ServicesDriveways
Driveway Replacement in Mission Viejo
We take out the worn slab, build a firm compacted base and place a steel-reinforced driveway sized for the vehicles you park. A line-item quote comes first, so you can pick a season that fits your budget instead of waiting until a broken slab forces the timing.
When a new driveway is the right call
Most driveways around Mission Viejo were poured when the homes were built, often 40 or more years ago. By now many show the same pattern: cracks that have opened and shifted, slab sections that tip toward the garage, and an apron that has broken where it meets the street. Those are signs the base or the soil under it has moved. A new surface on top would not fix that, so we take the slab out and start from the ground.
A driveway is also one of the larger outdoor projects on your home, and it rarely needs to happen this week. If you call while the problems are still cosmetic, we can measure, explain what we see and give you numbers to plan with. Many homeowners set the job for a dry month and tie it in with a new walkway or side yard to share the demolition and mobilization.
What goes into one of our driveways
- Demolition and haul-off
- Edges that meet surfaces staying in place get a clean saw cut. Then the old slab is broken up, loaded out and taken for recycling, while we shield the garage door threshold and nearby walks.
- Subgrade and base
- We shape the soil so water drains away from the garage and house, then spread and compact crushed aggregate base. Much of the area sits on clay that expands when wet and contracts as it dries, and a solid, level base is what stops the new slab from rocking.
- Reinforcement
- Rebar rides on chairs at mid-depth in the slab, where it carries load, rather than resting on the dirt. At the garage slab and the apron we add dowels so the panels cannot step up or down against each other.
- Pour, finish and joints
- We use a residential driveway mix, usually 4 inches thick or more, with extra depth where heavier vehicles sit. Control joints are tooled or saw-cut on a planned layout so shrinkage cracks run straight instead of wandering.
- Finish options
- Broom finish adds traction on a sloped drive. Exposed aggregate, integral color or stamped borders are available too, and the Stamped Concrete page goes into patterns.
- Permit for the apron
- The apron and curb cut usually fall within the public right-of-way, which generally means a city permit and an inspection. That paperwork is part of our job.
Signs your driveway is ready for replacement
Cracks with a height difference
A hairline crack is normal shrinkage. When one side sits higher than the other, the slab has moved, and the edge becomes a trip point and a snag for shovels and tires.
Water pooling toward the garage
If rain runs to the garage door or sits in a low spot, the slab has settled or was poured without enough fall. That water soaks the base and speeds up further settling.
Broken or crumbling apron
The apron takes the weight of every car turning in. When it breaks into pieces at the gutter, it usually means thin concrete or no reinforcement at that edge.
Tree roots lifting slabs
Roots from parkway or yard trees can raise whole panels. Replacement lets us cut the roots back properly before the new base goes in.
Planning other work nearby
If a garage floor, new walkway or landscaping project is coming, replacing the driveway at the same time avoids tearing up fresh work later.
What sets the price of a new driveway
Three things drive most of a driveway budget: the area you are paving, the condition of the ground under it and how much old concrete has to come out first. Soil and base conditions vary from one lot to the next, so we price after walking your site instead of quoting a flat per-square-foot figure. Every item below shows up as a separate line on your quote, which helps you budget, phase the project or cut scope where it makes sense.
Area and slab depth
Square footage decides how much concrete, steel and labor go into the job. Parking for an RV or a heavy work truck calls for a thicker slab, and our Concrete RV Parking Pads page covers that.
Tear-out and haul-off
Removing an old slab costs more when it is thick, heavily reinforced or was poured over an earlier layer. Truck loads and recycling fees scale with the weight that leaves your property.
Base and soil condition
Expansive clay, soft spots or a wet subgrade mean more excavation and more compacted aggregate base. We cannot see all of this until the slab is out, so the quote explains how any added base work would be priced.
Apron, permit and inspection
When the apron or curb cut sits in the public right-of-way, the city permit fee and the inspection visit become part of the cost. Replacing the apron at the street also adds forming and saw-cutting at the gutter.
Finish and timing
A broom finish is the simplest option, while exposed aggregate, integral color or stamped borders add material and finishing time. Picking a start date months ahead gives you more choice of dates than fitting the work in around a sale or move.
How a driveway job runs
- 1
Measure and quote
We check the slab, the grade and where water flows across your lot. Your quote lists demolition, base, concrete and finish separately, so you can see what each choice adds.
- 2
Schedule and permit
Together we pick a start date, and we file for the apron permit when one applies. You will know in advance which days the driveway is closed so you can sort out parking.
- 3
Tear-out and base
Removal and base prep normally take one to two days. We set forms, place rebar and dowels, and when the city requires it, an inspector reviews the apron forms before the pour.
- 4
Pour day
Concrete goes down, gets screeded, finished and jointed in a single continuous placement. We then cure it so the surface does not lose moisture too quickly in direct sun.
- 5
Cure and handover
Walking on it is fine by the next day. Cars should wait roughly a week and heavy trucks a while longer, and the site is cleaned up before our crew leaves.
Common driveway questions before you plan
Could you just put a fresh layer of concrete on top of the driveway I have now?
That is not something we recommend. A thin overlay mirrors every crack and sunken panel underneath, and it raises the surface against your garage door threshold. Taking the old slab out and rebuilding the base fixes the reason it failed in the first place.
How many days will my driveway be out of use?
Expect roughly a week and a half from demolition until cars can park on it again. We set those dates with you ahead of time so you can plan for street parking.
Is the new concrete going to crack?
Concrete shrinks slightly as it cures, so some cracking is expected. Control joints on a planned layout steer those cracks into straight lines, and rebar over a compacted base keeps the panels from separating or settling unevenly.
Are you licensed, and is there a warranty on the work?
Yes. We are licensed by the California State License Board (CSLB) and have been in business 15+ years. Driveways we pour come with a 1-year warranty.
Will you take on a driveway outside Mission Viejo?
We do. We pour driveways in nearby cities including Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Rancho Santa Margarita and Ladera Ranch. Our Service Areas page lists the full area we cover.
Put your driveway on the calendar
Describe what your driveway is doing today and roughly when you want the work finished. We will go over the scope with you and arrange a visit to take measurements.