Paramount Concrete Concrete Contractor · San Mateo, CA
What We Do

Services

Here's what we pour, fix and finish, and what each job actually involves.

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Everything we take on

Every job below is one we do ourselves across San Mateo.

Concrete Driveways

We form and pour driveways thick enough to carry a vehicle without cracking under normal use, usually 4 inches for a car and more for anything heavier. Rebar goes down before the pour on anything that'll see regular traffic, since wire mesh shifts and stops doing its job once the base settles. We grade the slab to pitch water away from the garage, not toward it.

Concrete Patios

Patios get a broom finish or a light exposed aggregate, depending on how much slip resistance you want when it's wet. We set the pitch away from the house so water doesn't sit against your foundation. Control joints go in at the right spacing so any cracking that happens later follows the joint, not a random line across the middle.

Stamped Concrete

Stamped concrete gets you the look of flagstone, brick or slate without individual pavers to relevel every few years. We color it before the pour with an integral color or a release agent for pattern definition, then seal it once it's cured. The stamping has to happen while the concrete is still plastic, so timing on pour day matters more than on a plain slab.

Concrete Repair

We fix cracked slabs, spalling from years of deicing salt or fertilizer, and sections that have settled or heaved. Small cracks get routed and filled, while bigger settlement problems usually mean mudjacking or a full slab replacement. We'll tell you honestly if a patch will hold or if you're just delaying a tear-out.

Concrete Foundations

We pour footings and foundation walls for additions, ADUs and new structures, tied into whatever the soil conditions call for. Rebar placement and cure time matter more here than on any other job, since everything else in the structure sits on it. We schedule pours around the permit and inspection process so the work doesn't sit waiting for a sign-off.

Concrete Sidewalks & Walkways

City sidewalks have to meet specific slope and width requirements, and a lot of older Peninsula walkways were poured before those rules existed. We match new sections to existing grade where we can, or replace the whole run if the old slab has heaved past the point of a clean patch. Expect about five days before foot traffic and closer to a week before anything heavier crosses it.

Concrete Steps & Stairs

Front steps take a beating from foot traffic and settle unevenly when the soil under one side is compacted differently than the other. We form and pour steps with rebar tied into the stoop or porch slab so the whole structure moves together instead of separating at the seam. Riser height and tread depth get checked against code before we pour, not after.

Concrete Slab Removal & Replacement

Sometimes a slab is too far gone to patch, too many cracks, too much settling, or it was never poured with the base compaction it needed. We break it out, haul it away, re-grade and compact the base, then form and pour a new slab that's actually built to hold. This is usually the right call once repairs start costing more than a fresh pour would.

Concrete Retaining Walls

Retaining walls hold back soil on sloped lots, which is common enough on the Peninsula's hillside streets. We size the wall and its drainage for the amount of soil and water it's actually holding back, not a generic spec. A wall that traps water behind it will fail no matter how thick you pour it, so weep holes and gravel backfill aren't optional.

Exposed Aggregate Concrete

Exposed aggregate gives you a textured, non-slip surface by washing off the top layer of cream to expose the stone underneath. It holds up well on pool decks and walkways where a smooth trowel finish gets slippery when wet. Timing the wash-off right after the pour is what separates a good exposed finish from a blotchy one.

How It Works

Four steps, and no surprises in any of them.

01

We come and look

You tell us what you want doing, we look at what is actually there, and we ask the awkward questions early.

02

You get a price

In writing, itemised, free. If something might add cost later we flag it now rather than at the end.

03

We do the work

Same crew throughout. We cover your floors, keep the dust down and tidy up before we leave each day.

04

We walk it with you

You point out anything you are not happy with and we fix it before the invoice, not after.

Where We Work

All of this, across San Mateo, CA

These are the towns we're regularly out pouring and repairing concrete in.

San Mateo, CA
San Jose, CA
San Francisco, CA
Oakland, CA
Fremont, CA
Hayward, CA
Sunnyvale, CA
Santa Clara, CA
Daly City, CA
Redwood City, CA
Mountain View, CA
Common Questions

Things worth asking

Questions that come up once a concrete project is actually underway.

Do I need a permit to pour a new driveway or patio?
Most cities require a permit for new driveways, foundations and any concrete work that affects drainage or sits near a property line, San Mateo included. Smaller repairs or replacing an existing slab in the same footprint sometimes don't need one, but it's worth confirming with the local building department before work starts.
How long does a typical concrete pour take to finish?
A driveway or patio pour itself usually takes one day once forms are set and the base is prepped, but the full job runs longer. Expect a few days for forming and base compaction beforehand, then a curing period of about a week before the surface can handle vehicle traffic.
Can concrete work be done on a tight budget?
Concrete costs can be adjusted by choosing a plain broom finish over stamped or colored concrete, reducing the footprint, or phasing a large project into sections poured over time. Cutting corners on base prep or rebar to save money isn't a safe way to reduce cost, since it usually leads to cracking and a repair bill later.
Do you guarantee your concrete work?
A reputable concrete contractor stands behind cracking or settling that results from a workmanship issue, like poor base compaction or joints cut in the wrong spots. Cracking caused by tree roots, soil movement after the job, or damage from heavy equipment driving on the slab too early typically falls outside a standard guarantee, so it's worth asking what's covered before the pour.
Who will I be dealing with day to day during the project?
On most concrete jobs, a crew lead or foreman is on-site daily and is the point of contact for questions while the work is underway. Larger foundation or retaining wall projects may also involve occasional visits from an engineer or inspector tied to the permit.
What kind of concrete mix and reinforcement do you use?
Standard residential concrete work uses a mix rated around 3,000 to 4,000 PSI, with rebar for driveways and anything carrying vehicle weight, and wire mesh for lighter-use patios and walkways. Higher-strength mixes and heavier rebar spacing are used for foundations or retaining walls that carry more structural load.
Can I still live in my house during a driveway or patio project?
Yes, most driveway and patio work doesn't require homeowners to move out, though you'll lose use of the driveway or backyard area for the length of the pour and cure time. Expect noise from concrete trucks and equipment on pour day, and dust during any demolition or base prep.
How should I prepare the site before the crew arrives?
Clearing vehicles, furniture, planters and anything else off the work area before the crew arrives saves time on the first day. It also helps to flag any sprinkler lines, drainage pipes or buried utilities near the pour area so they aren't damaged during excavation.
What happens if you find something unexpected once the old concrete is broken out?
Unexpected soil issues, old debris under a slab, or root systems from a nearby tree sometimes turn up once demolition starts, and they can change the scope of a concrete job. A contractor should explain what was found, what it means for timeline and cost, and get approval before continuing rather than just proceeding and billing for it after.
How do I take care of a new concrete slab after it's poured?
New concrete should be kept off vehicle traffic for about a week and foot traffic for a couple of days while it cures. Sealing the surface every few years and avoiding deicing salt in colder climates helps prevent surface scaling and extends the life of the slab.

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