Concrete Contractor in Shoreline, WA - Driveways and Patios Built on Solid Ground
C&S Bothell Concrete Contractors is a concrete contractor based in Bothell that builds driveways, patios, steps, walkways and slabs for homeowners in Shoreline, WA, with careful ground prep and planning before anything is poured.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Shoreline houses, lots and the concrete around them
Shoreline is mostly neighborhoods of single-family houses, many built decades ago, often with the original driveway, front walk and back steps still in place. We also see newer townhomes and small apartment buildings near the main roads, and larger lots out toward Richmond Beach and up in the Highlands. Many of our calls here are to replace concrete that has done its time, such as a driveway that has sunk by the garage or a front walk the tree roots have lifted.
The work is a lot like what we do next door in Lake Forest Park and up in Brier, where we also meet older houses on uneven ground. Plenty of Shoreline lots slope toward the street or down toward the water, so before anything is formed I want to know where the rain runs, because a slab that sends water toward your foundation causes trouble no finish can hide.
Concrete services for Shoreline homes and properties
Concrete driveway building
Older Shoreline driveways often settle and crack on thin bases, so we break out the old slab, dig to firm ground and pack new base.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio here often has to work with a slope, so we set the grade to carry rain away from your house before we form the edges.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walkway the look of stone or brick, sealed to stand up to the damp, shady yards we see here.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks on older lots tend to heave and trip people up, so we replace them with a broom finish, a light brushed texture that grips when wet.
Garage floor concrete
When an older garage floor has cracked or slopes the wrong way, we pour a new slab with rebar, steel that keeps any crack from opening up.
Decorative concrete
Colored and exposed-aggregate finishes let an entry or patio suit the house, and we talk through upkeep before you choose, since some finishes need resealing.
Concrete retaining walls
On a sloped lot, a concrete retaining wall holds back soil for a flatter yard, with drainage behind it so water doesn't push the wall out.
Concrete floor installation
For basements, shops and additions on older houses, we pour interior floors over packed base and a vapor barrier that keeps ground moisture out of the room.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to shed water away from the pool and house, so we slope it with care and give it a texture that grips wet feet.
Concrete steps construction
Hillside houses here often need a run of steps up from the street, and we form each one to the same height so nobody's caught off guard.
Slab foundation building
For a new detached garage, shed or addition, we build the slab foundation on dug-out, packed ground, because what's under it decides how well it holds up.
Foundation installation
For an addition to an older house or a new build, we form and pour foundation walls tied into footings suited to the soil on your lot.
Concrete parking lot building
Small apartment buildings, churches and shops along the busier roads need parking that drains and takes daily traffic, so we pour thicker sections where cars turn.
Concrete footings
Decks, porches, posts and garden walls all start with footings, the concrete pads that spread the load, and we dig them to firm soil rather than loose fill.
Foundation raising
When part of a slab or older foundation has dropped, we find out why it sank before raising it, because lifting without fixing the cause rarely lasts.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches and clean edges in existing concrete, such as a sewer trench or a wider driveway, so the rest of your slab stays whole.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Shoreline property
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. Then I come out, look at the site and give you a free written estimate with what's included spelled out, and there's no pressure to book.
- Based in
- Bothell, WA 98011
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Working in Shoreline, from the permit to the price
Permits for work on your home or property here come from the City of Shoreline, and its permit staff take questions at (206) 801-2500. The city's list names jobs like additions, new homes, demolitions and tree removal rather than every patio or slab, so I look at the permit side of each job when I come out, and if one is needed we can prepare and file it and plan your start date around it. The city lets a contractor licensed by the State of Washington pull the permit for you, so it's worth asking anyone you hire about their state license. We're licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask. This matters to you because the permit stays the owner's responsibility, even for work an earlier owner did without one, and starting without a required permit can bring fines and doubled permit fees.
We're a short drive from Bothell, and Shoreline work is much like what we do in Kenmore and Kirkland. The price moves with the size of the slab, how much old concrete and soft soil have to come out, the slope, the finish you choose and how close the concrete truck can get, because a steep driveway or a house on a busy stretch near Aurora Avenue can mean pumping the concrete in. The schedule turns on the permit if there is one, dry weather for the pour and the curing wait, which is the time new concrete needs to gain strength before you drive on it. Your written estimate lays out your own figure and what it covers.
