Garage floor concrete in Sunnyvale CA - a slab that sends water out, not in
Cracked, sunken or dusty garage floor, or water coming in at the door? We pour a new slab on a packed base that drains properly.
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What does it take to replace a garage floor in Sunnyvale?
Garage floor concrete is the flat slab your car and everything else in the garage rests on. In Sunnyvale, we replace it by breaking out the old floor, preparing the ground underneath, and pouring, finishing and curing a new slab that slopes toward the door. You'll need to park outside for a while after the pour, because new concrete needs time to gain strength before it can carry a car.
Most people call us when the old floor has cracked across, sunk near the door, gone dusty on top or started letting water in. The price mostly depends on four things: the size of the garage, how much old concrete we break out and haul away, how much work the ground underneath needs, and whether you want steel reinforcement, a vapor barrier for a coating or a decorative finish. The schedule depends on the demolition, the base work and the curing time before you can park on the new floor. If the driveway apron needs replacing too, it usually makes sense to plan both together. When I come out, I measure, look at the floor and the slope outside, and then give you the scope and the price in writing.
How we build a garage floor concrete slab
Before anything else, I ask whether you plan to coat the floor, because that decides what goes under the slab, and it has to be settled before we pour. Our crew then breaks out the old floor and hauls it away. We dig out any soft ground and pack the subgrade, which is the soil and gravel the slab sits on, until it's firm, since a base that's only raked level settles later and takes the concrete down with it. We set the forms so the floor falls gently toward the door. I also check how the driveway meets the door, because a floor sloped to the door only drains if the driveway keeps falling away from the house. If it pitches back, water runs into the garage. We pour early in the day so midday heat doesn't dry the top before we can finish it, since that leaves a weak, dusty surface later. Then we trowel the floor smooth, cut the control joints, which are grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, and start curing. If the budget is tight, the base is the last place I'd save money, because nobody sees it on the day we pour and it decides how the floor behaves for years.
Some garages need more than a new floor. If you'd like a color or finish beyond plain gray, we can plan decorative concrete with you at the estimate. Where the garage or driveway is cut into a slope and the ground beside it needs holding back, we can build concrete retaining walls as part of the same job.
Garage floor concrete in Sunnyvale, from permit to haul-away
Sunnyvale's Permit Center says every project has its own requirements. A call to it explains the steps to follow, the documents needed and whether the project needs plan review. Whether a particular garage floor needs a permit isn't something I'd guess at. If it isn't clear for your job, we check with the city's permit office before we start. When a permit is needed, we handle the application and the inspections and keep you informed.
Breaking out an old floor fills a lot of bins. In Sunnyvale, contractors can use the city's franchised hauler, haul their own debris or hire another hauler. The city encourages keeping concrete in a bin of its own, which is simple with a garage floor because nearly everything we remove is concrete. We see the same cracked, settled floors in older garages on jobs in Santa Clara and Cupertino.
Garage floors, poured and finished
Get a written price for your new garage floor
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come and see the garage. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation. After the visit, you get the scope and the price in writing.
(669) 215-2122Garage floor questions from Sunnyvale homeowners
How much does a new concrete garage floor cost in the Bay Area?
Installing a concrete slab in the Bay Area usually costs about $9 to $18 per square foot, according to one Bay Area cost guide. That's the going rate for the slab across the area, not our price, and it doesn't include staining or stamping, so a decorative finish adds to it. Your written estimate shows what your own floor will cost and what it includes.
How long does a new garage floor take before I can park on it?
One Bay Area guide suggests waiting a week before putting heavier loads like a car on new concrete, so plan to park somewhere else for that week. The same guide says the floor should be walkable within 48 hours and takes a month to fully cure, so it keeps gaining strength after you start using it.
Will my new garage floor crack like the old one?
It may get some fine cracks, because all concrete tends to crack and no slab can be made completely crack-free. The joints we cut give movement from temperature and moisture a place to go, so cracks tend to form along lines we chose instead of wandering across the floor. Before we pour, I'll show you where the joints will go.
Do I need anything under the slab if I want to coat my garage floor?
Yes. One trade guide says a slab that will be coated or covered needs a vapor barrier or retarder underneath to limit water vapor coming up from the soil. It has to go down before the pour, so please tell me at the estimate if you're planning a coating, even one that's years away.
What is the best way to cure a new concrete garage floor?
General trade guidance says to start curing as soon as possible with a curing compound or damp burlap and keep the surface moist for at least 3 days. Curing is the slow hardening that gives concrete its strength, and a floor that dries out too fast ends up weaker on top. We start it as part of the job on the day we pour.
Is rebar worth it in a garage floor slab?
For a floor that carries cars, I usually think it is. Rebar, the steel set inside the slab, holds the concrete together if it cracks and keeps the pieces from shifting apart. The Bay Area cost guide prices reinforced concrete higher per square foot than plain, so ask which one any quote covers. I'll go over both with you at the estimate and leave the choice to you.
Plan your Sunnyvale garage floor with us
Have the garage size, the state of the old floor and any coating plans ready when you call (669) 215-2122, so the visit covers everything that affects your price.