About our concrete contractor crew in Berkeley
J&L Berkeley Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Berkeley, CA. I've run it since 2017, and I come out to see every job myself before we price it. We build driveways, patios, steps and foundations, and you'll hear the reason behind each choice before anything gets poured.
Why I left a desk job to pour concrete
I spent years at a desk before I wanted work I could stand back and look at. So I took a job with a concrete crew in the East Bay and learned the trade from the ground up. In 2017 I started J&L Berkeley Concrete Company here in Berkeley.
The first thing the trade taught me is that concrete is hard to undo. Once it's poured, a bad call stays in your yard for years, so I'd rather spend more time talking a job over with you up front than have you guess. I'm also honest about what concrete can't do, and no slab is crack free.
Most of our calls come from homeowners with a driveway, patio, steps or foundation question, plus some property owners with bigger slabs. Berkeley sits close to major earthquake faults, which is one more reason I take my time with what goes under a slab or a foundation.
What working with us looks like on your job
These are the things you'll notice when we work on your house, from the first visit to the last day. Each one comes from how I run every job, big or small.
You'll understand the plan
Before we pour, I walk you through each choice in plain words and sketch it out right there on site. You'll know where the control joints go, the cuts that tell the slab where to crack, and why the base is built the way it is, so nothing comes as a surprise.
Your estimate comes from me
I come out myself to look at every job and give the estimate, because I'm the one who knows exactly how we'll build it. Our crew then does the forming, pouring and finishing with me running the job, so what we talked about is what gets built.
The ground prep comes first
The base under your slab is hidden on day one, so it's the first thing people want to cut from a budget. We'd rather dig it out, pack it and check where the water runs, because a nice finish on soft ground still settles, sinks and cracks.
We handle the permit steps
We look up which office covers your address before we price the job, so the permit is part of the plan from the start. When a permit applies, we handle the application and set up the inspections with you, and you aren't left chasing paperwork.
Licensed and insured for concrete work in California
The state licensing board says a contractor needs a license before bidding on work that needs a building permit, uses any extra workers or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. We're licensed and fully insured.
- Response time
We reply within one business day.
How a concrete job with us goes, step by step
Here's how a job goes with us, from your first call to the day you can use your new concrete. It's the same four steps whether it's a short set of steps or a full driveway.
Call or send the form
Call us at (510) 345-1330 or fill out the form on our contact page, and tell us about your driveway, patio, steps or foundation. We reply within one business day to set up a time for me to come out and see it in person.
I come out and look
I walk the job with you and look at the old concrete, the ground under it and where the water goes when it rains. You tell me what you want from the space, and I explain what I'd build and why, so your questions get answered before any number comes up.
You get a written estimate
Your estimate is free and in writing, so you can set it beside other bids and compare. The price usually turns on the size, how much old concrete comes out, the base work and the finish you pick, and there's no pressure to book.
We pour and finish it
Our crew forms, pours and finishes the job with me running it the whole way. Before we leave, we clean up and tell you how long the concrete needs to cure, which is the wait while it gains strength, before you walk or drive on it.
Where we work in and around Berkeley
J&L Berkeley Concrete Company is based in Berkeley, California, and we work in Berkeley and the cities around it. Oakland and Richmond are among the 12 cities with their own pages below, Berkeley included, and they aren't the only places we go.
Tell us about your concrete project
Call (510) 345-1330 or use our contact page to describe your driveway, patio, steps or foundation, and I'll come out to look at it and explain what I'd build.