Concrete you can walk, drive and build on in Orinda, CA
Cornerstone Orinda Concrete takes on concrete work for homeowners and businesses, and we put most of our effort into the base and drainage underneath, since that decides whether it stays flat and dry.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work, from base to finish
Concrete work for Orinda, CA homes and businesses
Cornerstone Orinda Concrete is a concrete contractor in Orinda, CA, and our 16 services run from flatwork like driveways, patios and walks to the walls, steps and foundations that go with them, built to stay level and shed water away from the house. Price mostly comes down to size, how much digging and base work your ground needs, how easy it is to get the truck in, and whether old concrete has to be broken out and hauled off. The schedule turns on permits and on curing, the wait while new concrete hardens enough to carry weight. I'll walk your job and put your own figure in a written estimate.
Concrete driveway building
A driveway carries the weight of your cars, so we dig out and pack the base before any concrete goes in, and slope it away from the house.
Concrete patio construction
We pour concrete patios sized for the table, grill and chairs you'll actually use, pitched just enough that rain runs away from the house.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete is pressed with patterns and color while it's still wet, so a patio or walk can look like stone or brick on a sturdy slab.
Concrete sidewalk building
Need a path from the driveway to the front door? We pour concrete sidewalks on a packed base and broom the top so shoes grip in the rain.
Garage floor concrete
We pour a new garage floor over a packed base with rebar inside, steel bars that help hold the slab together, so it carries cars and heavy tools.
Decorative concrete
Decorative concrete covers stained color, exposed stone and textured finishes for patios, walks and pool areas, for folks who want more than plain gray but still want concrete.
Concrete retaining walls
Need to hold back a slope? We build poured concrete retaining walls with drainage behind them, so water doesn't pile up and push on the wall.
Concrete floor installation
We install concrete floors for basements, shops, sheds and commercial spaces, set level on a packed base so the floor stays flat under daily use.
Concrete pool decks
Pool decks see wet feet and splashing, so we pour them with a textured, grippy finish and slope them so water drains away from the pool.
Concrete steps construction
We build concrete steps for front doors, patios and slopes, with even heights from step to step and a solid footing underneath to keep them from settling.
Slab foundation building
A slab foundation is the concrete floor a house, addition or garage sits right on, so we spend our time on the packed base and drainage beneath it.
Foundation installation
Building a home, an addition or a commercial structure? We install poured foundations that carry the building's weight down to firm ground, built to the plans for your project.
Concrete parking lot building
We build concrete parking lots for businesses, churches and apartment buildings, poured thick enough for steady traffic and sloped to send rainwater to the drains.
Concrete footings
Footings are the buried concrete that carries a wall, deck, addition or post down to firm ground, poured to the depth your plans call for.
Foundation raising
Floors sloping, doors sticking or cracks spreading in the walls? Foundation raising lifts a settled house back toward level and sets it on firmer support.
Concrete cutting
When a pipe needs a trench or a cracked section has to come out, we saw-cut the concrete with straight, clean edges so the rest stays put.
How a job goes, from call to final walk
You call, and I come out
You call or send the form, and you'll hear back within one business day, most of the time from me. Then I come out to walk the job with you, listen to what you want and look at the ground, where the water runs and anything that might be in the way.
A written estimate, then permits
You get a written estimate that lays out the job and what it covers, so you can sit with it and decide. Once you're ready, we line up any permits and get the utility lines marked before we dig, so nobody's shovel finds a buried line the hard way.
Base, pour and a final walk
Our crew digs out and packs the base, sets the forms and pours, and the finishers work the surface while it's still soft enough to shape. I'm usually there on pour days. When it's done, I walk the finished work with you before we pack up.
What you can count on, start to finish
Ready to talk it over? Send us the details of your job or call (925) 257-6590.
The owner who quotes it sees it through
You deal with me from the first visit to the final look, so the person who quoted your job is the one making sure it's done right. Our crew lead and finishers do the forming and pouring, and I'm usually right there on pour days.
A straight answer, even when it costs you less
If a different approach fits your job better, I'll say so, like a block wall instead of poured or precast steps when the budget's tight. No sense hauling out the tractor to mow the lawn.
