Concrete Contractor in Renton, WA - Slabs That Sit Right on Hillside and Valley Lots
D&L Kent Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor building driveways, patios, steps, retaining walls and foundations for homes in Renton, WA, with the base under each slab dug out and packed before we pour.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Homes on Renton's hills and valley floor
Renton runs from the flat ground where the Cedar River meets the south end of Lake Washington up onto the hills, and the houses change as you climb. Closer to downtown we see older homes with narrow driveways and front walks that have settled and tipped over the years, while the neighborhoods up the slopes lean toward newer subdivisions with wider driveways, garage slabs and backyard patios. It's a short drive from Kent, where we're based, and we do the same kind of work in Federal Way and Auburn.
That spread is what shapes the job here. A lot on a slope pushes water across the yard toward whatever sits below it, and low ground near the river can stay soft, so how a slab holds up in Renton usually comes down to what's under it and what the lot does around it.
Our services in Renton, WA
- Concrete driveway building
Older Renton driveways often sink because they were poured on dirt that was only raked level. We tear out, dig down and pack the base before the new pour.
- Concrete patio construction
Sloped Renton backyards usually need a patio cut into the grade or built up to level. We measure and set the forms for that before any concrete patio is poured.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Walks along older Renton homes tend to heave and tip where the ground has shifted, leaving edges people trip on. We pull the broken sections, rebuild the base and repour.
- Concrete steps construction
Hillside homes in Renton often need a run of steps to the door, and old ones chip and loosen. We form new steps with rebar, steel that ties them together.
- Concrete retaining walls
Sloped Renton yards often need a wall to hold back soil and make room for a yard or parking spot. We build concrete retaining walls on proper footings with drainage behind them.
- Foundation raising
Parts of Renton's valley floor stay soft, and a garage slab or foundation can settle out of level over the years. We find out why it dropped before we raise it.
What Renton slopes and creeks mean for concrete
Some Renton lots sit in or near what the city calls critical areas, which are wetlands, steep slopes, creeks and old coal mine hazards, and the city requires a permit for any work in them. If your yard backs onto a creek or drops off steeply, that can mean extra studies before we pour, and the city's Planning Division at 425-430-7294 can tell you what your lot would need. I look for this when I walk the site, and we take care of the permit when your job needs one and keep you posted on where it stands.
The other thing we see on hillside lots is water. A driveway that falls toward the garage or a patio pitched at the back door sends runoff right where you don't want it, so we check where the water runs across the whole lot before we set a form and pitch the slab to carry it off.
Get a written estimate for your Renton concrete job
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to your Renton property myself to measure and walk the site. The estimate is free and comes with no obligation, and you get it in writing with each part of the job listed.
Driveways, patios and steps
Renton concrete questions answered
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete driveway or patio in Renton?
A bigger job can, because the city requires a Civil Construction Permit for site work with more than 500 square feet of new or replaced hard surface, more than 500 square feet cleared or disturbed, or more than 50 cubic yards of grading. For smaller jobs the city's permit list doesn't settle it, so I check your address and the size of the job at the estimate, and we take care of the permit when it needs one. You can read the city's rules on its permit services page.
Does a deck or shed need a permit in Renton?
A deck more than 30 inches above grade, counting a 5-foot perimeter around it, needs a building permit, and a shed under 200 square feet needs none. The shed rule speaks to the shed, so if you want a concrete pad under one or footings for a raised deck, I check what the city wants for that part when I'm out.
How do I check if my house is inside Renton city limits?
Look up your address on the city's COR Maps tool, which shows whether it falls inside the Renton city limits. It matters because addresses inside the limits go through the city's permit office, while a mailing address that says Renton can sit outside them and fall under a different office. We check which city or county office covers your address before we plan the permit.
Does a contractor from Kent need a Renton business license to work in Renton?
Yes, generally any business working inside Renton city limits needs a City of Renton business license, including out-of-city businesses with no physical location in the city, and one under the city's $4,000 business license threshold still needs the license but pays no fee. The city's permit office also wants a Washington contractor's license and that Renton business license before it issues any permit, and the state requires contractors to register with the Department of Labor & Industries and be bonded and insured. We're fully licensed and insured, and it's fair to ask any contractor you're considering about all of this.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Renton?
The price is set mostly by the size of the slab, how much old concrete we tear out and haul off, and how much digging and base work the ground needs before the pour. Hillside lots add to it when the forms have to step with the grade or water has to be carried off, and a stamped or decorative finish costs more than a plain broom finish, the light texture that gives tires and shoes some grip. If something has to give in the budget, I'd trim the finish before the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it decides whether the slab settles. I measure at the estimate and give you the figure in writing with each part listed.
What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink in Renton?
Most of it starts underneath, with a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settles as the dirt does. Water running toward the slab adds to it, and so does a pour in the midday heat that leaves a weak, dusty top, or control joints, the grooves cut so cracks run where we choose, that were cut late or skipped. We handle each of those on purpose, and you should still expect a few fine cracks because concrete does that, but most of them end up in the joints.