Concrete contractor in San Bernardino - slabs built on a packed base

Ask the city before anything is poured, because its permit rules name structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work and don't spell out driveways or patios. The city's Building and Safety Division issues building permits and can tell you what your job needs. If yours needs one, we handle it with you as part of the steps above.

A retaining wall 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, needs no building permit unless it holds back an added load, like a slope or driveway above it, or certain liquids. Every wall still needs zoning approval from the Planning Division, so plan on that step even for a short one. Because the footing counts toward the height, a wall that stands about 3 feet out of the dirt can already be over the limit.

In most cases you can get the permit yourself for work on a one- or two-family house or its accessory structure, as long as you live there or plan to, show proof of residence and do the work yourself. You also sign a statement that you won't employ anyone in a way covered by California workers' compensation laws, so this route doesn't fit if you're hiring a crew to pour it.

Yes, anyone doing business in San Bernardino needs a city registration certificate unless state or federal law exempts them, and contractors based outside the city may be charged a flat rate for it. When a permit is issued, the city also asks the contractor for proof of the right state license, a current city business license and, if they have employees, workers' compensation insurance. Ask any contractor you're weighing whether they can show all three.

The price comes down to the size, what has to be torn out first and how much work the base needs, so I won't put a number on it until I've seen what's under your old slab. Thickness, rebar, the finish you pick, any slope we have to deal with and how close our trucks can get all move it too. If the budget's tight, I'd keep the money in the base and go simpler on the finish, because a fancy surface on soft ground cracks just like the old one did.

Most cracking and sinking starts under the slab, with a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, water running toward or under the concrete, or control joints that were cut late or skipped. Control joints are shallow cuts that give the slab a planned place to crack in a straight line. We dig out the base, check where the water runs and cut the joints on time, so your new slab doesn't start out with the old one's problems.