Piedmont Advanced ConcretePiedmont Advanced Concrete

Concrete Contractor in Piedmont, CA - Flatwork and Walls for Older Hillside Homes

Piedmont Advanced Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Piedmont, CA. We build and replace driveways, patios, walks, steps, retaining walls and foundations for the older homes and sloped lots across the city.

Request a quote(510) 738-1848
A smooth concrete driveway runs between stucco houses toward a block wall, with gravel strips along its edges.
  • Licensed and insured.
  • Free in-person estimates.
  • Expect a reply within 1 business day.

About Piedmont, CA

Piedmont is a small, almost entirely residential city surrounded by Oakland, and nearly all of our work here is on single-family homes. The streets are quiet and often winding, the lots climb with the hills, and many houses still have the concrete they were built with, which has given good service and is now tired. The homeowners who call us here usually want the job thought through before anyone breaks ground, and that suits the way I like to work.

Older houses on sloped ground shape almost every job here, because reaching the site and keeping water moving the right way take as much planning as the pour itself.

Services in Piedmont, CA

  • Concrete driveway building

    Older Piedmont driveways often sink or crack where the base underneath has settled. For concrete driveway building, we break out the old slab, pack a new base and pour it reinforced.

  • Concrete patio construction

    Many backyards here slope, so a patio has to be flat enough to use while shedding water away from the house. We grade first, then form and pour.

  • Concrete retaining walls

    Hillside lots here often need ground held back to make room for a driveway or yard. We build reinforced walls on solid footings with drainage behind, so water doesn't push them out.

  • Concrete steps construction

    Front steps on older Piedmont homes are often original and worn uneven, which makes them easy to trip on. We rebuild them with even step heights and a textured finish for grip.

  • Concrete sidewalk building

    Walks from the street to the door here get lifted by tree roots and settle with age. We remove the broken sections, rebuild the base and pour a walk that sheds water.

  • Foundation installation

    Older houses here sometimes sit on original foundations that have cracked or settled over the decades. We pour new foundations and footings, working under or beside the house in tight spaces.

Permits, licenses and what sets the price on a Piedmont job

The City of Piedmont issues building permits for most construction projects and repairs, so on most concrete jobs here I plan around a city review from the first visit, and that review is usually what sets the start date more than our crew's calendar. The city will only issue a permit to a properly licensed California contractor or to a property owner acting legally as an owner-builder, so it's worth looking up any contractor with the state licensing board before you sign. We're licensed and insured, and when a job needs a permit or a city review, we handle the application and paperwork and tell you up front which office it goes through.

Price here mostly turns on how easy the site is to reach, how much old concrete comes out, how much base work the ground needs and the finish you choose. Narrow, winding streets and steep drives can mean pumping concrete up the hill or wheeling it in, and that adds crew time, so I measure and look at access before I write anything down. You'll get a written estimate with your own figure. We do the same work in Berkeley and Alameda, though each city runs its own permit office.

Piedmont, CA properties and local conditions

Many Piedmont homes are older houses with their original driveways, walks and steps, often poured on a subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, that has settled unevenly over the years. When we replace them, we break out the old concrete, dig out and pack a fresh base and set rebar, the steel rods inside that hold the slab together if it cracks. I spent years in restaurant kitchens before concrete, and a plate there is only as good as the setup behind it, which is why we spend our time on the part of the job you'll never see.

Lots here often slope, so an old driveway or patio can end up pitched toward the house and send water against the foundation. Before we set forms, I check where the water runs, and we grade the new slab to carry it away.

Get a free written estimate for your Piedmont concrete job

Thank you for reaching out. We reply to every call and message within one business day to set up a visit, and I come out to your Piedmont property myself to measure, look at access and hear what you have in mind. Afterward you'll get a written estimate, free and with no obligation.

How a concrete job runs when you call us in Piedmont

  1. Call or send the form

    Call (510) 738-1848 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. You don't need drawings, just a sense of what you'd like done.

  2. I visit and measure

    I look at the slope, the old concrete and how a truck or pump will reach it, and it helps if you're home so we can talk it through. Your written estimate shows what's driving the cost, so you can see where the money goes before you decide.

  3. We handle the city steps

    If the job needs a permit or design review, we file the application with the city, and a review that requires plans can take several weeks or months. We schedule the crew during that wait so we're ready once it's approved.

  4. We pour, clean up, walk through

    Our crew preps, pours and finishes within the city's construction hours, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Then we clean up and walk the finished job with you.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace my concrete driveway in Piedmont?

Most likely, because the City of Piedmont issues building permits for most construction projects and repairs, and concrete work isn't on its list of projects that skip a permit. That list covers things like painting and carpeting, and the city notes that even work on it must still follow the building codes and may still be inspected. When a job isn't clear-cut, we check with the city's planning and building department before we start.

Does a new patio or retaining wall need a permit in Piedmont?

Usually yes, since the city's site improvement permit covers patios, hardscape, retaining walls, exterior site stairs and site drainage. Most above-ground exterior changes need design review approval first, and a project that needs design review needs a building permit even when the work alone wouldn't. Work in the public right of way, or work that sends more stormwater to the street, can also need an encroachment permit from Public Works.

What happens if concrete work is done without a permit in Piedmont?

The city can fine you and require the work to be undone, and with concrete that means breaking out a finished slab. Applications go through the city's online permit system, and we take care of that filing when the job needs it.

How much does a concrete driveway cost in Piedmont?

Your price comes from the size of the driveway, how much old concrete we break out and haul away, how much base the ground needs and how hard the site is to reach. A plain broom finish, a light ridged texture that gives tires and shoes grip, keeps the cost down, while decorative finishes add to it, and permit fees vary by permit type and job value. If the budget is tight, I'd cut the finish before the base, because a pretty surface on a poor base won't last and the base can't be fixed once it's poured.

How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?

You can usually walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, because the slab keeps gaining strength while it cures, the slow hardening that goes on after the pour. On pour day I'll tell you when it's safe for feet and when it's safe for your car, and we keep it taped off until then.

What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink in Piedmont?

Most cracking and sinking starts under the slab, with a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settles and the concrete follows it down. A pour in midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top, and control joints, the shallow cuts that tell a slab where to crack, often get cut late or skipped. We pack the base, pour at the right time of day and cut joints on time, and I'll tell you plainly that concrete can still crack, but it should crack along the lines we chose.

Service areas

Explore the services

Piedmont, CA

Plan your Piedmont concrete job with us

We take calls every day of the week, from early morning into the evening, at (510) 738-1848.

Request a quote(510) 738-1848
(510) 738-1848Request a quote