Concrete Contractor in Palm Desert - Slabs Poured on a Packed, Drained Base
Cathedral City Concrete builds concrete driveways, patios, pool decks and foundations for homes and small commercial properties in Palm Desert, CA. Based nearby in Cathedral City, we care as much about the ground under the slab as the surface.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Your concrete contractor in Palm Desert
Palm Desert is a short drive from our base in Cathedral City, and the calls we get here look a lot like the ones we get across the valley: driveways, back patios, pool decks and front walks for homeowners, plus the occasional parking area or slab for a small commercial property. We do the same work next door in Rancho Mirage and farther east in Indio, so the crew that pours your slab already knows the desert ground it's going on.
A lot of what I'm asked to look at here is an older driveway or pool deck that has cracked or sunk in spots. Before I price a replacement, I want to know why the old one failed, because the ground under it and the water around it usually tell me more than the cracks on top.
- Base dug out and packed firm
- Slab sloped to carry water away
- Joints cut where cracks should go
- A walkthrough of the finished job
Concrete work we do in Palm Desert
Here's the work we do on Palm Desert homes and small commercial properties, with what we watch for on each kind of job.
Concrete driveway building
A driveway carries your car every day, so we dig out soft ground and pack the base before we pour, which helps keep it from settling unevenly.
Explore Concrete driveway buildingConcrete patio construction
For a back patio, we cut control joints early, shallow grooves that guide where cracks form, so the slab doesn't crack on its own across the middle.
Explore Concrete patio constructionStamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or entry the look of stone or tile, and we seal it to help the color hold up in strong sun.
Explore Stamped concrete servicesConcrete sidewalk building
Front walks and side paths turn into trip hazards when a panel sinks, so we replace the sunken sections and set them flush with the panels that stay.
Explore Concrete sidewalk buildingGarage floor concrete
A garage floor takes oil drips and turning tires every day, so we pour it level and smooth enough to sweep, with a slight fall toward the door.
Explore Garage floor concreteDecorative concrete
Colored and textured finishes let a slab suit a stucco house and desert landscaping, and we show you samples first, since color is hard to change later.
Explore Decorative concreteConcrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps up or down, a retaining wall holds the soil back, and we drain behind it so water doesn't build up and push on the wall.
Explore Concrete retaining wallsConcrete floor installation
Casitas, workshops and small commercial spaces here often want a concrete floor, and we level and finish it to suit what goes on top, or nothing at all.
Explore Concrete floor installationConcrete pool decks
Pool decks are one of the jobs we're best known for, and we give them a broom finish, a light swept texture that helps wet feet grip.
Explore Concrete pool decksConcrete steps construction
Front and patio steps need even rises so nobody catches a toe, and we set rebar, the steel bars that keep concrete from pulling apart, through each one.
Explore Concrete steps constructionSlab foundation building
For a new home, addition or casita, we pour the slab foundation to the approved plans, on ground that's been dug out, packed and checked first.
Explore Slab foundation buildingFoundation installation
Garages, workshops and room additions need footings and foundation walls built to the plans, and we form, reinforce and pour them so the building has firm support.
Explore Foundation installationConcrete parking lot building
Small commercial owners call us for parking areas and drive aisles, which we grade to drain toward a set spot so water doesn't pool by the doors.
Explore Concrete parking lot buildingConcrete footings
Patio covers, block walls and gate posts all stand on footings, concrete pads that spread their weight, and we dig them to the depth the plans call for.
Explore Concrete footingsFoundation raising
If a slab or foundation has sunk, we find out why first, usually soft or wet ground, before raising it, so the cause gets fixed along with the level.
Explore Foundation raisingConcrete cutting
We cut clean openings, trenches and edges in existing concrete for new plumbing, a wider driveway or a doorway, leaving the rest of the slab in one piece.
Explore Concrete cutting
Request your free on-site estimate
Tell us what you'd like built in Palm Desert. I'll reply within one business day to set a visit, then send a free written estimate, no obligation.
What Palm Desert ground and heat ask of concrete
Most of what goes wrong with concrete here starts before anyone sees the surface, in the ground under the slab, the hour it's poured and where the water runs off.
Ground that was never packed
Sunken slabs here usually sat on dirt raked level, not packed, so we dig to firm subgrade, the ground a slab rests on, and compact it.
Afternoon sun on fresh concrete
Concrete poured in afternoon sun dries too fast on top and can turn weak and dusty, so we pour early in the day and keep the fresh slab damp.
Water by the house and pool
We check where water runs before we form anything, then slope the slab away from your walls and the pool so it doesn't sit against them.
Your city not listed? Call us
We're a concrete contractor based in Cathedral City, CA, and we work in many of the cities around it, from Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs to La Quinta and Beaumont. Pick your city from the list to read what we see on jobs there.
If your city isn't on the list, please call (442) 219-3033 or send a message anyway. The list shows the cities with their own page, not every place we work.
From your call to the finished slab
I keep the estimate simple because you should see the whole job in writing, and understand each choice in it, before you decide anything.
Call or message us
Call (442) 219-3033 or send the form, and I'll get back to you to set a time to come out and see the job.
I come out
I come out myself, measure, look at the ground and where the water runs, and listen to what you have in mind for the space.
Your written estimate
You get a free estimate written out in full. If a permit is needed, we apply and plan around the 5 to 7 business days the city takes to approve the subcontractor list for final inspection.
Pour and walkthrough
Our foreman's crew can start as early as 5:30 a.m. on weekdays from May through September, when the city allows it, and I stop by, then walk the finished job with you.
Palm Desert concrete questions
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Palm Desert?
The city decides that, through its Building & Safety Division, which issues permits for construction in Palm Desert, reviews plans and does the inspections. Bigger jobs can also need the city's planning staff to approve setbacks, the distance from your lot lines, or a grading permit. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application, set up the inspections and keep you posted.
Does a contractor from Cathedral City need a Palm Desert business license?
Yes, Palm Desert requires every business working in the city to hold a City business license, including contractors based outside it. A contractor needs a current one before the city will issue a permit, so it's a fair question to ask anyone you're considering, us included, and the city's business license page explains the requirement.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Palm Desert?
The price comes down mostly to the size of the slab, what's under it and the finish you pick, and I'll give you your own figure in a free written estimate. Tearing out an old slab, digging out soft ground, adding rebar and choosing a stamped or colored surface all add cost, while a plain broom finish keeps it lower. If the budget is tight, I'd keep the money in the base and save on the finish, because a fancy surface on a poorly packed base cracks just like a plain one.
What causes a new concrete patio to crack, and can you prevent it?
Concrete shrinks as it hardens, so some fine cracking is normal, but most bad cracks come from a soft base, water getting under the slab, or joints cut late or skipped. We pack the base, steer water away and cut the joints on time, so when a hairline crack does form, it usually forms in a joint where you won't notice it.
How long does new concrete take to cure before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on new concrete within a few days and drive on it after a longer wait, and I'll tell you both waits for your slab at the estimate. Curing is the time the slab spends slowly gaining strength, and it can't be rushed, since concrete that dries out too fast ends up weaker.
Does Palm Desert's earthquake zone affect a concrete foundation?
Yes, the city places Palm Desert in Seismic Design Category D, an earthquake design level that plans for a home, addition or other building here are drawn to. We pour foundations and footings to the approved plans, with the rebar and depths they show, so the work matches what the city reviewed.
Talk to Cathedral City Concrete about your slab
Call (442) 219-3033 or send a request, and I'll come look at what's under your old slab before you spend anything on a new one.