Why Shoreline driveways and patios wear out
Most of the tired concrete we replace in Shoreline failed from below, not on top. Older slabs were often poured on a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the subgrade, the soil and gravel the slab sits on, settled unevenly and the concrete cracked and sank with it. Add big trees pushing up roots and a yard that tips back toward the house, and you get the heaved walks and pooling water by the garage that people call us about. That's why we dig out to firm ground, pack a new base and set the slope so water runs away from your foundation.
Digging out exposes soil, and the city requires every project that does that, whatever its size, to manage the muddy runoff while the work is going on. On a lot that slopes to the street, we plan where the water will go before the old slab comes out, so the mud stays on your property and out of the street drains.
How a Shoreline concrete job runs, start to finish
Here's how it goes from your first call to the walk-through, so you know who you'll talk to, what you'll get on paper and when the crew arrives.
You call or send the form
Call (425) 384-1147 or send the form with a few words about the driveway, patio, steps or slab you have in mind. We'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out, and it helps if you can be home to show me what's bothering you.
I visit and write it up
I come out myself, look at the ground, the slope and where the water goes, and ask what you need the space to do. Then you get a written estimate that spells out what's included and what isn't, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
We plan and pour
Once you're ready, we sort out any permit questions and set a start date around them. Our own crew does the work, and I lead it on site, from digging out and packing the base to the pour, the joints and the finish.
We walk the job together
We clean up, and then I walk the finished job with you and explain how long to stay off it while it cures. Our promise is satisfaction guaranteed.
Questions about concrete work in Shoreline
Do I need a city permit to replace the driveway apron at the street in Shoreline?
Usually yes, because the city requires a Right-of-Way Use Permit for any work in the public right-of-way, and it lists driveway repaving as an example. The right-of-way is the strip along the street that belongs to the public, and the end of most driveways sits in it. I check where your property line runs when I come out, and we build that permit into the plan.
How do I find out if my Shoreline property is in a critical area?
Look up your address on the city's Critical Areas Map, which you'll find on its Get a Permit page. If a known critical area shows up, the city asks you to book an appointment with a planner. This matters for concrete work because permit exemptions apply only outside critical areas such as steep slopes, wetlands, streams, beaches and lakes, so we allow time for that meeting in the schedule.
Can I take out a tree to make room for a driveway or patio in Shoreline?
Only with a permit, unless the city's tree code exempts that tree, and the city asks you to contact it before removing any tree except in a true emergency, like one leaning on a power line. Penalties for removing a tree without a permit have sometimes been $15,000 or more. Until you've heard back from the city, we lay out the slab around your trees.
Who owns the sewer line under my driveway in Shoreline?
You own the side sewer on your own property, and the city owns the section in the public right-of-way, from your property line to the sewer main. That holds everywhere the city provides sewer, which is the whole city except the Highlands, where a separate sewer district serves. If you've had sewer trouble, it's worth fixing your section before we pour, because reaching it later means cutting through the new slab.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Shoreline?
Your figure comes from the written estimate I give after seeing the driveway, because the size, the old concrete coming out, the base work, access and the finish all move it. When the budget is tight, I'd keep the money in the base and save on the finish, because a plain broom finish on a well-packed base usually outlasts a fancy surface on soft ground. Nobody sees the base once it's poured, which is exactly why it gets cut first and why I won't cut it.
What causes concrete driveways to crack in Shoreline?
Besides a settling base and tree roots, most cracks we see come from control joints that were cut late or skipped. Control joints are grooves we cut on purpose so that the slab, which shrinks and moves a little as it ages, cracks along a straight line we chose instead of across the middle. We also pour early in the day when it's warm, since concrete that dries too fast in midday heat ends up with a weak, dusty top.
Ask for your Shoreline concrete estimate
If you call before the job is urgent, there's time to check your lot for permits, trees and the line at the street before we pick a start date.