Concrete contractor in Irvine, CA - driveways and patios built on a solid base
Mainstay Santa Ana Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Santa Ana. We pour driveways, patios, garage floors, walks and retaining walls for homes and property owners across Irvine, with our own crew on every job.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Irvine homes, yards and commercial lots
Irvine sits right next to Santa Ana, where we're based, and its planned neighborhoods are full of the work we know best, with houses set close together, attached garages with front driveways and backyards that have just enough room for a patio. The city has long tried to balance building with open land, which is why trails and open space run between so many neighborhoods. We also hear from property owners here who need a lot, a wall or a foundation, and we do the same work next door in Tustin and over in Costa Mesa.
That layout shapes how we run the job. With the neighbor's driveway right beside yours and the backyard reached through a side gate, I work out where the truck parks and how the concrete gets back there before we break ground, and our crew keeps the site tidy because the whole street can see it.
Our services in Irvine, CA
- Concrete driveway building
Driveways here sit side by side, so a sunken one stands out. We break out the old slab and pour the new one to drain away from the garage.
- Concrete patio construction
Backyards here are often compact, so the patio is the main living space out back. We pour it with a slight fall away from the house so water runs off.
- Garage floor concrete
Attached garages here often serve as a gym or workshop, so a cracked floor gets noticed. We remove the damaged slab, pack the base and repour the garage floor.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks take daily foot traffic, so one lifted panel becomes a trip hazard. We replace the bad sections with a broom finish, a light texture that gives grip.
- Concrete retaining walls
Sloped yards often need a wall holding back the dirt above a patio. We pour the wall on a proper footing and give water a way out behind it.
- Concrete pool decks
Backyard pools need a deck that grips under wet feet and sheds splash water. We slope the deck away from the pool and give the top a textured finish.
What Irvine homes need from a new slab
On homes this close together, a slab that sinks or cracks gets noticed fast, and the cause is usually underneath it. The subgrade, the packed ground the slab sits on, is covered up by the end of the first day, which makes it the first thing a tight budget wants to cut, and it's the one place I won't cut, because a base that's only raked level settles with the dirt and takes the concrete down with it. So we dig out, pack the base firm and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a chosen place to crack. Concrete can still crack some, and I'd rather tell you that at the estimate than have you find out later.
Price follows the size of the job and how much tear-out and base work it needs. The schedule follows whether the city wants a permit and inspection for your job and the curing time, the days new concrete needs to gain strength before you use it, and I'll lay out both for your project when I come out to look.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Irvine concrete job
Tell us about your Irvine driveway, patio or slab and we'll reply within one business day to set a time to come out. I look at the job myself and write the estimate, which is free and comes with no obligation, and if you go ahead, our own crew does the work with a lead hand running the site.
Driveways, patios and slabs
Irvine concrete questions answered
How do I find out if my concrete project in Irvine needs a permit?
Call the City of Irvine Community Development Department at (949) 724-6313, because it issues permits for most construction and repair work the code covers and can tell you whether your job is one of them. Even work on the city's list of work that doesn't need a building permit still has to meet the building codes and city, county and state rules, and new online permit applications now go through the city's PermitsDIRECT! system. When your job needs a permit, we can pull it for you as the licensed contractor and plan the work around the city's reviews and inspections.
Does a small concrete retaining wall need a permit in Irvine?
No, not if it's 4 feet or less measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless it holds back extra weight such as a slope or a driveway above it, or holds in flammable liquids. Count the footing, because a wall that looks short from the yard can pass 4 feet once you add what's underground. Taller walls need a permit, and an exempt wall still has to meet the codes, so we build both the same way.
Do I need a permit for a patio cover over a new concrete patio in Irvine?
Yes, the city requires a permit for a patio cover no matter how small it is, so plan for one if a cover is part of your project. Whoever builds the cover, we can pour the patio and any concrete footings its posts sit on, and we plan our pour around the city's inspections.
Does my concrete contractor need a California license to work in Irvine?
Yes, in most cases, because the state licensing board requires a license whenever a job needs a building permit, uses employees or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The city also requires every business working in Irvine to hold a city business license before it starts. State rules cap the down payment on a home improvement job at $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less, so a contractor asking for more up front is a warning sign, and we're fully licensed and insured.
What affects the cost of a concrete driveway in Irvine?
Size, tearing out the old slab and the base work set most of the price of an Irvine driveway, and your choices on thickness, steel and finish move it from there. A thicker slab and rebar, steel bars set inside the concrete to keep any cracks from spreading apart, cost more, while a plain broom finish costs less than stamped or colored concrete. A permit, if your job needs one, and a hard-to-reach spot can add to it too, and I'll put your number in writing at the estimate.
How long does a new concrete driveway take to cure before I can park on it?
Cars have to wait well past the point you can walk on it, because concrete gains strength slowly and a tire on a young slab can crack it. Foot traffic usually comes after the first few days, and heavier vehicles wait longer than the family car. When we set the pour, I'll give you the walk-on and drive-on days for your slab so you can plan where to park until then.