Concrete contractor in Kent, WA - driveways and patios built from the base up
D&L Kent Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Kent, WA. We pour driveways, patios, sidewalks, steps and foundations for Kent homeowners, and we start every job with careful layout and a packed base.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Kent houses from the valley to the hills
Kent runs from the flat Green River valley up onto the hills on both sides, and our calls come from all of it. In the valley we work around older houses, newer neighborhoods and plenty of shops and warehouses. Up the hills it's more sloped lots, long driveways and backyards that need steps or a wall before they're usable. We're based here, and we do the same work next door in Renton, Auburn and Covington.
Most of what we pour here replaces an old slab, so the job usually starts with breaking it out and seeing what it was sitting on.
Our services in Kent, WA
- Concrete driveway building
Many older Kent driveways sink and crack because the base was only raked level. We tear them out and pour a new concrete driveway on a dug-out, packed base.
- Concrete patio construction
On flat valley lots, a patio that falls the wrong way sends water toward the house. We check where the water runs before we set forms, so yours slopes away.
- Concrete retaining walls
Hillside yards in Kent often need a wall to hold the soil back and give you flat ground. We dig and pack for the footing first, because the wall stands on it.
- Concrete steps construction
Hillside homes here often have front steps that pulled away from the house as the ground settled. We pour new steps on a packed base, measured to your doorway.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks at older Kent homes are often uneven where the ground moved under them. We replace the broken sections on a packed base, set flush with what stays.
- Garage floor concrete
Garage floors in older Kent houses often crack and chip, and some pitch back toward the house. We pour the new floor on a packed base, sloped toward the door.
What Kent's ground asks of your slab
On the flat valley lots the trouble is usually water. There's little natural fall to carry it away, so a slab poured dead flat or tipped toward the house keeps the water right where you don't want it. Before we set forms, I check where the water runs and pitch the slab away from your house. On the hills it's the opposite problem, so we cut and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, until the low side has firm support.
Most of the cracked and sunken driveways and patios we break out here failed the same way. Someone raked the dirt level instead of digging it out and packing it, and the slab settled right along with the dirt. The base is also where people want to cut first, since nobody sees it once the concrete's down. I'd rather put your money there than into a fancier finish, because a nice finish on a poor base cracks just the same. Your price moves with the size of the slab, how much old concrete we haul off, how much digging and packing the base needs, the thickness, and whether it gets rebar, the steel bars that help hold a slab together, or a decorative finish. The schedule turns on the tear-out, whether a permit is involved, and curing, the days fresh concrete needs to gain strength before you walk or drive on it. The written estimate I give you lists each part of the job, so you can see what's driving your number.
Get a free written estimate for your Kent concrete job
Send the form or call (253) 398-9060, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Kent property myself to measure and walk the site. You then get a free written estimate with each part of the job listed, with no pressure and no obligation.
Driveways, patios, walls and steps
Kent concrete questions answered
How do I find out who issues the permit for concrete work at my Kent home?
If your home is inside Kent city limits, the city's Permit Center issues building, engineering and utility, and residential permits, and you make an appointment with it to apply. Not every Kent mailing address is inside the city, so check your street address on the city's site first. We check which city or county office covers your address, take care of the permit when your job needs one and keep you posted on where it stands.
How do I check that a concrete contractor in Kent is registered with the state?
Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the state Department of Labor & Industries and to be bonded and insured. The registration number has to appear on their ads, business cards, estimates and bids, so look for it there. Any business working in Kent also needs a City of Kent business license, and the state bond on renewals since mid-2024 is $30,000 for a general contractor and $15,000 for a specialty contractor. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm glad to go over any of this at the estimate.
What building code applies to a concrete job on a house in Kent?
Washington's state building code applies in every city, and for houses that means the International Residential Code with the state's own changes. A newer edition is set to take effect May 3, 2027, so a project permitted after that date may fall under the updated version. We build to the code in effect for your job.
How do I find out if my Kent home is near the Green River floodplain?
Start with the Green River flooding information on the city's permit pages, which list flood resources and FEMA elevation certificates for homes in or near the floodplain. The King County Flood Control District also has a draft plan for reducing flood risk along the lower river through Kent, Auburn and Renton. If your lot is near it, tell me at the estimate, because I'll look harder at grade and drainage before we plan the slab.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Kent?
The cost of a Kent driveway is set by your measurements and your ground, so we price it in a free written estimate after I walk the site. On a hillside lot, the extra digging and forming usually adds to it, while a plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives shoes and tires grip, keeps it lower than stamped or colored concrete. A wide driveway, tight access for the truck or a lot of old concrete to haul off will push it up.
Will my new concrete patio in Kent crack like the old one?
It'll probably get a few small cracks, because concrete shrinks as it dries and nearly every slab cracks somewhere. It shouldn't break up and sink the way a slab on a raked base does. We control where the cracks go by cutting control joints, shallow grooves that give a crack a straight line to follow, on time, and by pouring early enough in the day that the top doesn't dry out before we finish it.