Concrete contractor in Orange, CA - level driveways and patios that drain
Mainstay Santa Ana Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Santa Ana that builds driveways, patios, walkways and slabs for homeowners across Orange, CA, and replaces old concrete that has cracked, sunk or started holding water.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Homes and yards across Orange
In Orange we mostly work for homeowners, and a lot of the calls are about concrete that has been around a long time. On the older streets near Old Towne, many houses have stood for generations, and their driveways, front walks and back patios have usually been patched or poured over more than once. Farther out, the streets look a lot like the ones we work on in Tustin and back home in Santa Ana, with family houses, two-car driveways and backyards people want to use.
That age shows up in the concrete. Old slabs here were often poured on a thin layer of loose dirt and have had decades of tree roots working under them, so what you see on top is usually only half of the job.
Our services in Orange, CA
- Concrete driveway building
Older Orange driveways often crack and sink where a thin base settled. We tear the old slab out, pack fresh base on firm ground and pour new concrete.
- Concrete patio construction
Many Orange backyards have a tired slab that tips toward the house. When we build a new concrete patio, we slope it away from your walls.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Big trees in established Orange yards lift front walks until the edges start catching toes. We take out the raised panels, rebuild the base and pour them back level.
- Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older homes here crumble at the edges and pull away from the porch. We form new ones with even risers and a textured top that grips when wet.
- Garage floor concrete
Garage floors in Orange's older houses are often cracked and low in a corner where water sits. We break it out and pour a new slab sloped toward the door.
- Concrete cutting
Plenty of Orange jobs need one bad section of a driveway replaced, not the whole slab. We saw-cut a straight edge so the new pour meets the old cleanly.
What older Orange lots ask of new concrete
When a budget gets tight, the first thing people want to cut is the base, the packed layer of crushed rock the slab sits on, because nobody sees it once the concrete is down. I'd rather you pick a plainer finish than skimp there. On these older lots we dig past the loose fill to firm ground, pack the new base in layers so it won't settle with the dirt, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack instead of a random one. Concrete can still crack some, and I'll tell you that at the estimate, but this is how you keep it to the lines we chose.
Water is the other thing we watch here, because a lot of the slabs we replace fall back toward the house. Your price turns mostly on how much has to come out and what goes back in, and your schedule on any permit review and the curing time, the days the slab needs to harden before you use it, so I'll walk you through both when I write up your estimate.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Orange concrete
Tell us about your driveway, patio or slab in Orange with the form or call (657) 643-0084, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out to your house, look at the job and write up a free estimate with no obligation, and you can ask me about permit steps while I'm there.
Concrete driveways, patios and walks
Orange concrete questions answered
Who handles building permits for concrete work in Orange, CA?
The City of Orange's Building Division takes every permit application in the city, and the city's building staff review plans and inspect job sites. We'll go over whether your driveway or patio needs a permit at the estimate, and when it does, we pull it for you as the licensed contractor and plan the work around the city's reviews and inspections.
Does a concrete contractor from Santa Ana need an Orange business license?
Yes, the city requires a business license from every business working in Orange, including ones that come in from another city, and an Orange license covers Orange only. The city also says a business may need a state license from the Department of Consumer Affairs for its type of work, and it asks for that number on the city application. We're fully licensed and insured, and it's a fair question to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring.
How do I know if my house is in Orange's historic town site?
If you live close to the Plaza at Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street, your house may sit inside the original square-mile town site, most of which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its early homes and buildings. That listing covers the old town site, not the whole city. If you're not sure where your address falls, check with the city before we start planning.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Orange, CA?
A new driveway in Orange is priced on its size, how much old concrete and bad base we haul away, and the finish you choose, so I measure it on site before I give you a number. Tree roots, a narrow side yard our equipment can't get through, and extra rebar, the steel bars that hold a slab together if it cracks, all add to it. A broom finish, a lightly brushed texture that gives shoes and tires grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can usually walk on a new driveway well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks while it cures. I'll give you the days for your slab when I write the estimate, and we pour early in the day so the top doesn't dry too fast in the heat and turn dusty later. If the job needs a permit, the city's review and inspections set part of the schedule too.
What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink in older Orange neighborhoods?
Most of the cracking and sinking we see here starts underneath, with a base that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, or tree roots that have lifted the slab over the years. Water running toward the house softens the ground further, and slabs with joints cut late or skipped crack wherever they like. Pour new concrete on that same ground and it will likely crack the same way, which is why we rebuild the base first.