Concrete Contractor in Carpinteria, CA - Driveways and Patios on a Solid Base

An older city brochure says a driveway replaced in the same spot at the same size needs no building permit, while changing the paved area may need a permit from the city's Community Development Department. Since that list is older, we ask the department before we start, and if a permit is needed, we file it and meet the inspector.

That same older brochure exempts walls up to four feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. A wall carrying extra load, like a slope or a driveway above it, or holding back liquids falls outside that exemption, so for anything taller or loaded we check with the city and handle the permit.

The Contractors State License Board requires a license when the job needs a building permit, uses any extra workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined. A larger project can't be split into smaller pieces to stay under that amount. We're licensed and fully insured.

As a rule, yes, the city requires a business license for all business activities within city limits. Every city license expires on June 30 each year, so it's reasonable to ask whether a contractor's license is current.

A well-built slab can still crack, but a packed base and control joints, grooves we cut so a crack runs where we choose, usually keep it from cracking the way the old one did. With soil that swells and shrinks, I'd put a tight budget into the base before a fancier finish, because the base is what holds the slab up.