway.
Concrete footings
Decks, sheds and garden walls in Los Altos yards sit on footings, the concrete underneath that carries the weight, and we dig and pour them.
Foundation raising
When part of an older Los Altos house has settled and doors stick or floors slope, foundation raising lifts that section back toward level before cracks spread.
Concrete cutting
Running a new line under a Los Altos driveway or opening a slab for a doorway takes clean saw cuts that leave the rest of the concrete sound.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate in Los Altos
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at the site and give you a written estimate, free and with no obligation.
- Based in
- Sunnyvale, CA 94087
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Working in Los Altos: how the city fits into your job
If your concrete job needs a permit in Los Altos, it runs through the city's Building Division, which checks the plans and does the inspections. That means part of your schedule sits with their review, not just with our crew. An addition or a new house needs Planning Department approval before that, which adds a step up front. New businesses in Los Altos apply for a city business license, and it's fair to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring how they're licensed. We're licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
We check with the city on what your project needs before anything is scheduled, and if it calls for a permit, we pull it, handle the paperwork and meet the inspector on site, so you aren't the one chasing it. On price, the big movers are the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how far down we dig to reach firm ground, and whether you want a plain or decorative finish. Access matters here too, because long driveways and big trees close to the slab change how we get equipment in and how we deal with roots. The schedule turns on the city's review if there is one, our crew's calendar and the curing time before you can use the new concrete, and your written estimate lays all of that out for your job.
Why Los Altos driveways and patios wear out
A lot of what we tear out in Los Altos is decades-old concrete that was poured on dirt raked smooth instead of dug out and packed, so it settled with the ground and cracked wherever it liked. We dig down to the subgrade, the firm soil the slab sits on, and pack a proper base over it. Then we add rebar, the steel that holds the pieces together if a crack does open, and cut control joints the day we pour, which are shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack. If the budget gets tight, I'll tell you to go plainer on the finish before I'll skimp on the base, because a nice top on a bad base cracks just the same, and the base is the part you can't fix later.
Water is the other thing. Old patios here often slope toward the house, and roots from big yard trees push up walks and driveway edges, so we check where the water runs and where the roots are before we set a single form.
What to expect when you hire us for concrete in Los Altos
Here's how a Los Altos job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, and where the city's steps fit in.
Call or send a message
Tell us what's going on with your driveway, patio or walk, and we'll set a time for me to come out. It helps if you're home for the visit so I can ask how you use the space.
I visit and write it up
I look at the site, check where the water runs, ask how you'll use it and talk through your choices. You get a written estimate that lays out the work and the cost, so you know what you're paying for before you decide anything.
We check with the city
Before anything goes on the schedule, we confirm what the city asks for on your project. If a permit is needed, the city asks for up to five business days to check that the submittal is complete before it goes to the departments that review it.
We pour, check and walk through
Our crew does the work inside the city's residential construction hours, 7 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 3 pm on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or city holidays, and I check in as it goes. When it's done, we walk the job with you and go over curing, the days the concrete needs to harden before you use it, and how to look after it.
Questions about concrete work in Los Altos
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Los Altos?
Your price comes from the size of the driveway, the tear-out and the base work underneath, and the biggest swing is usually how much soft fill has to come out before we can pour. A broom finish, the light texture that gives tires and shoes grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete, and tight access or a permit can add to it. I'll put your figure in writing after I've seen the site.
How long does new concrete take to cure before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on new concrete after a day or two and park a car on it after about a week. It keeps hardening for weeks after that, so we'd keep heavy trucks off it longer. If you need the driveway back by a certain day, tell me at the estimate so we can plan around it.
What is the best way to keep a new concrete driveway from cracking?
Start underneath, with a base that's dug out and packed, then cut the joints the same day as the pour and steer water away from the edges. Any concrete can crack some, but done that way the cracks usually stay in the joints, where you won't notice them. A home driveway is usually about four inches thick with steel inside, and I'll tell you at the estimate if yours needs more.
What does the building inspector need on site for a Los Altos permit?
The inspector needs the approved permit, plans and documents printed out and on site. The city emails them to whoever is responsible for the permit once they're approved, and it won't do the inspection if they aren't there. When we pull the permit, we print them and keep them on the job for the inspector.
Which building codes do new plan submittals in Los Altos have to follow?
The city's submittal notice says plans received after December 22nd need to reflect the 2025 California Building Codes, and plans on the 2022 codes had to be in by that date. That mostly touches jobs with drawn plans, like a new foundation or an addition, and we make sure what we submit matches what the city asks for.
Can I drop off paper plans at Los Altos City Hall?
No, the city's Building page says it no longer accepts hard copies of plans at City Hall. If your concrete job needs a permit, we handle the submittal and the paperwork, so you won't need to take anything in yourself.
Tell us about your Los Altos project
Call (669) 348-0343 or send the form with a few photos of the cracks or low spots, so I show up already knowing what to look at.