Concrete contractor in Lake Forest Park, WA - slabs that drain and sit flat
Kirkland Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Kirkland that builds driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations for homeowners in Lake Forest Park, with careful base work and drainage planned before the pour.
Lake Forest Park as we see it on the job
Lake Forest Park is mostly homes, and a lot of them sit on wooded lots, with driveways that run under big trees and patios tucked into the back of the yard. Creeks like Lyon Creek run through the city on their way to Lake Washington, and the city keeps wetlands and creek headwaters as nature parks, so water and trees come up on most jobs we look at here. It's a short drive from our base in Kirkland, and the same kind of lots carry on into Kenmore next door.
That shapes the work. Roots and runoff decide how deep we dig and where the water goes, long before anyone talks about the finish.
What we know from working in Lake Forest Park
Construction permits here come from the city's Community Development Department, which covers building, altering or repairing a structure, and a permit can add weeks before we pour, so we sort it out first. When your job needs one, I tell you at the estimate and we either take care of the application or walk you through it, so you know where it stands. Before you hire anyone, us included, check that they're registered as a contractor with the state's Department of Labor and Industries, L&I for short, and that they hold a Lake Forest Park business license, which the city requires of every business working here on top of a state business license. I've run this business since 2013, and we're licensed and fully insured.
What moves the price is mostly the size of the slab, how thick it needs to be, how much old concrete and dirt has to come out, how close the truck can get, and whether drainage or a tree changes the layout. A plain broom finish, the light swept texture that gives you grip, costs less than stamped or colored work, and the schedule turns on the permit, the day we can pour and the curing wait after it. We do the same work in Issaquah and the other cities around Kirkland, from driveways and steps to concrete pool decks, and your own figure comes from the estimate once I've seen the site.
What trees, water and old slabs mean for your concrete
When we get called out here, it's usually for a driveway or walk that's cracked, sunk at one end or lifted by roots, or a patio where water pools against the house. Most of the time the old slab was poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled as the dirt did, and nobody checked where the water would run. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab rests on, pack a gravel base, set rebar, the steel that holds the slab together if it cracks, where the job calls for it, and slope the surface away from your house. If the budget gets tight, I'll tell you to cut back on the finish before the base, because a nice surface on a weak base cracks just like the old one, and you can't fix a base later without tearing the slab out.
Trees are the other thing here. If one has to come out to make room, the city has its own tree permit with a $120.00 application fee, and a major removal needs an arborist report, so we plan around big trees where we can and flag it at the estimate when we can't.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Lake Forest Park concrete job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your place in Lake Forest Park myself, look over the site, hear what you have in mind and walk you through the plan and a free estimate. There's no obligation and no pressure to book.
(425) 285-8643How a concrete job runs when you call us in Lake Forest Park
Call or send the form
Tell us what you have in mind, whether it's a new driveway, a cracked patio or steps that have sunk. A few photos of the old slab help me get ready for the visit.
I walk the site with you
I come out myself to look at the ground, the trees, the slope and where water runs off the roof and yard. Then I walk you through the plan, what it will take and the estimate.
Sort out the permit first
If the job needs a city permit, we file it or walk you through it, and the city gives a typical review time of 8 weeks for building permits, whatever their size. Work and inspections start only once the permit is issued.
Dig, pack and form ahead
Our crew digs out to firm ground, packs the base and sets the forms and rebar well ahead of the concrete truck. I'm on site running the crew, so nothing is being figured out while the truck waits.
Pour, finish and let cure
We pour and finish the slab, then cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a straight place to crack instead of a random one. Curing is the wait while the concrete gains strength, and we'll tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for cars.
Driveways, patios, walks and steps
Lake Forest Park concrete questions
How do I apply for a permit for concrete work in Lake Forest Park?
You apply online through the city's Permit Portal, with the application, checklists and plans uploaded together. Inspections start only after the permit is issued, and a receipt isn't a permit, so we wait for the permit itself before we start.
Do concrete contractors in Washington have to be registered and bonded?
Yes, Washington requires every construction contractor to register with L&I and carry a bond and insurance. The bond is $30,000 for a general contractor and $15,000 for a specialty contractor, and contractors have to show their registration number on ads and bids. On a home job of $1,000 or more, they also owe you a written disclosure notice, so ask for it if you don't get one.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Lake Forest Park?
It comes down to the size and thickness of the slab, how much old concrete and dirt has to go, and the finish you pick, so I give you a number after I've seen the site. On lots here, tree roots, a long run from the street and drainage work are what usually push it up. If the job needs a city permit, its fees are part of the cost too.
What is the best way to keep water from a new patio running toward my house?
Slope the slab away from the house and give the water somewhere to go, which we work out before the forms go up. The city uses the King County Surface Water Design Manual as its stormwater and drainage standard, so where the city reviews drainage on a job, that's what it checks against.
What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink?
Most sinking comes from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, and most ugly cracks come from joints cut too late or skipped. Concrete does crack, and I won't tell you otherwise, so the aim is a firm base and well-placed joints so any crack lands where it was planned. Pouring in midday heat can also leave a weak, dusty top, which is why we plan the pour time.
How long will I be without my driveway after a new concrete pour?
You're off it for the tear-out and the pour, then for the curing wait, and the wait before driving is longer than the wait before walking. I give you the timing for your slab at the estimate, since thickness and the time of year change it, and if a permit is needed, the city's review comes before any of that.
Get your Lake Forest Park slab started
We pick up (425) 285-8643 until 10 PM on weekdays and 9 PM on weekends, so you can call after work, or send the project form whenever it suits you.