Concrete contractor in Milpitas - driveways and patios built on a solid base
Benchmark Sunnyvale Concrete Company is a concrete contractor working in Milpitas, CA. We build driveways, patios, walkways, garage floors, footings and slabs for homeowners here, with the base, drainage and joints done properly underneath.
How Milpitas houses and ground shape a concrete job
Milpitas is a short drive from Sunnyvale, where I started this business as a concrete contractor in 2013, and the calls we get here are usually from homeowners whose driveway, patio or walk has cracked, sunk or started holding water. The city runs from low, flat ground toward the hills on its east side, with streets of older single-family houses alongside newer homes and townhouses. Several creeks cross it, among them Calera, Penitencia, Berryessa, Los Coches and Tularcitos, and the city's mapped flood areas lie mostly near them. We do the same work next door in Santa Clara.
That mix shapes the job. On the older houses we're usually replacing concrete that has given out, and near the creeks we give as much thought to where the water will go as to the concrete itself.
Working in Milpitas: permits, licenses and what sets the price
Building permits here come from the city's Office of Building Safety. When a job needs one, the permit has to be issued before any work starts, so it can set the start date. The city's list of work that needs no permit doesn't name driveways or patios, so when it isn't clear, we check with the office before we start. There are two things you can check about any contractor you're considering. The first is a state contractor's license. The second is the city's own business license, which the city lists at $89 for six months or $104 for a year for state-licensed contractors, and the city may ask to see the state license before it issues one. We're licensed and insured.
The price of a concrete job here depends mostly on its size, how much old concrete has to be broken out and hauled away, how much digging and packing the base needs, and the finish you choose. The schedule depends on the permit, if there is one, on our crew's calendar, and on curing, the days new concrete needs to gain strength before it can carry feet or a car. Your written estimate gives the scope and the price for your lot. We work the same way here as we do in Sunnyvale and up in Redwood City.
Why driveways and patios here need the work done underneath
About a quarter of Milpitas lies in a mapped flood zone, and the flat, low ground near the creeks gives water few places to go. When a slab sits flat or falls toward the house, water pools against the foundation and works under the edges, and that softens the subgrade, the packed soil and gravel the slab rests on. Before we set forms, we look at where water runs on your lot now and pitch the new slab away from the house toward a spot where the water can drain.
Many of the old driveways and patios we break out here have cracked in random lines or sunk at one end. Underneath we usually find a thin base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled with the dirt. When a budget has to give, the base is the first thing people want to trim, because nobody sees it on the day of the pour. My advice is to keep the base and save on the surface. A plain broom finish, the light texture that keeps feet from slipping, will outlast a fancy surface laid on a poor base, and decorative concrete is only worth the money on a slab that was built right underneath.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Milpitas concrete job
Send us a few lines about your Milpitas project, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free and done on site, with no pressure and no obligation, and after the visit you get the scope of work and the price in writing.
(669) 215-2122What happens after you call us about a Milpitas job
Call us and set a visit
When you reach us at (669) 215-2122 or through the form, we set a time for me to come out to your home in Milpitas. It helps to have a rough idea of what you want and a few photos of the old concrete.
I look over the site
I come out myself, walk the area with you and hear what you have in mind. I look at what's there now, where the water runs and how our crew will get the concrete to the spot.
You get a written estimate
After the visit you receive the scope of work and the price in writing. Take the time you need to decide, and ask me about anything that isn't clear.
We handle the city's side
Once you decide to go ahead, we take care of what the city needs, and if the job needs a permit, no work starts until the city has issued it. Then we put your job on our schedule and give you the start date.
We pour and walk it together
Our own crew digs out, packs the base, sets the forms, pours and finishes the concrete, and I'm on site to oversee the work. Before we leave, I walk the finished job with you and explain how long to stay off it while it cures.
Examples of finished concrete work
Concrete questions from Milpitas homeowners
How do I find out if my concrete project in Milpitas needs a permit?
Check with the city before anything is poured, because a required permit has to be issued before work starts, and the city's list of permit-free work doesn't name driveways, patios or slabs. That list does exempt retaining walls up to 4 feet from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless the wall holds up an added load. When we take on a job and the answer isn't clear, we ask the city's permit office before we begin.
Can I get the building permit for my concrete work myself in Milpitas?
Yes, the city lets a property owner get permits for any work done on the property. A licensed contractor can also get them as the owner's agent, for the work its license covers. When your job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections and keep you informed.
Does a concrete contractor in Milpitas need a state license?
Yes, any job worth $1,000 or more in labor, materials or both has to be done by a state-licensed contractor, and so does any job that needs a permit or uses workers, whatever it costs. The state licensing board also says it's illegal to split a job into smaller pieces to stay under that limit, so be wary of anyone who suggests doing that.
What changes for a concrete project if my Milpitas home is in the flood zone?
Federal and city floodplain rules apply to work in the mapped flood zone, and the city tells owners to check with its Land Development Engineering Division before they build, re-grade or bring in fill. That matters for concrete, because digging out a yard and bringing in base rock can count as grading and fill. Whether your own lot is in the zone is its own question, so it's worth finding out before we plan the base.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Milpitas?
I can give you a real figure only after I've seen your site, because the cost depends on the size and condition of what's there and on what the ground needs. Beyond size, tear-out and finish, the price also moves with access. A narrow side yard or a long carry from the street adds labor, and so does extra grading to send water away from the house. A thicker slab with rebar, steel rods that hold the concrete together if it cracks, costs more too, and so does a decorative surface.
How do I keep a new concrete patio in Milpitas from cracking like the old one?
Build it on a dug-out, packed base and cut the joints on time, because most of the cracking we see here comes from settling and from joints that were cut late or never cut. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a straight line to crack along, while the slab is still young, and then we let it cure before you use it. No slab is crack-proof, but this work keeps cracks few and small, and puts them where we chose.
Tell us about your Milpitas concrete project
Call (669) 215-2122 or use our contact form to describe the job and ask which city permits may apply. We answer into the evening, seven days a week.