Concrete Sidewalk Building in Berkeley CA - a safe, even walk in front of your house
Sidewalk out front cracked, lifted or uneven? We tear out the bad sections and pour a new walk that's even and safe.
What does it take to replace a cracked sidewalk in Berkeley?
Concrete sidewalk building in Berkeley means breaking out a cracked or lifted walk, packing the ground under it, and then forming, pouring and finishing new concrete so the sidewalk in front of your house is even and safe to walk on again.
Most calls start with a square a root has pushed up, a crack someone could trip on, or a walk that holds water after it rains. The price moves with how much concrete comes out, how much base work the ground needs once it's open and whether a car crosses any part of the walk. The schedule usually turns more on the city's permit and inspection than on our crew, and I measure your walk and give you a written estimate, so you know your number before anything gets broken out.
We're licensed and fully insured. The city tells owners who hire their own crew to get a quote from a licensed concrete contractor with a City of Berkeley business license, so ask anyone you call, us included, to show you both.
- Breaking out and hauling away the old walk, all the way down to the dirt underneath.
- Matching the new concrete to the curb, your driveway and any squares that stay, so nothing trips you.
- Cutting control joints, shallow grooves that steer cracks into straight lines we picked.
What happens after you call us about a Berkeley sidewalk?
From the first call to the final walk-through, here's who does what. I handle the visit and the estimate myself, and our crew does the forming, pouring and finishing with me running the job.
Call or send the form
Call (510) 345-1330 or send the form with your address and what's wrong with the walk. We'll set a time for me to come out and see it.
I measure and price it
I come out myself, measure the walk, check where the water runs and look up which office covers your address. You get a written estimate that spells out what comes out, what goes in and what it costs, so you can compare it side by side with other bids.
We handle the permit and pour
Once you say yes, we handle the permit application, prep the ground and set the forms. The city's engineering inspector has to approve the forms before any concrete goes in, and the city allows a pour only when rain isn't about to fall, so the pour date follows the inspection and the forecast.
Walk the finished sidewalk together
When it's done, I walk the new sidewalk with you and explain how to look after it over the first few days. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Photos of concrete walks, slabs and the work behind them
These photos show the kind of concrete work a sidewalk takes, from forms and fresh pours to finished surfaces. They're there to show the steps above, not any one job.
Curved brown stamped concrete patio with a block pattern beside a house and lawn.
Decorative concrete patio with a circular fire pit and chairs, bordered by gravel and garden beds.
Curved stamped concrete sidewalk runs beside a house, garage and landscaped garden beds.
Light-colored concrete pool deck beneath a white pergola, with patio furniture beside a blue swimming pool.
Stamped concrete pool deck surrounds a blue swimming pool beside a pergola and landscaped seating area.
Large stone-finished concrete patio surrounds a blue swimming pool and spa behind a suburban home.
Get a written estimate for your sidewalk
Send your address, the rough length of walk and photos of the damage, or call (510) 345-1330. We reply within one business day, then I come out to measure and you get a free written estimate with no obligation.
(510) 345-1330Questions Berkeley owners ask about sidewalk work
These are the questions I hear most from Berkeley owners looking at a cracked or lifted walk. If yours isn't here, ask me when I come out to measure.
Am I responsible for the sidewalk in front of my house in Berkeley?
Yes, in Berkeley the property owner is responsible for keeping the sidewalk next to the property in safe condition, and that includes fixing cracks and other damage. So when a section is broken or lifted, it's usually yours to deal with, and you have two ways to get it done.
How do I get a broken sidewalk fixed in Berkeley?
You can hire a licensed contractor at your own cost, or ask the city for help through its 50-50 sidewalk program, where the city does the repair and then bills you for half. Going through the city, you pay half and the city does the work, while hiring us means you pay the full cost and work out the details with me. When an owner hires a contractor, the city has the contractor submit a line drawing to apply for the permit, and we take care of that part.
How long before I can walk or drive on a new concrete sidewalk?
The city's rules say new concrete should stay closed to foot traffic for 24 to 72 hours and to cars for 72 hours. That wait is curing, the time concrete needs to harden and gain strength, so plan another way into the house and somewhere else to park until it's over.
How much does a new concrete sidewalk cost?
A concrete sidewalk in San Francisco usually costs about $5 to $12 per square foot, and that's the going rate across the bay, not our price. For a Berkeley figure, I measure your walk and put the price in a written estimate you can compare.
What causes a sidewalk to crack and lift?
Usually it's tree roots pushing up from below, or a base that was never dug out and packed, so the slab settles unevenly as the dirt moves. In Berkeley the trees between the sidewalk and the street belong to the city, and only city staff may prune or remove them, even when one is damaging your sidewalk, so we work around the roots and leave the tree to the city.
What is the best way to build a sidewalk where a car crosses it?
That stretch often needs to be thicker or reinforced with rebar, steel bars that hold the slab together, and one general guide says those sections may be needed where vehicles pass over a walk. If your driveway crosses the sidewalk, point that spot out when I come to measure so it's in the estimate.
Concrete sidewalk building in Berkeley and nearby cities
Sidewalk work here needs an Engineering Permit from the city's Permit Service Center, and we apply for it and set up the inspection with you. Between your property line and the curb, the city allows only standard finished concrete or soil.