Concrete contractor in Tustin, CA - driveways and patios on a solid base
Premier Costa Mesa Concrete is a concrete contractor building driveways, patios, steps, garage floors and foundations for homes and small buildings in Tustin. We're based in Costa Mesa, and our own crew does the digging, the base and the finish.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Tustin homes, from Old Town to Tustin Legacy
Tustin has two very different ends on our jobs. Old Town has a group of buildings on Main Street and El Camino Real going back to the 1880s, and the streets around it skew older. Tustin Legacy is a newer mix of homes, shops, parks and schools that runs over the line into Irvine. Between them are older single-family streets, apartment buildings and small commercial lots, and the calls come from homeowners and from property managers who want a walk or a lot fixed once.
The age of the lot shapes the job more than anything. On older properties we're usually tearing out tired concrete before we build anything, and how much comes out and what's under it decides the work. On newer ones the ground is often in better shape, and the job is more about matching grades and getting water away from the house.
Concrete work we do on Tustin properties
Concrete driveway building
Older driveways here often crack and sink because they sat on loose dirt, so we dig them out and pack a real base before we pour.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio on an older lot usually needs its grade fixed so water runs toward the yard, not the house. We set that slope before anything else.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick, but the pattern only lasts if the slab under it is built right.
Concrete sidewalk building
Raised or broken front walks are a common call here, from homeowners and rental owners. We replace the bad sections and pour them flush with what stays.
Garage floor concrete
Old garage floors here are often cracked or tilted the wrong way. We pour a new one on a packed base, sloped so water heads out the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored and textured concrete lets an entry or courtyard match the house instead of looking like a parking lot. We go over color and finish choices on site.
Concrete retaining walls
Sloped backyards and raised beds often need a concrete wall to hold the dirt back. We build them with drainage behind so water doesn't push them over.
Concrete floor installation
Interior slabs for additions, workshops and small commercial spaces have to come out flat enough for the flooring on top, and we finish them with that in mind.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck needs grip for bare feet and a slope that sends splash water away from the house, so we plan the two together.
Concrete steps construction
Cracked or uneven front steps on older houses are a trip waiting to happen. We rebuild them with even rises on solid footings.
Slab foundation building
New garages, additions and backyard buildings start with a slab foundation, and everything above depends on it. We build it to the approved plans.
Foundation installation
Foundations for additions and new structures have to suit the ground they sit on and tie in with what's already there. We dig, form and pour them.
Concrete parking lot building
Small apartment and commercial lots take traffic every day, so a thin base shows up fast as cracks and low spots. We build the base for the load.
Concrete footings
Footings carry walls, posts, patio covers and steps, and one that's too small lets everything on it settle. We dig and pour them for what sits on them.
Foundation raising
When part of a slab or an older foundation has sunk, doors stick and cracks open. We find out why it dropped before we lift it.
Concrete cutting
Cutting a clean line saves the concrete you're keeping when only part of a driveway or walk comes out. We also cut openings for drains and doorways.
Get a free estimate for concrete work in Tustin
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done at your property, and there's no obligation.
(949) 543-1664- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
- service@costamesaconcrete.com
- Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Working in Tustin: permits and what moves the price
Permits in Tustin come from the city's Building Division, which also handles plan review and inspections. When a job needs a permit, the plans go to the city first and get checked against its zoning, grading and building rules, so the schedule waits on that review before we break ground. We pull the permit and handle the filing when your job needs one, and when it's unclear, we ask the city before we start instead of guessing. We're licensed and fully insured. Each city runs its own rules, so what holds in Aliso Viejo doesn't settle anything here.
What moves the price is mostly the part you won't see once we're done. How much old concrete comes out, how deep we dig to reach firm ground, and whether the truck can get close or we're wheeling concrete down a narrow side yard all count, and so does the finish. A broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives a slab grip, costs less than stamped or colored work. If the budget gets tight, I'll cut the finish before I cut the base, because a fancy top on loose dirt cracks just as fast as a plain one. The schedule turns on whether a permit is involved and on curing, the days a new slab needs to harden before you walk on it and then drive on it. Your own figure comes at the estimate, with each part listed.
