J&L Berkeley Concrete CompanyJ&L Berkeley Concrete Company(510) 345-1330
J&L Berkeley Concrete Company
(510) 345-1330Get an estimate

Concrete built on solid ground for homes and properties in Berkeley, CA

J&L Berkeley Concrete Company handles the concrete that homeowners and property owners rely on every day, and we start each job with the ground underneath and where the water will run.

Tell us about your project(510) 345-1330
Explained before we pour
We sketch each choice on site in plain words.
Owner-run estimates
Your estimate comes from the person running your job.
Base dug and packed
We dig out soft soil and compact what's underneath.
Water mapped first
We check where water runs so it drains away.
Concrete driveway with pale rectangular slabs and dark edging, viewed from above with a black car parked on it.
  • Licensed and fully insured.
  • Free estimates at your property.
  • We reply within 1 business day.

Concrete work in Berkeley, CA, from driveways to foundations

J&L Berkeley Concrete Company is a concrete contractor in Berkeley, and our 16 services run from a new front walk to footings and full foundations. Most of what moves the price sits out of sight, like how much soft ground has to come out, how the site drains and how close a truck can get, with the finish you choose on top. The schedule turns on any permits and inspections, the weather on pour day and curing, the days new concrete needs to gain strength before you use it. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own job.

  • Concrete driveway building

    We build new concrete driveways from the ground up, digging out and packing the base first so the slab has firm ground under it every time you park.

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  • Concrete patio construction

    A new patio gives you a solid place to sit outside. We slope it gently away from the house and give it a broom finish, a brushed texture that grips when it's wet.

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  • Stamped concrete services

    Stamped concrete is pressed with patterned mats while it's still soft, so a patio, walk or pool deck can look like stone, slate or brick and keep concrete's strength.

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  • Concrete sidewalk building

    Front walk lifted or crumbling? We break out the bad sections and pour a new walk on a packed base, with joints cut in so any cracking follows a straight line.

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  • Garage floor concrete

    Garage floors take car weight and oil drips for years. We pour them thick enough for the load, with rebar, steel bars inside that hold the slab together if it cracks.

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  • Decorative concrete

    Decorative concrete covers color, exposed aggregate that shows the stones, scored patterns and sealed finishes, for homeowners and businesses who want a slab that looks finished rather than plain gray.

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  • Concrete retaining walls

    When a slope keeps creeping onto your yard, a concrete retaining wall holds it back. We build them on footings with drainage behind, because trapped water is usually what pushes a wall over.

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  • Concrete floor installation

    We pour interior concrete floors for basements, shops, studios and commercial spaces, set level and finished smooth or ready for sealing, so the floor is the surface you use every day.

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  • Concrete pool decks

    A pool deck has to drain fast and stay grippy under bare feet. We pour decks that slope away from the pool and the house, with a textured finish that cuts down on slipping.

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  • Concrete steps construction

    Front steps need every step the same height, so nobody misjudges one in the dark. We form and pour new concrete steps with rebar inside and a broom finish for grip.

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  • Slab foundation building

    A slab foundation is one concrete pad a building sits right on. We build them for additions, garages, backyard cottages and shops, over a packed base with rebar throughout.

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  • Foundation installation

    Building new or replacing an old foundation? We dig, form and pour perimeter foundations, the concrete walls and footings a house frame bolts down to, for new construction and full replacements.

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  • Concrete parking lot building

    We build concrete parking lots, drive aisles and loading areas for apartment buildings, shops and offices, graded so water runs to the drains instead of standing in the stalls.

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  • Concrete footings

    Footings are the wide concrete bases that spread a load into the ground under walls, posts, decks and additions. We dig them as deep as your plans call for and pour before framing.

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  • Foundation raising

    Doors sticking, cracks over windows, a floor that slopes? Those can mean a settled foundation, and we lift the low sections back toward level and support them so they're less likely to sink again.

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  • Concrete cutting

    Need a trench for a drain line or a damaged section removed cleanly? We saw straight, controlled cuts through slabs, walls and driveways so what stays in place stays whole.

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Concrete work, up close

These photos show the kinds of concrete work people ask us about, from broom-finished slabs to stamped patterns and formed walls. Use them as a starting point when you're picking a finish, and we'll talk through what suits your job.

Newly poured concrete driveway with control joints leads to an open garage beside a brick house.
Terracotta-colored stamped concrete patio with a diagonal grid sits outside a white house.
Concrete basketball court with a hoop sits in a leafy residential backyard.
Concrete patio and brick porch steps in front of a dark-sided home, with a tiered fountain nearby.

Why people around Berkeley call us for concrete

Most of what sets us apart happens before the truck arrives, in the planning, the ground work and the talk we have with you on site. Here's how we handle the parts of a job that decide how it holds up.

The base matters more than the finish

On day one, the base is the part nobody looks at. It's the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, plus the rock we pack over it, and when a budget gets tight it's usually the first thing people want to trim. I'd rather simplify the finish, because a slab raked smooth over loose dirt settles with the dirt and cracks where nobody planned.