Estimates you can compare line by line
Your written estimate spells out what's included and what isn't, like hauling away the old concrete. That way you're comparing bids on the same terms instead of guessing what somebody left out.
Permits and inspections sorted before we dig
When your job needs a permit, we can pull it as your contractor and handle the paperwork and inspection calls for our part of the work. We check with the right office on your job before we start rather than guess.
Questions Orinda homeowners ask about concrete
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Orinda?
It depends mostly on the size, how much digging and base work your ground needs and whether old concrete has to come out, so I give you a price after walking the job. A decorative finish like stamping costs more than a plain broom finish, and a steep or tight driveway can add work. The estimate is free and in writing.
Why are concrete bids so different from each other?
Most of the difference is in the base and in what's included, not in the concrete itself. The base is buried on day one, so it's the first thing a low bid trims, and a slab on raked dirt tends to settle right along with it. If money's tight, I'd go plainer on the finish before I'd skimp underneath.
How long until I can use my new driveway or patio?
Most of the time you're off it goes to curing, the stretch where new concrete hardens enough to take weight, and you can walk on it well before you can drive on it. Permits can add time before we start. I'll tell you the walk-on and drive-on days for your slab before we pour.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in California?
Yes, a state contractor license is required when a project needs a building permit, uses any workers beyond the contractor, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. That takes in nearly every driveway, patio or wall. We're licensed and fully insured, and you're welcome to ask about it when I come out.
Can a concrete contractor work from my engineer's or architect's plans?
Yes, when an engineer or architect is involved, we build from their plans and stay in touch with them as the work goes. If something on site doesn't match the drawings, we ask them instead of making it up as we go.
Do you guarantee your concrete work?
Yes, our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. I'll also tell you up front that hairline cracks are normal in concrete, so you know what to expect before we pour. If something doesn't look right to you, tell me, because I'd rather hear it than have you stew on it.
Will my new concrete slab crack like the old one?
It may get a hairline crack or two, since nearly all concrete does, but a slab built right shouldn't sink, tip or pool water the way one on a poor base does. We dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab rests on, and slope it away from the house. Control joints, shallow cuts in the surface, give cracking a straight line to follow, and we cut them on time instead of late.
Who issues building permits for concrete work in Orinda?
The Contra Costa County Building Department issues building permits in Orinda, because the city contracts with the county for permits and inspections. The county usually processes a permit only after the city's Planning Department approves the project, and a retaining wall over 3 feet tall needs a building permit. Work in the public right-of-way, often where a driveway meets the street, needs an encroachment permit from the city's Public Works & Engineering.
Our home base in Orinda
Orinda is our home base, and most folks here know downtown by the Orinda Theatre, the Art Deco movie palace whose fin-shaped marquee is the city's best-known sight, still running weekly showtimes and Live at Orinda events. Around it, Orinda Theatre Square mixes restaurants, health and beauty services, entertainment and offices.
For a weekend picnic, the city's Community Park has a small gazebo with tables and charcoal grills, a grassy meadow and two playgrounds. In older neighborhoods, storm drains were typically corrugated metal pipe that corrodes over time and costs a lot to repair, which is one more reason we watch where your water goes before we pour anything, here or in the cities around it.
Where we work, around Orinda
Cornerstone Orinda Concrete is based in Orinda, CA, and we work in cities on both sides of the hills, from Walnut Creek and Concord to Oakland, Berkeley and Hayward. The 12 service areas listed here are the ones with their own pages, not the only places we go, so if your city isn't on the list, give us a call anyway.
ContactWho we are, and who shows up
Cornerstone Orinda Concrete is a concrete contractor in Orinda, CA that I started in 2020 after years on concrete crews around the East Bay. I grew up on a farm where pouring a feed pad was just part of the week, and I still come out to look at every job myself. We're licensed and fully insured, with 16 services across 12 service areas. You can read more about our crew and how we work.
- Established
- 2020
- Years in business
- 6
- Services
- 16
- Areas served
- 12
A free concrete estimate, one call away
Send the form and you'll hear back within one business day, most of the time from me. I'll set a time to walk your job with you and then put a written estimate in your hands that says what's included, with no obligation to go ahead.
(925) 257-6590