Concrete driveway building in Orange CA - a slab that drains and stays level
Driveway cracked, sinking or holding water at the garage? We pack a firm base and pour a new slab that sheds water away.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Do you need a repair or a new driveway?
If the slab sits level and drains, a repair usually does it, and I'll say so. Once it's sunk or holding water, the trouble is underneath and a new driveway fixes it.
A repair is enough when:
- Cracks are thin and not widening
- The slab still sits level
- Water runs away from the house
- Damage stays in one section
- Edges are solid underfoot
A new driveway makes sense when:
- Sections have sunk or tilted
- Water pools at the garage
- Cracks are wide or spreading
- Pieces break off at the edges
- You'll park heavier vehicles on it
How your new driveway comes together
Call or send the form
Call (714) 787-1676 or send the form with the driveway's rough size, whether an old slab comes out and what you'll park on it.
A time to visit
I come out and measure
I measure, look at the grade and where the water runs, and explain what I'd do and why before any price goes on paper.
A plan explained
Your written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out what's included and what isn't, so there's no guessing about tear-out, steel or the finish.
A written estimate
Permits, forms and the pour
Once you say yes, we take care of any permit steps, then I run a string line down every form before the truck backs in to pour.
Forms checked, slab poured
Cleanup and walk-through
We clean up the site and go over the finished driveway with you, including how to look after it while it cures.
A finished driveway
What a new concrete driveway includes
Removing the old slab
We break out the old driveway and haul it away so the new one starts on clean ground.
Grading for drainage
We check where the water runs and set the grade so the slab sheds it away from the garage and house.
A dug-out, packed base
We dig down and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, so the concrete has firm, even support.
Forms and steel
We set the forms, check them with a string line and place rebar, steel bars that hold the slab together.
The pour and finish
We pour, level and give it a broom finish, a light dragged texture that gives tires and shoes some grip.
Control joints and curing
We cut control joints, grooves that give cracks a planned place to go, and start curing right after finishing.
What decides the cost of a new driveway?
Size comes first, then everything around it. Tearing out an old driveway adds to the bill, and so does extra digging when the grade needs real work to drain away from the house. Steel in the slab costs more than plain concrete, a work truck or an RV can call for a stronger design than a family car does, and a plain broom finish costs less than stamped concrete.
When a budget gets tight, the base is the first thing people want to trim, because nobody sees it once the pour is done. I'd cut the fancy finish before I'd cut the base, since the base is what keeps the slab from settling. If you'd rather the rain soak in than run off, Orange County's stormwater program lists pervious concrete as one way to pave, and we can talk it through at the estimate.
Why Orange homeowners call us for driveways
I learned concrete under an old-school foreman who ran a string line down every form and made us tear out anything that was off. I started on my own here in Orange in 2017, I still come out to look at each driveway myself, and our own crew does the work from the first form to the final cleanup.
I ask what you'll park on it so the design fits the load, and I'd rather tell you something isn't worth doing than sell it to you. The same base work goes into our concrete patios, and all of it is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. Call (714) 787-1676 or use the form to set up a visit.
- I come out to see it myself
- Our own crew, first form to cleanup
- An estimate that lists what's included
Get a written estimate for your new driveway
Send the driveway's rough size, whether an old slab comes out and what you park. We reply within one business day to set a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
(714) 787-1676Driveway questions we hear
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Orange County?
A new concrete driveway in Orange County usually costs about $7 to $14 per square foot, not including tearing out an old one. That's the area's going rate, not our price, and steel in the slab costs more per square foot while removal comes on top. I measure on site and write down exactly what your price covers.
Is rebar worth it in a concrete driveway?
Steel usually earns its place, because it keeps cracks from opening wide and holds the slab together if it does crack. It doesn't replace a firm base and planned joints, so a reinforced driveway still needs both. I'll tell you at the estimate what your load calls for.
What causes cracks in a new concrete driveway, and do they mean it was done wrong?
Most random cracks that show up early look bad but rarely affect the strength or life of the slab. Cracks wandering where nobody chose usually come from joints cut late or skipped, which is why we plan ours before the pour. If a crack keeps widening or one side drops, that points to the base, and I'd want to look at it.
How long does a new concrete driveway take before I can drive on it?
You can walk on it well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength after it feels hard, so its color or surface is a poor guide. A national concrete industry group advises starting curing, which keeps the new slab moist while it hardens, right away with a sprayed curing compound or damp burlap kept wet for at least 3 days. Keep cars off the edges and corners early on, and I'll tell you when it's ready for your vehicles.
Do I need a permit to build a driveway in Orange, CA?
Work in the public right of way, which often includes the sidewalk and parkway, needs an Encroachment Permit from the city's Director of Public Works, listed on the city's Public Works permits page. Building in the city's flood hazard areas near the Santa Ana River, Santiago Creek or Handy Creek needs Public Works approval and a Grading Permit, and the city's Building Division takes all permit applications through its Civic Portal. When your job needs a permit, we pull it, schedule the inspections and keep the approved plans on site, and I tell you up front what the city will want to see.
What license does a concrete driveway contractor need in California?
California's contractor licensing board treats forming, pouring and finishing flat concrete, which covers driveways, as concrete contractor work. A general contractor can take on a concrete job if it holds that classification or hires a licensed concrete contractor, so it's fair to ask who will actually pour and finish yours. We're fully licensed and insured, and our own crew does the work.
Orange and the cities around it
We're based in Orange and build driveways in Garden Grove, Tustin and the other cities below. Pick yours, or call if it isn't listed.
Get a quote from Cornerstone Orange Concrete in Orange
Call (714) 787-1676 or send the form, and I'll come walk the slope with you before anything gets priced.