Concrete Contractor in Santa Ana - Driveways and Patios That Drain Right
Complete Lake Forest Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Lake Forest that builds driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs for Santa Ana homes, with the base, joints and drainage done right underneath.
We're a concrete company based in Lake Forest, and we pour driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs for homeowners in Santa Ana and the cities around it. I come out to see each job myself, and our own crew does the work. I'd rather explain a job before I price it, so you know what you're paying for and can ask good questions of anyone you get a bid from.
- Every job explained before it's priced
- Base dug out and packed firm
- Joints cut on time, site cleaned
Santa Ana driveways, patios and walks
Where a driveway or patio has sunk, cracked across the middle or started holding water, the slab is usually just the messenger. The real trouble tends to be underneath, like a base that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, or a slab that falls toward the house. We find that first, because new concrete on the same loose dirt gets you the same cracks.
On a new patio, walk or pad, the job starts with the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on. We dig it out, pack it firm and set the forms so water runs away from your house before anything gets poured. Make sense? Most of what decides how long concrete lasts happens before the truck shows up.
What we pour in Santa Ana
Pick the job you're thinking about in Santa Ana, and each page explains what it involves, what moves the price and what we do differently underneath.
Concrete driveway building
A new driveway on a dug-out, packed base, sloped to shed water and jointed so cracks land where we choose.
Concrete patio construction
Patios poured to fall away from the house, with a broom-dragged surface that grips when it's wet.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped patterns and color pressed into fresh concrete, for a patio or walk that looks like stone or brick.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks and side paths, or a replacement for one that's heaved and turned into a trip hazard.
Garage floor concrete
If your garage floor is cracked or flaking, we break it out and pour a sound new slab.
Decorative concrete
Exposed aggregate, colored or scored concrete for the spots you see most, like the front entry or patio.
Concrete retaining walls
Walls that hold back a slope, set on footings with drainage behind so water doesn't build up against them.
Concrete floor installation
Interior concrete floors for additions, workshops and rooms that need a level, finished slab to build on.
Concrete pool decks
Pool decks with a textured, slip-resistant top, sloped so splash water runs off instead of puddling.
Concrete steps construction
Front and back steps poured at even heights, so nobody catches a toe coming in with groceries.
Slab foundation building
Slab foundations for additions, garages and outbuildings, reinforced with rebar, the steel that keeps cracks from spreading.
Foundation installation
When you're building something new, we form and pour the foundation it sits on, checked for level before the pour.
Concrete parking lot building
Parking areas for small property owners, laid out so cars have room and rainwater has somewhere to go.
Concrete footings
Footings for walls, posts and additions, dug to the depth the plans call for and poured solid.
Foundation raising
If part of your slab has sunk, we look at why before lifting it, so it doesn't just sink again.
Concrete cutting
Clean saw cuts for doorways, plumbing trenches or removing a broken section without tearing up the rest.
Serving Santa Ana from Lake Forest
We're based in Lake Forest and work in cities across Orange County, Santa Ana among them, along with cities like Orange and Tustin. If your city isn't on our list, call and ask, because the list isn't everywhere we go.
We're fully licensed and insured, and we answer the phone seven days a week, so it's easy to find a time to look at your job. Call (949) 619-8295 or use the form on this page. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Before you pour in Santa Ana
The price usually turns on the slab's size, how much old concrete and dirt comes out so we can build a proper base, and the finish, with broom finish costing less than stamped or colored. The schedule turns on the permit, if one's needed, and the cure, the wait before new concrete takes weight. Your estimate gives you your figure.
In Santa Ana, the city's Building Safety Division issues permits, and most applications need Planning Division approval before they get there. Rules differ from city to city, so we check with that office before work starts, and if your job needs a permit, we handle the application with you.
- Where water runs off today, and where you want it going.
- How much of the old slab comes out, and what's under it.
- The finish you want, from plain broom to stamped or colored.
- Ask any contractor for a current Santa Ana business license.
How a Santa Ana job runs
I come out and look
Call (949) 619-8295 or send the form, and I'll come out to look at the site with you, including where the water runs and what's under the old slab.
Options, permit and estimate
I explain the options and why one fits better, and write your estimate. Some city permits issue same day, others need plan review first, which sets the start.
Our crew builds it
Once you say go, our crew handles the prep, forms, pour and finish. I check the work at the key steps and walk the finished job with you.
Santa Ana concrete questions
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana's permit list doesn't name driveways or patios either way, so we confirm it with the city before we start. The city's permit FAQ requires permits to build, alter, repair or demolish a building, and it exempts finish work like painting and tile. If yours needs one, we handle the application with you.
Does a retaining wall in Santa Ana need a permit?
A retaining wall 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top, is exempt from a building permit under the city's rules, unless it carries extra weight above it or holds back certain liquids. A 2022 city handout says walls, retaining walls included, still go through planning review, so we check both.
How long is a Santa Ana building permit good for?
A Santa Ana permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within 180 days of being issued, and it lapses if work stops for 180 days after it starts. That's one reason we line up the permit close to when the crew can actually start.
Will my new concrete driveway crack like the old one did?
Concrete cracks some, so the goal is to control where and how much. We dig out and pack the base so it doesn't settle, and we cut control joints, grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, on time instead of days late. Most bad cracking I see traces back to a raked base or skipped joints.
Where should I cut costs on a concrete patio or driveway?
Cut the finish before you cut the base. The base is buried on day one, so it's the first thing a tight bid skimps on, but it's what keeps the slab from sinking. A plain broom finish on a good base will outlast a fancy stamp on raked dirt, and I'll show you where the money goes on your job.
Tell us about your Santa Ana project
Tell us what you want poured or fixed and where it is, or call (949) 619-8295. We reply within one business day and set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
Call (949) 619-8295