True North Malibu Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Malibu, CA, and we build driveways, patios, pool decks, steps and retaining walls for homes across Calabasas. What goes under the slab gets more of our attention than the finish on top, because that's where most trouble starts.
(424) 388-5404
Calabasas jobs usually mean hillside lots, long driveways, and back patios or pool decks that step down with the yard. On ground like that a slab is only as good as what's under it, so most of our time goes into the dig-out, the drainage and the fall of the slab, the slight tilt that carries water away from the house instead of toward it.
The dry season here is long, and properties in the high or very high zones on the City's fire hazard map may fall under extra building rules and defensible space requirements, which cover the cleared space kept around a house. I look up where your property sits on that map before we plan any work close to the walls.
We reply within one business day, by phone or by message, and the estimate comes with no obligation. I come out to your Calabasas property myself, measure the area, and look at access and any existing concrete. Then I send you a written scope with a price you can compare line by line.
(424) 388-5404Most Calabasas calls are for driveways, concrete patios and pool decks, with retaining walls, steps and garage floors close behind on the sloped lots. All of it is flatwork, the slabs you walk and drive on, or wall work, and we build it the same way underneath, with a dug-out, packed base, steel where the job needs it and joints cut on time.
Inside city limits, the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division issues construction permits, and if your property sits in unincorporated LA County, County Public Works issues them instead. Bigger jobs like retaining walls, pools and patio covers need full plans and a formal review, and the fees are paid before a permit is issued, so on those the approvals usually set the start date. The City doesn't require a business license, so the license to check is the contractor's state license, which the City verifies before it issues a permit. Before I price a job I look into what the office for your address asks for and tell you what I found, then we plan the start around any approvals and handle the concrete side of the paperwork or work alongside your architect or engineer. The price moves with the size of the area, how much digging and base the ground needs, access for the truck and crew, and the finish, and after the pour the curing wait decides when you get the space back.
Access shapes a lot of our planning here, because hillside driveways and tight side yards decide where the truck can park and whether we pump the concrete in through a hose or wheel it in. Oaks often grow close to driveways and patios in Calabasas, and if the work would mean pruning or removing one, the City asks you to contact it first to learn what to do, so we settle that before anyone digs. We do the same kind of work next door in Agoura Hills and over in Topanga, where the slopes and dry summers are much the same.
The base is hidden on day one, so it's the first thing people cut to save money, and it's the one part I won't cut. We dig down to firm subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, and pack the base so the slab doesn't settle with the dirt.
Before any work starts, you get a written scope that spells out what goes under and into the concrete, along with the slab thickness and the finish. That way you can hold our price against another bid line by line and see what each one leaves out.
I come out to measure the job and check access myself, and I'm on site with our crew when we pour. When a rebuild has an engineer, architect or soil consultant, we work alongside them. Call (424) 388-5404 to set up a visit.
Your number comes from measuring your site, and on Calabasas jobs the two biggest swings are usually the finish and the slope. A broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives your shoes and tires grip, costs less than stamped or decorative work, and a sloped lot that needs more digging or a short wall adds cost. The written estimate shows each piece on its own line, so you can see where the money goes.
Plan on checking first, because the City's planning FAQs say almost any exterior change will require permits, and exterior work likely needs a Zoning Clearance, the City's zoning sign-off, before anything else. I look into what your address needs before I price the job and tell you what I found.
A retaining wall under 3 feet tall doesn't need a City construction permit unless it holds back a surcharge, which is extra weight behind it such as a driveway, a slope or a structure. Taller retaining walls go through full plans and a formal review, and garden walls over 42 inches need permits as well. Since exterior work can still need the zoning sign-off, I check your address before we set a start date.
Look the contractor up with the Contractors State License Board, because the state requires a license when a project needs a building permit, uses employees, or adds up to $1,000 or more in labor and materials across its contracts. We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to check before you sign anything.
Most cracks start with the base problem described above, or with control joints that were cut late or skipped. Control joints are shallow cuts that give the concrete a straight place to crack as it shrinks, so we cut them on time and lay rebar, the steel that holds the slab together, where the job calls for it. A pour in midday heat can also leave a weak, dusty top, which is why we start early in warm months.
You can walk on it well before you can drive on it, because concrete keeps gaining strength while it cures, the slow hardening that goes on for days after the pour. The exact wait depends on the mix and the weather that week, so I give you the walk-on and drive-on dates before we pour. If you need your car out during that time, tell me at the estimate and we'll plan around it.
