Concrete contractor in Sunnyvale, CA - driveways and patios built to drain
Benchmark Sunnyvale Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Sunnyvale. We build and replace driveways, patios, walkways and garage floors here, along with footings, slabs and foundations, starting with the base underneath.
Sunnyvale as we see it from the driveway
Sunnyvale is our home city, and most of the houses we work on here sit on flat, modest lots along quiet residential streets. Many are single-story homes that still have the driveway, patio and front walk poured when the neighborhood was built, with newer townhomes and some rental and commercial properties mixed in. The streets look a lot like the ones next door in Mountain View and Santa Clara, and the ground is just as level.
Because so many of these slabs are original, most of our jobs here begin by breaking out old concrete, and what we find under it decides much of the work.
Working in Sunnyvale: permits, licenses and what moves the price
The City of Sunnyvale issues building permits through its One-Stop Permit Center at City Hall, where building, planning and public works engineering review projects in one place. The city asks owners to contact the Permit Center about a project's specific requirements, so I check with them before we start, and when your job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections and keep you informed. The city's review is the one part of the schedule we can't speed up. Two things are worth checking about any contractor you're considering. One is a license from the California Contractors State License Board, and the other is a City of Sunnyvale business license, which the city requires of every business working here. We're licensed and insured.
On price, the biggest factors are the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how much base we have to dig out and replace, how close a concrete truck can get to the pour, and the finish you choose. The schedule turns on the city's review, when there is one, and on the weather around pour day. Your written estimate sets out the scope and the price so you can see where the money goes. We do the same careful base work for homeowners next door in Cupertino and the other cities around Sunnyvale.
What we find under Sunnyvale driveways and patios
When we lift out an old slab here, the reason it failed is usually underneath it, a thin layer of base that was raked smooth instead of dug out and packed, dirt that settled over the years, and sometimes tree roots pushing up a corner. That's why the cracks, sunken sections and uneven edges you see on top rarely start at the surface. On a concrete driveway or patio, we dig down to firm subgrade, the native ground the slab rests on, pack a new base in layers and set the steel before any concrete arrives. All of that is buried by the end of the first day, and it's the part I watch most closely.
Rain is the other thing to plan for. Most lots here are nearly flat, and the city's design figures for building work assume rain can fall at 2 inches an hour, so a slab with no deliberate slope turns into a puddle or sends water toward your house. We check where the water runs before we set the forms, and we pitch the new concrete away from the house toward a place it can drain.
Request a free on-site estimate in Sunnyvale
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out to your Sunnyvale property, look over the site and hear what you have in mind. After that visit, you get the scope and the price in writing, with no pressure and no obligation to go ahead.
(669) 215-2122How a concrete job runs when you call us in Sunnyvale
Tell us about your project
Call (669) 215-2122 or send the form with a few lines about what you'd like built or replaced. We set a time for me to come out.
Walk the site with me
I come out myself to look at the old concrete, the ground and where the water runs, and to hear what you have in mind. It helps if you can show me any spots where water sits after a rain.
Read your written estimate
After the visit, you get the scope and the price in writing, including the base work, so you can see what you're paying for. Take your time with it, and ask me about anything that isn't clear.
We handle the city's requirements
If your job needs a permit, we file the application, book the inspections and keep you posted, and if it isn't clear, I check with the Permit Center first. The city's review takes the time it takes, so we set the pour date once it's done.
Pour, finish and walk through
Our own crew digs out, packs the base, pours and finishes, with me on site to oversee it, and we pour early so the afternoon heat doesn't dry the top too fast. Before we leave, I walk the finished job with you.
A look at finished concrete work
Sunnyvale concrete questions we hear most
Do I need a city permit to replace the sidewalk or driveway apron in front of my Sunnyvale home?
Yes, when the work reaches into the public right-of-way, the strip along your street that holds the street and sidewalk, Sunnyvale requires an Encroachment Permit for it. If your driveway replacement runs out to the street, we take care of that permit along with the inspections and the rest of what the city needs.
When does a concrete contractor need a California state license?
The Contractors State License Board requires a license when a project needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials across one or more contracts. Only a small job under $1,000, with no permit and no employee labor, may be exempt, so a contractor bringing a crew to pour your slab needs one. We're licensed and insured.
How do I find out if my Sunnyvale home is in a flood hazard area?
Ask the city, because FEMA has marked certain parts of Sunnyvale as Special Flood Hazard Areas, places with a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year. Those areas carry special requirements for new construction and remodeling, and the city's current flood maps date from 2009. If your lot is in one, I check with the Permit Center what that means for your slab or foundation before we start.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Sunnyvale?
I can't give you a fair number until I've seen the ground, because the cost here turns most on what's under your old slab and how much of it has to come out. If the budget is tight, I'd keep the money in the base and choose a plain broom finish, a lightly brushed texture that gives tires and shoes some grip, because a fancy surface over a weak base tends to crack and settle like the old one did.
What causes a new concrete patio to crack like the old one?
Most new slabs crack in the wrong places because the base was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or because the joints were cut late or skipped. Concrete shrinks a little as it cures, so we cut control joints, straight grooves that tell the crack where to go, soon after the pour, and we set rebar, steel bars inside the slab, so any crack that forms stays tight and level.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can walk on it well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength for days after the pour, a wait called curing. The exact days depend on the mix and the weather, so before we leave, I tell you when it's safe to walk on and when it's safe to drive on, and we talk through where you'll park in the meantime.
Plan your Sunnyvale driveway or patio with us
Call (669) 215-2122 or use the form to describe your project, and I'll look at the ground under your old slab before anyone settles on a finish.