Concrete contractor in Bothell East - flat, well-drained slabs on sloped lots
Kirkland Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Kirkland, WA, building driveways, patios, steps, garage floors and foundations for Bothell East homeowners, with the digging, base and drainage worked out before the truck arrives.
Bothell East as we see it on our jobs
Bothell East is mostly homes, north of Bothell, with newer subdivisions on cul-de-sacs next to older houses on bigger lots. A lot of the older places still have their first driveway. On the newer ones we often get asked for the patio, the steps or the slab out back that the builder never got to. Our word for that kind of work is flatwork, which covers driveways, patios, walks and any other slab poured on the ground. Head out toward Maltby and the lots get larger, with shops, sheds and long gravel runs that people want paved.
What these jobs have in common is ground that rarely sits flat, so most of them start with where the water goes and how much dirt has to move before anything gets formed.
What working in Bothell East means for permits and price
Bothell East is unincorporated Snohomish County, so building permits and clearing and grading permits come from Snohomish County Planning and Development Services, not a city hall. The county's list of work that needs a permit doesn't spell out driveways or patios, so I check your job against the county's rules at the estimate. When a permit is needed, we take care of the application or walk you through it, and the start date waits on the county's approval. Washington also requires every construction contractor to register with the state Department of Labor & Industries and to be bonded and insured, so it's fair to ask anyone you're talking to about it. We're licensed and fully insured.
Price here moves mostly with the ground. A sloped lot means more digging, more base rock and taller forms. A tight cul-de-sac or a narrow side yard can mean pumping the concrete in because the truck can't back up to the pour, and an old driveway has to be broken up and hauled off first. The schedule depends on the permit question and on how much prep the site needs, and I give you the plan and your own figure at the estimate. We plan jobs the same way in Lake Forest Park, where the hills ask the same questions.
What sloped ground and tired driveways mean for your slab
Most lots here pitch one way or another, and water on a slope finds the low edge of a slab, so we check where yours runs and set the new concrete to fall away from the house and the garage door. On steeper ground the county requires a geotechnical engineer, a soils engineer who judges whether the hill is stable, to look at any slope of 33% or more on your parcel or within 200 feet of where the digging happens. That review shows whether the county treats the slope as a landslide hazard area. I'll tell you at the estimate if your lot looks close to that range, because it has to be settled before we dig.
The other call we get a lot is about the old driveway that's sinking at the garage, cracked across the middle or holding puddles, usually because the dirt under it settled. Bigger lots also mean shops and garages that need a real floor, and for those we do concrete floor installation with rebar, the steel bars set inside the slab that hold it together if it cracks.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate in Bothell East
Tell us a little about your Bothell East project and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll set a time to come out myself, look over your lot and walk you through a plan and a free estimate, with no obligation and no pressure to book.
(425) 285-8643How a concrete job in Bothell East goes, start to finish
Call or send us a note
Call (425) 285-8643 or use the form and tell us whether it's a driveway, a patio, steps or a slab for a shed. A rough size and anything you've noticed, like sinking or pooling water, helps me plan the visit.
Walk the site with me
I come out myself, look at the slope, the drainage and how a concrete truck would get in, and listen to what you want. Then I walk you through the plan and the estimate right there.
Settle the permit question first
If the job needs a county permit, we tell you at the estimate and either file the application or walk you through it. The pour date gets set once the county approves it, so you know where things stand.
Dig out and build the base
Our crew digs down to firm subgrade, the native soil the slab rests on, then packs in base rock and sets the forms. I'm on site running it, and all of it is ready well ahead of the concrete truck.
Pour, finish and let it cure
We pour, then give it a broom finish, a light brushed texture that gives feet and tires grip when it's wet. Then it cures, which is the wait while the concrete hardens and gains strength, and you stay off it until it's ready.
Concrete driveways, patios and steps
Concrete questions from Bothell East homeowners
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Bothell East?
A Bothell East driveway's cost comes from its size, its thickness and how much base work your lot needs, and I give you your own figure at the free estimate. A plain broom finish costs less than stamped concrete, and extra thickness and rebar for heavier vehicles add to it. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather you skip the pattern than skimp on the base, because the base is the one part you can't fix later without tearing the slab out.
Do I need a permit for a shed slab or a low deck in Bothell East?
Usually not for the deck or shed itself, as long as it matches the county's examples of work that needs no permit, such as an uncovered deck 30 inches or less off the ground, or a non-habitable building under 200 square feet in urban zones or under 400 square feet in rural zones. Those still have to meet the required distances from property lines and the environmental rules, and that list doesn't name the slab or footings under them, so I check that part at the estimate. You can also call the county's permit office at 425-388-3311.
How do I know if a new driveway or patio in Bothell East adds county requirements?
Start with the size of the job and the lot, because the county ties extra requirements to how much ground you clear, how much hard surface you add, how steep the property is and how many trees come out. Hard surface means anything water can't soak through, and a new slab counts. Some properties also carry added requirements because of environmental factors, and zoning and setbacks can affect the job too, so I go over all of it with you at the estimate.
Does a flood hazard area change a concrete project in Bothell East?
Yes, if your property sits in a designated flood hazard area, the county requires a Flood Hazard Permit and an elevation certificate for each structure. That matters most when we're pouring a slab or foundation for a building. It's one of the things I check before we plan that kind of job.
Which building code applies to concrete work in Bothell East right now?
The Washington state building code is in effect here, as it is in every county and city, and for houses it's built on the 2021 International Residential Code. The state has set May 3, 2027 as the date the 2024 codes take effect. The code matters most for footings, foundations and slabs under living space, and on those jobs I'll tell you what it asks of yours.
What is the best way to keep a new concrete driveway in Bothell East from cracking?
The best way is to get the parts you won't see right, because most cracks come from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, water nobody checked, or joints cut too late. We pack the base, pitch the slab away from the house and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a planned place to crack. Concrete can still crack, and I'll tell you that plainly, but those joints keep it to straight lines in spots we chose.
Tell us about your Bothell East project
We answer the phone seven days a week and into the evening, so call (425) 285-8643 or send the form whenever you have a minute to describe the job.