Concrete contractor in Redmond, WA - slabs that sit flat and shed the rain
Kirkland Concrete Company pours driveways, patios, walkways, steps and footings for homeowners in Redmond, WA. We dig out and pack the base, set the slope so water runs away from your house, and pour with our own crew.
Redmond as we see it from the driveway
We're a concrete contractor in Kirkland, and Redmond is right next door, so we're out here a lot. In one week of estimates we might see an older ranch house still on its first driveway, a newer house on a hillside lot and a townhome with a small patio out back.
The older houses usually have thin slabs that have settled and tipped toward the garage or the back door. The hillside lots, especially out toward Woodinville, have a different problem, because rain comes down the slope and has nowhere to go but under the concrete. That's why most Redmond jobs start with where the water runs and what the ground under the old slab is doing, well before anyone talks about the finish.
Working in Redmond, from permits to price
In Redmond the city's Development Services Center issues construction permits, and when a job needs one, the pour date waits on the city, so I don't set a date until the permit is in hand. When a permit is picked up, the city asks for contractor information and current City of Redmond business license information where it applies, which gives you a simple thing to ask any contractor for before you hire. We've been doing this since 2013 and we're licensed and fully insured. When your job needs a permit, I tell you at the estimate, and we either take care of the application with the city or walk you through it so you know where it stands.
The price on a Redmond job mostly comes from the parts you won't see, like tearing out the old slab, digging out soft ground and packing new rock back in. How steep the lot is matters too, and so does the finish you pick, because a plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives grip in the rain, costs less than stamped concrete. The schedule turns on the permit if there is one, and on the weather, because we won't pour onto a soaked base. It works the same way when we're up in Bothell, and at the estimate I walk you through the plan and the number for your own job.
Why Redmond driveways sink, crack and hold water
Months of rain cause most of what we see here. Water that gets under a slab softens the subgrade, the dirt and rock the concrete sits on, and once that gives, the slab sinks, cracks or tips toward your house. So we dig out the soft material, put down crushed rock and pack it in layers, and we set the slope so water heads for the yard or a drain instead of your foundation. That base is buried on pour day and it's the first thing people want to cut from a budget. If I have to choose, I'll put the money there before a fancier finish, because a nice surface on a weak base won't stay nice for long.
A lot of the driveways and patios on older Redmond houses were poured thin, with few joints and no steel. We tear those out instead of pouring over them, and we add rebar, the steel grid that holds a slab together if it cracks. Then we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a straight place to crack instead of a random one. Nobody can promise a slab won't crack, but this way it cracks where we chose and stays flat.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Redmond concrete job
Tell us what you have in mind and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Redmond property myself, look at the slab and where the water goes, and give you the plan and a free estimate with no pressure to book.
(425) 285-8643What happens after you call us in Redmond
Tell us about your project
Call (425) 285-8643 or use the form and tell us what you want poured and what's wrong with the old slab, if there is one. A note about where your downspouts drain helps too.
Meet me at your property
I come out myself to look at the ground, the slope and where the water runs, and to hear what you want. It helps if you can point out any spots where water pools or gets into the garage.
Go over the plan together
I walk you through the base, the thickness, the joints and the finish so you know what you're paying for. If anything about the plan changes the price, you hear it then and not on pour day.
Wait on the city if needed
If your job needs a permit, a permit technician at the city emails next steps once the application is complete, and we set the pour date after that. On jobs without a permit, the date mostly waits on dry ground.
Prep, pour and let it cure
Our crew has the digging, base and forms ready well ahead of the concrete truck, and I run the crew on site through the pour. After that we clean up, and you keep traffic off the slab while it cures.
Concrete driveways, patios and steps
Redmond concrete questions we hear most
Do I need a permit for a new concrete driveway in Redmond?
The City of Redmond's residential permit list puts driveways and sidewalks among work that doesn't need a building permit. That isn't a pass to skip the rules, because the city's code says an exemption doesn't allow work that breaks the code or other local laws. Work that touches the street or the public sidewalk, or blocks traffic or access, falls under the city's Right-of-Way Use Permit, so we look at where your driveway meets the street and tell you what applies.
Does a concrete retaining wall need a permit in Redmond?
Under Redmond's residential code, a retaining wall 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, doesn't need a permit unless it holds back a surcharge, meaning extra weight like a driveway, a slope or a structure above it. A taller wall, or any wall with that load behind it, needs a permit. On a sloped Redmond lot, a wall that looks short can get close to that height once you count the footing, so we measure before we plan anything.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Redmond?
The cost of a Redmond driveway mostly comes down to its size and how much work the ground needs before any concrete goes in. How thick it has to be and whether it needs steel for heavier vehicles add to it, and so do a long run from where the truck can park and drainage work like a channel drain at the garage. I give you a figure for your own driveway at the free estimate, after I've seen the site.
How deep do concrete footings need to go in Redmond?
Redmond's residential code lists a frost line depth of 12 inches, which is the depth the code works from so frozen ground can't lift a footing. A taller wall, soft soil or an engineer's plan can call for deeper, and we dig down to firm ground, not just to the number.
How long does new concrete need to cure before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on a new slab in a day or two and park a car on it in about a week, and heavy trucks should wait longer. Curing is the slow hardening concrete does after the pour, and it takes moisture and time. It runs slower in cool weather, so in Redmond's colder months we may ask you to give it a few extra days.
What is the best time of year to pour concrete in Redmond?
Late spring through early fall is usually easiest, because the ground is drier and the base packs better. Winter pours can still work, but the city's code sets its winter design temperature at 27 degrees, which is cold enough to freeze fresh concrete. A winter pour needs dry ground and protection from the cold while it cures, so we watch the forecast and move the date rather than pour onto a frozen or soaked base.
Tell us about your Redmond concrete project
We answer evenings and weekends too, so call (425) 285-8643 when it suits you, or send the form with a few words about the slab and where the water goes so I come out with the right questions.