Concrete Contractor in Tacoma, WA - New Slabs on a Properly Packed Base
D&L Kent Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Kent, WA. We pour driveways, walks, steps, patios and retaining walls for homes across Tacoma, and we build each one from the base up.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Older homes and newer lots across Tacoma
Tacoma is a big city with a lot of older neighborhoods. Houses there sit close together on narrow lots, with alleys, detached garages and front steps climbing up from the sidewalk, while houses toward the edges of the city tend to be newer, with wider driveways and more room to work. We come up from Kent for these jobs the same way we head to Federal Way and Des Moines. I walk every Tacoma lot before we price it, because two houses on the same block can need very different prep.
Much of what we replace here was poured long ago on dirt that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, and the older lots weren't graded with a new slab in mind. That's why our estimate starts with where the water runs and what's under the old concrete, and gets to the finish last.
Our services in Tacoma, WA
- Concrete driveway building
Older Tacoma driveways often sink because nobody packed the base under them. We tear out the old slab, rebuild the subgrade the concrete sits on, and pour fresh.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks on older houses often tip and catch toes as the ground settles. We do concrete sidewalk building on a packed base, with joints cut where cracks should go.
- Concrete steps construction
Steps on older houses here often pull away from the porch as they settle. We form and pour new ones with even rises on a packed base.
- Concrete retaining walls
Sloped Tacoma yards lean hard on the walls holding back their soil. We build concrete retaining walls on footings, with drainage behind so water has somewhere to go.
- Garage floor concrete
Older garages here often have thin, broken floors where water pools. We break out the old slab, pack the base and pour a new floor that drains toward the door.
- Concrete patio construction
Many older Tacoma backyards have a patched patio or bare dirt at the back door. We build patios that slope away from the house so water runs to the yard.
What Tacoma's ground and older houses ask
Some Tacoma ground is softer underneath than it looks. An older state hazard map says liquefaction, when soil loses its strength, typically happens in artificial fill and in loose, sandy soil that stays saturated, the kind found in low-lying coastal areas, along lakeshores and in river valleys. Soil moving that way can pull apart foundations and walls. The same map is only a general guide and can't show what's under one particular lot, because that takes a site-specific soil investigation by a qualified practitioner. If you're planning a foundation or footings on filled or low ground, that answer is worth having before we set a single form, and I'll bring it up at the estimate if your lot looks like it.
For driveways, walks and patios, the usual trouble is closer to the surface. When an old slab has sunk or cracked, we dig out the soft material, pack a new base and set the slab to fall away from your house. Then we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the few normal cracks every slab gets a straight line to follow.
Get a free written estimate for your Tacoma concrete job
Tell us about your Tacoma project, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself to measure and walk the site, and you get a free written estimate with each part of the job listed. There's no obligation, and you can ask me about permits while I'm there.
Concrete driveways, patios and steps
Tacoma concrete questions answered
How do I check if my concrete job in Tacoma needs a permit?
Ask the city, because City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services handles permits inside city limits and decides what your address needs. Its online pages let you submit and search permits and schedule inspections. If you hire us, we check which office covers your address, take care of the permit when your job needs one, and keep you posted on where it stands.
Does every crew on my job need a Tacoma license?
Yes. Every subcontractor working at a Tacoma job site must hold a City of Tacoma license, and businesses working or looking for work inside city limits generally have to be registered and licensed with the city. The state also requires every construction contractor to register with L&I, the state agency, and to be bonded and insured. We're fully licensed and insured, and our own crew does the work while I run the job.
Which building code applies to my concrete project in Tacoma?
Tacoma uses the Washington State Building Code with the city's own changes added, and for houses that includes the International Residential Code as the city adopted it. The state has newer codes set to take effect in 2027, and Tacoma adopts its own changes to those separately, so the version that applies follows your permit's date. We build to the code that's on your permit.
How much does a concrete driveway or patio cost in Tacoma?
The price comes down to the size of the slab, what has to come out first and how much work the ground underneath needs, so I give you your figure after I measure. Tearing out old concrete, digging out soft dirt, a thicker slab with rebar, the steel that holds it together if it cracks, and a stamped or colored finish all add to it, while a plain broom finish, the light texture that gives your feet grip, keeps it down. If the budget is tight, I'd trim the finish before the base, because a bad base can't be fixed later without tearing everything out. The schedule turns on the permit, the tear-out and curing, the wait while the slab gains strength before you use it.
How do I get help if a contractor causes me financial loss in Washington?
You can apply to the state's Homeowner Recovery Program, which L&I runs for consumers harmed by construction contractors. Since July 1, 2026, eligible consumers can apply for recovery payments for financial loss from a contractor's work.
What paperwork should a contractor give me on a Tacoma home project?
On any residential job of $1,000 or more, L&I requires the contractor to give you its disclosure statement, a notice to customers. The same rule covers commercial projects of $1,000 to $60,000, so ask for it there too if you own a small commercial property. Our written estimate also lists each part of the job, so you can see what you're paying for.