Water is the other thing we look at before pricing anything. We check where it runs so the new slab falls away from your house, not toward it. We also plan pours around the midday heat that leaves a weak, dusty top, and we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give cracks a straight line to follow instead of letting them wander.

  • A sketch before the pour

    Before we pour anything, I walk the job with you and sketch it out right there, showing where the slab ends, which way it drains and where the joints go. You'll know each choice and why we made it before the truck ever shows up.

  • The owner prices your job

    I look at every job myself and put the estimate together, then run the crew that forms, pours and finishes it. The person pricing your job is the one who knows exactly how we'll build it, so there's no handoff from a salesperson to a crew.

  • Permit steps handled for you

    Before we price your job, we look up which office covers your address, because the answer depends on where you are and what you're building. When a permit applies, we handle the application and set up the inspections with you, so you aren't left chasing paperwork.

  • Your satisfaction, guaranteed

    We'd rather settle questions before the pour than after it, which is why we talk a job through until it makes sense to you. If that's how you want your project handled, tell us about your job or call (510) 345-1330.

What happens after you call us

Every job runs through the same four steps, from a short walkway to a full foundation. Here's what to expect between your first call and the walk-through at the end.

  1. Call or send a request

    Call (510) 345-1330 or send a request through the form with a short note about the job and a few photos if you have them. We reply within one business day to set a time to come out, and knowing the rough size and what's there now helps us plan the visit.

  2. I measure and walk you through it

    I come out myself to look at the job, measure it and check the ground and where water runs. I'll walk you through the choices right there, and then you get a free written estimate with no obligation, laid out so you can compare it against other bids.

  3. We prep, form and pour

    Once you say yes, we take care of any permit steps and inspections. Then our crew preps the ground, builds the forms, pours and finishes, with me running the job, and the slab gets its curing time before anyone uses it.

  4. We walk the finished work

    When the work is done, I walk the finished concrete with you and point out what we built and why. I'll explain how to care for it, like when it's ready for foot traffic and cars and what to keep off it early, so you get the most out of it.

A Berkeley concrete company run by its owner since 2017

I spent years at a desk before I wanted work I could stand back and look at, so I joined a concrete crew in the East Bay and learned the trade from the ground up. I started J&L Berkeley Concrete Company here in 2017, and most of our calls still come from homeowners with a driveway, patio, steps or foundation question.

We also take on bigger flatwork, the flat pours like parking lots and long drives, for property owners. We're licensed and fully insured. What I care about most is that you understand your own project before we pour it, because concrete is hard to undo and I'd rather talk it over than have you guess. You can read more about how we work.

  • Based in Berkeley, working in the cities around it across the East Bay
  • Open 8 AM to 10 PM weekdays, 6 AM to 9 PM weekends
  • Email hello@concretecontractorberkeley.com or call (510) 345-1330 to talk through a job

Cities we work in around Berkeley

J&L Berkeley Concrete Company is based in Berkeley, CA, and works in the cities around it across the East Bay, including Oakland and Richmond. The 12 cities below each have their own page, but they aren't the only places we work, so ask if yours isn't listed.

Questions about concrete estimates and projects in Berkeley

These are the questions people ask most before they hire anyone for concrete. Short answers are below, and I'm glad to go deeper on any of them when I come out to see your job.

What should I have ready before a concrete estimate in Berkeley?

Not much, just a rough idea of what you want and where it goes. Photos of the area, any plans you have and a sense of your budget help me give you choices that fit, and it's worth noting where water pools after rain.

Do I need a permit for concrete work in Berkeley?

It depends on the job, so we check which office covers your address before we price it. In Berkeley, the city's Permit Service Center issues building permits for construction work and most repairs unless the city exempts them, and exempt work can still need a zoning permit, a land use approval. If you want to check a rule yourself, the Permit Service Center is the place to ask.

Does a concrete contractor need a license in California?

In California, a contractor needs a state license when the job requires a building permit, uses any additional workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The state licensing board expects contractors to hold that license before they bid, so it's fair to ask about it when you're comparing estimates.

How long before I can walk or drive on new concrete?

You can walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, because it keeps curing and gaining strength for days after the pour. The exact wait depends on the mix and the weather, and I'll tell you the dates for your slab before we pour so you can plan around it.

Will my new concrete driveway or patio crack like the old one?

Most slabs crack somewhere over the years, and nobody can honestly promise one that won't. What decides how it looks is the prep, so we pack a firm base, keep water moving away and cut joints in on time so cracks follow lines we chose.

What should a written concrete estimate include?

A good written estimate should say how much ground comes out, how deep the base goes and how it's packed, the slab thickness, whether there's rebar, where the joints go and what finish you're getting. Those hidden lines are usually where bids differ, so compare them before you compare the bottom number.

Tell us about the concrete job you have in mind

Send the form, use our contact page or call (510) 345-1330, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I'll come out, measure and walk you through it, and the written estimate comes with no obligation.

(510) 345-1330
(510) 345-1330Get an estimate