T&M Norwalk Concrete CompanyT&M Norwalk Concrete Company

Concrete Contractor in Downey, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on Solid Ground

T&M Norwalk Concrete Company is a concrete contractor based in Norwalk that pours driveways, patios, walkways and steps for Downey homeowners, and we start every job by getting the ground under the slab right.

Request a quote(562) 307-9138
Concrete patio beside a house, with a circular stone fire pit, seating, and a smooth tan slab.
  • Licensed and insured.
  • Free quotes on site.
  • We respond within 1 business day.

About Downey, CA

Downey is close to home for us in Norwalk, so it's one of the cities we're in most often. Most of the homes we're called to are single-family houses on their own lots, usually with a driveway running back toward a garage and a yard out behind, and there's a good share of apartments and condos mixed in. The streets look a lot like the ones in Norwalk and Bellflower, and so does the concrete.

A lot of that concrete has been down a long time, and the driveways, walks and patios poured with the houses have taken years of cars, tree roots and sprinkler water. That's why so many Downey calls start with a crack or a low spot instead of a bare yard.

Services in Downey, CA

  • Concrete driveway building

    A lot of Downey driveways are older slabs, cracked across or sinking near the garage. We break out the old concrete, dig and pack the base, then pour a new driveway.

  • Concrete patio construction

    Many back yards here have an old cracked patio or bare dirt. Our concrete patio construction starts by sloping the ground so water runs away from your house.

  • Concrete sidewalk building

    Front walks here get lifted by tree roots until someone trips. We cut out the raised sections, deal with the roots where we can and pour new concrete that sits flush.

  • Concrete steps construction

    Front steps on older houses tend to settle away from the porch or crumble at the edges. We form new steps with even heights and steel inside so they hold together.

  • Garage floor concrete

    Garage floors in older homes here are often cracked and uneven. We break out the worn slab, fix the ground under it and pour a floor that sheds water toward the door.

  • Concrete cutting

    Some jobs here start with a clean cut, like a trench for a drain line or a slab section coming out. We saw straight lines so the concrete you keep stays whole.

What to know before concrete work starts in Downey

Permits for concrete work in Downey come from the city's Building and Safety Division, which also checks plans and sends out the inspector, and permits are issued at the Building counter in City Hall. Plan review and inspections set part of your schedule, so before anything's booked we check whether your address needs a permit, and if it does we pull it and handle the paperwork for our part of the job. The city also wants a current Downey business license from any contractor working there, including ones like us whose office is outside the city, and a contractor pulling a permit has to have one, though it can be paid when the permit's issued. That's a fair thing to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring. We're licensed and insured.

Your price mostly comes down to the size of the job, how much old concrete we break out and haul away, how much base work the ground needs, how easy it is to get concrete to the spot and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather on pour day and how long the concrete has to cure before you use it. I look at all of that in person and put your figure in a written estimate, the same way we work in Buena Park and the other cities around Norwalk.

Downey, CA properties and local conditions

Water is behind a lot of the sinking and cracking we find here. A downspout that's dumped on one corner of the driveway for years, a sprinkler that soaks the edge of the patio or a slab that slopes back toward the house all soften the ground under the concrete until it drops. Pouring new concrete over the same water just starts the clock again, so I look at where your water goes first, and we regrade or redirect it as part of the job.

The other thing we plan around here is getting to the spot. Back patios often sit behind the house with only a narrow side yard to reach them, so we work out how the concrete gets in, by wheelbarrow or pump, before pour day instead of on it.

Get a free written estimate for your Downey concrete job

Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your place in Downey myself, look at the ground and ask what you need the concrete to do. Then I send you a written estimate, and there's no obligation to go ahead.

What happens after you call us about a Downey job

  1. Call us or send the form

    Tell us what's going on with your driveway, patio or walk, and we'll set a time for me to come out. It helps if you're home for the visit so you can show me what's bothering you.

  2. I come out and look

    I check the ground, where the water runs and how we'll get in, and ask what you need the slab to do. You get the cost in writing, so you know the number before you decide anything.

  3. We sort out permit and prep

    If your address needs a permit, we pull it, and the city's plan check and inspection decide when we can start. Then our crew digs out, packs the base and sets the forms.

  4. We pour, finish and walk through

    We pour, finish and cut the joints with me on site, then walk the job with you when we're done. Before we leave, you'll know when it's safe to walk on and when you can drive on it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace a concrete driveway or patio in Downey?

Usually, yes. The city says that generally any new construction, alteration or repair needs a permit, and hardscapes, the paved and built parts of a yard, are on that list. You can read the city's building permit information, and applications and plans can now go in online through the city's portal. For an unusual job the city's building staff can give you a straight answer, and we check your address either way.

Can I pull my own permit for concrete work on my house in Downey?

You can if you live in the single-family house the work is for, because the city issues permits to California licensed contractors or to an owner-builder living in that home. Condos, townhomes, apartments and duplexes are different, and permits for those go only to California licensed contractors. If you hire us, we pull the permit for our part of the job so you don't have to.

Does a short block wall need a permit in Downey?

A block wall or fence no taller than 42 inches doesn't need a building permit in Downey, but it still needs approval from Planning and possibly Engineering at the city. Anything taller needs a building permit on top of that approval. A wall that holds back soil is its own question, so I check that one with the city before I price it.

How do I keep the cost of a new concrete driveway down in Downey?

Save on the finish, not the base. Digging out, packing the ground and getting the water to run away from the house is the part nobody sees on day one, and it's the first thing a tight budget tempts people to cut, but it's what keeps the slab from settling and cracking. A plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives tires and shoes some grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete, and a simpler shape helps too.

What causes concrete driveways to crack in Downey?

Most early cracks come from a base that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settles along with the dirt under it. Water pooling under the slab does the same thing over time, and a pour in the midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top. Concrete shrinks as it dries, so we cut control joints, straight grooves that give it a chosen place to crack in a neat line, and we cut them early, pour in the cooler morning and slope the slab away from your house.

How long does a new concrete driveway need to cure before I can use it?

You'll be walking on it well before you're driving on it, and I give you both dates for your pour before we leave. Curing is the stretch after the pour when the concrete is still gaining strength, and putting weight on it too soon can chip the surface or crack it. Heat and the mix change the timing, so we tell you to keep cars off until it's ready.

Service areas

Explore the services

Norwalk, CA

Tell us about your Downey concrete job

Describe the job by phone at (562) 307-9138 or through the form, because the sooner I see why your old slab moved, the less of it usually has to come out.

Request a quote(562) 307-9138
(562) 307-9138Request a quote