Older Tustin concrete and what makes it fail
Cracks across the middle, a walk that's lifted at one end, or a patio that leans so water pools against the house are what most Tustin calls start with. On older properties the cause is usually under the slab, because it was poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, and it sank as the dirt did. Patching the top won't fix that. We dig to firm ground, pack a new subgrade, which is the layer the slab sits on, check where the water runs and slope the new slab away from the house.
Rentals and small commercial lots take steady foot and car traffic, so a weak spot turns into a broken one fast. I learned this trade fixing walks, slabs and steps at rentals, so we treat flatwork, the flat pours like walks, driveways and lots, the same on a rental as on your own house. Where the traffic calls for it, we set rebar, the steel bars that hold a slab together if it cracks.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Tustin
Here's what happens from your first call or message to the day the concrete goes in, and what you'll have in hand along the way.
Call us or send a message
We set a time for me to come out. Tell us what you have in mind and how the space gets used, and send photos if that's easier.
I come out and look
I look at the old concrete, the ground, where water runs and how you'll use the space, so it helps if you're home to walk it with me. You get an estimate with each part spelled out, so you can see what the base costs next to the finish.
We schedule and file paperwork
Once you say go, we put the job on the schedule and take care of the city paperwork where it's needed. A Tustin permit stays valid for 180 days, or until the job's finished as long as work keeps moving, so there's room to set the pour date once it's issued.
I'm on site for the pour
Our own crew does the dig-out, the base and the pour, and I'm there when the concrete goes in. Before we leave, we tell you when you can walk on it and when you can drive on it.
Questions about concrete work in Tustin
(949) 543-1664How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Tustin?
Your driveway's price comes from the estimate, because it turns on things only a look at the site settles, like its size, the old concrete on it and the ground below that. On older Tustin lots the tear-out and base work are usually the bigger share. If the job crosses the city's grading limits, the plans and soil reports it needs add to the cost too.
Do I need a permit for a concrete patio in Tustin?
A covered patio does, because the city says solid and lattice patio covers and decks need a building permit. An older city guide lists open, unroofed concrete patio slabs and driveways as exempt, but only when they aren't over a basement or a room below. Since that guide is older, we confirm the current rule with the Building Division before we start.
When do I need a grading permit in Tustin?
You need a grading permit in Tustin when the job moves more than 50 cubic yards of earth, uses one foot of fill, or makes a cut slope more than 5 feet high. A plain slab replacement usually moves far less dirt than that, but a backyard regrade or a wall cut into a hillside can cross it. A grading permit means grading plans and soil reports go to the Building Division, so we sort that out before the job is scheduled.
How do I pay Tustin permit fees safely?
Pay them through the city's Citizen Self Service portal or in person at the Finance counter at City Hall, since those are the only ways Tustin takes permit payments. The city says permit-fee fraud is on the rise and that it never asks for a bank routing number or a wire number. Treat any request like that as a scam.
Does a short retaining wall in Tustin need a permit?
Height is usually what decides it. An older city guide exempts walls no more than 3 feet tall, while the city's FAQ says fences over 3 feet need a building permit, and a wall cut into a slope can bring in the grading permit covered above. Since that guide is older, we check the current rule with the Building Division before we build.
What causes old concrete driveways in Tustin to crack and sink?
Usually it's what's under the driveway, not the concrete, which is why we dig out and pack the base before anything else. The other common causes are control joints cut late or skipped, the shallow saw cuts that give a slab a straight place to crack, and pours done in midday heat that leave a weak, dusty top. No slab is crack-proof, but with a packed base and joints cut on time, a crack usually lands in a joint where you'd hardly notice it.
Costa Mesa, CA
Tell us about your Tustin concrete job
If you send photos of the cracks or the area with your message, I can show up already knowing what to look for.