Concrete driveway building
We dig out the soft soil, pack a firm base and slope the slab away from the house, so a McSwain driveway carries cars without sinking or sending water back at the garage.
Concrete Contractor in McSwain, CA - Level Slabs That Shed Water
City of Atwater Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Atwater. In McSwain we build driveways, patios, walks and other flatwork, the ground-level slabs you drive and walk on, plus foundations, footings and steps.
What concrete work in McSwain involves
McSwain sits just south of Atwater, with State Route 99 along its north edge and Merced about 5 miles east, and it shares our 95301 ZIP. McSwain doesn't have its own city government, so building permits come from Merced County's Building and Safety Division, which takes applications through its online permit system. We work here the same way we do in Franklin and the other cities around Atwater.
The price of a McSwain job mostly comes down to how big and thick the slab is, how much digging and base work the ground needs, how close we can get the truck, and whether you want color or a pattern on top. The schedule turns on the weather, on whether a county permit has to clear first, and on curing, the time the concrete needs to harden before you walk or drive on it. When I come out, I write the estimate up so you can see what's included before you decide.
Most people also ask whether the new slab will crack like the old one. Concrete can crack, but the ugly cracks I see usually come from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or from control joints that were cut late or skipped. Those joints are shallow cuts that give a crack a straight line to follow, so we cut them on time and pour when the top can be finished before it dries out.
Water sent away from the house
We check where rain runs on your lot before we set a single form, so the finished slab falls away from your house instead of feeding water toward the foundation.
Base first, finish second
If money's tight, I'd recommend going plainer on the surface before cutting the base, because you can change a finish later, but you can't fix the ground under a slab without tearing it out.
Ask about the county business license
Contractors working in unincorporated Merced County must hold a county business license, so it's a fair question to ask anyone bidding on your driveway or patio.
Concrete work we do in McSwain
Concrete patio construction
A patio has to fall away from the house, so we set the grade before anything else and plan the joints so any crack runs along a line we chose.
Stamped concrete services
We press a stone, brick or slate pattern into the slab while it's still soft, on the same packed base as plain concrete, because a pattern won't stop a slab from settling.
Concrete sidewalk building
We pour walks from the driveway to the door or around the side of the house with a broom finish, a light brushed texture that gives shoes grip when it's wet.
Garage floor concrete
A garage floor carries cars, tool chests and the odd oil drip, so we pack the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, and set the floor to drain toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Color, exposed stone and stained finishes can dress up an entry or patio, and I'd recommend choosing the look at the estimate so it's written into the price from the start.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps down or a bed needs holding back, we build concrete walls on a proper footing, with a way for water behind them to drain out instead of pushing.
Concrete floor installation
For shops, outbuildings and room additions, we pour interior floors flat and level, with rebar, steel bars inside the slab that hold it together if it ever cracks.
Concrete pool decks
Around a pool the deck has to shed splash water away from the pool and the house, and we finish it with enough texture to give wet feet some grip.
Concrete steps construction
We form and pour front and back steps with even rises so each step feels the same underfoot, and we tie them into the walk or porch slab they meet.
Slab foundation building
For a new garage, shop or addition, we lay out the slab, dig and pack the base, set the steel and pour, with plans and inspections settled before we start.
Foundation installation
We dig, form and pour foundations for houses, additions and outbuildings, checking the layout against the plans before any concrete arrives, because it's the one part you can't move later.
Concrete parking lot building
For a shop or small business lot, we build a thicker base and slab for trucks and steady traffic, and slope the area so rain runs to a drain, not a door.
Concrete footings
Under posts, walls, patio covers and additions, we dig and pour footings to the depth the plans call for so the weight sits on firm ground.
Foundation raising
When part of a house or slab has sunk, we look at why before lifting anything, because raising it without fixing the soil or water underneath usually means it drops again.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut old slabs so they come out in pieces, open trenches for drain lines, and leave clean edges where new concrete meets old so the seam looks planned.
Get a written estimate for your McSwain job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out, measure and talk it through, then I'll write up a free estimate with no obligation.
I come out myself
I measure the job, look at the ground and the drainage, and talk through what I'd recommend, so you hear the reasons from the person who plans the work.
On site for every pour
Our crew does the work, and I'm back on site for the pour and the final walkthrough, so what we agreed on at the estimate is what gets built.
In business since 2013
I started this business in Atwater in 2013 after learning the trade from the finishers I worked under, and the crew works the same careful way today. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Permits, licenses and flood zones in McSwain
These are practical questions about county permits, contractor licenses and flood zones that come up before a concrete job in McSwain.
Do I need a permit for a new concrete driveway in McSwain?
If your driveway needs a new curb cut, yes, because the county requires a permit for every one, and work in the public right-of-way may also need an encroachment permit. With few exceptions, only you or a licensed contractor can take out a permit, so we settle whose name it's in up front, and when it's ours, we file it and book the inspections.
Do I need a permit for a fence, shed or concrete wall in McSwain?
Under the county's permit guide, a concrete, masonry or retaining wall needs a permit once it's taller than 4 feet from the bottom of its footing, but a fence up to 7 feet doesn't. One detached one-story shed per parcel is exempt with up to 120 square feet of roof, 12 feet of height and no plumbing, electrical or mechanical work.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in California?
Yes, anyone who builds or alters a building or other structure in California needs a license from the Contractors State License Board when the job needs a building permit, uses any other workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A bigger job can't be split into smaller bills to stay under that line, and we're licensed and insured.
Does a flood zone affect a concrete project in McSwain?
It can. County staff check whether a structure sits in a flood zone during zoning review, and that may greatly affect the project. The county holds many, but not all, Base Flood Elevation Certificates and takes requests online by parcel number, and if none is on file, you'd get one from a licensed land surveyor or engineer.
Cities where we do concrete work
These are the cities with their own page on our site, and we work in many others around Atwater, so if yours isn't listed, please call (209) 280-3262 and ask.
Ask for a quote on your McSwain concrete
Call (209) 280-3262 any day between 7 AM and 11 PM, or send the form with a few details about your slab.