Concrete Contractor in Palo Alto - Driveways and Patios That Drain Right
Vertex Sunnyvale Concrete builds driveways, patios, walks, steps and foundations for Palo Alto homes, and we replace the cracked, sinking and root-lifted slabs that older lots tend to have, starting with what's underneath.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Palo Alto homes and the concrete around them
Most of what we pour in Palo Alto is for homeowners. That runs from older houses in neighborhoods like Old Palo Alto, with driveways that settled long ago, to mid-century homes built right on a slab, with some shops and small offices in the mix. We do the same driveways and patios next door in Mountain View and East Palo Alto, but here the lots tend to be older and more planted, with big trees and concrete that's been patched more than once.
That age shapes almost every job. When we break out an old slab here, we usually find it thinner than it should be and sitting on dirt that was never packed, so the real work starts below what you can see.
Concrete work we do for Palo Alto properties
Concrete driveway building
Older driveways here are often thin and cracked by roots. We tear them out, rebuild the base and pour a slab that sheds water away from the house.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio here usually goes in around established trees and old beds, so we plan the edges, the slope and the joints before we pour.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete presses a stone or brick pattern into fresh concrete, a good fit for older homes here where plain gray would look out of place.
Concrete sidewalk building
Root-lifted walks are a call we get a lot here. We cut out the heaved sections, work around the roots underneath and pour them back flat.
Garage floor concrete
Garage floors here are often cracked, stained or sloped the wrong way. We break out the old floor and pour one that drains toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Color, exposed-aggregate with the stones showing, and other finishes let a front walk match the house, which matters on the older homes we see here.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps down or a slope leans on a patio, a retaining wall holds the soil back, with drainage behind it so water doesn't build up.
Concrete floor installation
Remodels here often add a room or convert a space. We pour the new floor over a packed base and moisture barrier so it stays flat.
Concrete pool decks
Older backyard pools here often sit in cracked, tilted decks. We pour a new one that slopes away from the water and stays grippy when wet.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here settle, chip and pull away from the porch. We rebuild them on footings with even step heights so nobody catches a toe.
Slab foundation building
For an addition or a new backyard building, we build slab foundations with a packed base, steel reinforcement and the thickness the plans call for.
Foundation installation
When an older house here needs new foundation sections, we dig, form and pour them to the plans so the house sits on something solid.
Concrete parking lot building
Small offices, shops and apartment buildings here need lots that hold up to daily traffic, so we pour thicker slabs and plan where the water runs off.
Concrete footings
Decks, posts and garden walls here often lean because the concrete under them was too shallow. We dig and pour footings sized for what they carry.
Foundation raising
When a corner of an older house here has settled, doors stick and floors slope. We raise the low section and set it on new support.
Concrete cutting
Some mid-century homes here have heating tubes in the slab, so we find what's inside before we saw an opening, a trench or a doorway.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Palo Alto project
We get back to you within one business day to set a time, and I come out myself to look at the site. The written estimate is free, with no obligation to go ahead.
- Based in
- Sunnyvale, CA 94087
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Working in Palo Alto: permits, access and price
In Palo Alto, building permits come from the city's Development Services office, the same office that reviews the drawings and sends the inspector. Before we schedule anything, we check with them on what your project needs, and if it calls for a permit we pull it, handle the paperwork and meet the inspector on site, so the city's review becomes part of your timeline. We're licensed and insured, and every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. If you're also getting bids from a contractor with a shop here in Palo Alto, the city requires them to register with its business registry, so it's fair to ask.
Getting a concrete truck to the pour is the day-to-day puzzle here, with tight driveways, parked cars and big street trees, and sometimes we bring in a pump or wheel the concrete in. Price moves mostly with the size of the job, how much old concrete and soft ground has to come out and that access, and your written estimate puts a number on yours. The schedule turns on any permit first, then a good pour day and the curing time after, which is the wait while the concrete hardens before you use it. We work the same way across the cities around our Sunnyvale base, from Los Altos over to Milpitas.
Why Palo Alto slabs crack, lift and hold water
The older driveways and walks here were often poured thin, and after decades beside big trees the roots have lifted, split or tipped them, the same damage I spent years fixing on a city crew. When we replace one, we dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab rests on, clean out what doesn't belong under it and add rebar, steel bars inside the slab that hold it together if the ground shifts again.
Water is the other thing. Plenty of the slabs we tear out here slope back toward the house, so water pools against the foundation, and we set every new slab to fall away from it. Palo Alto's code also has its own flood hazard rules, so we ask the city whether they touch your project.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Palo Alto
Here's how it goes from the first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll see and when it helps to be home.
Call and set a visit
You call (669) 348-0343 or send the form, and we set a time for me to come out to your house. Being home for the visit helps, because I'll ask how you'll use the driveway or patio.
Estimate and permit check
I look at the old slab, where the water runs and what's under it, then you get a written estimate that shows what's driving the number. Before we schedule, we check with the city, and some minor projects qualify for an instant permit, which can shorten the wait.
Pour, check and walk through
Our crew digs out, packs the base, pours and finishes while I check the work as it goes. Then we walk the finished job with you, tell you how long to stay off it and go over how to look after it.
Questions about concrete work in Palo Alto
Does a concrete driveway or patio need a building permit in Palo Alto?
The city decides that, and its list of permit work names jobs like remodels, re-roofs, new homes and ADUs rather than driveways or patios. We check with Development Services on your exact project before we schedule, so you'll know before any work starts.
Which building codes apply to a concrete project in Palo Alto?
Projects sent to the city now have to meet the 2025 California Building Codes along with Palo Alto's own amendments. When your job needs a permit, the drawings are checked against those codes, and we build to what the approved plans call for.
How do I send plans to the City of Palo Alto for a permit?
Everything goes to the city in digital form, so plans for a home project are sent as digital files, not paper. When your concrete job needs a permit, we handle that submittal as part of pulling it, so you don't have to.
Is an emailed PDF invoice from the City of Palo Alto real?
Not if it asks you to reply to get a separate payment link, because the city says its staff don't send that kind of email. If one shows up while your permit is open, treat it as coming from outside the city, and call me if you want a second set of eyes on it.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Palo Alto?
On an older Palo Alto driveway, the tear-out and the base underneath usually cost more than the surface, so a thin slab over soft ground costs more to redo than its size suggests. A plain broom finish, the brushed texture that gives shoes and tires some grip, keeps the cost down, while color, stamping or exposed stone add to it. I'll put a figure on yours in a written estimate after I've seen it.
What causes concrete driveways to crack in Palo Alto?
Most of the cracks we see here come from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, joints that were cut late or skipped, or a pour in the midday heat that leaves a weak, dusty top. We pack the base, pour early and cut control joints, grooves that give the concrete a straight line to crack along, before it can crack on its own. If the budget gets tight, I'd keep the money in the base over a fancier finish, because you can redo a surface later but fixing what's underneath means tearing the slab out.
Tell us about your Palo Alto project
One look at the old slab and what's under it tells us more than any photo, and it's the quickest way to find out what your job really needs.