Concrete cutting in Malibu CA - clean cuts planned around what's in the slab

Need an opening, a trench for a pipe or a bad section of slab taken out? We scan first, cut wet and leave clean, straight edges.

Request an estimate (424) 388-5404

Gray stamped-concrete patio beside a house, bordered in dark concrete and surrounded by gravel landscaping and a black fence.

What does it take to cut through concrete at my house?

Concrete cutting is sawing or drilling through concrete to make a clean opening, a trench or a straight edge. In Malibu we do it with a floor saw, a wall saw, a core drill or a hand saw, depending on what the job needs.

Most calls start with something that has to go through the concrete or come out of it, like a drain line under a garage slab, a doorway in a basement wall or a cracked, sinking section of driveway. The price moves with how thick the concrete is, how much steel is inside it, how many feet of cut or how many holes you need, how easy it is to get a saw in and how the water and slurry get handled. The schedule turns mostly on what has to happen before the first cut, which is the scan, whether your slab is post-tensioned and any approvals the city wants, and my written estimate lays all of that out for your job.

How we handle concrete cutting, from the first mark to cleanup

On the first visit I measure the area with you and we mark the cut lines together, so there's no question later about where the blade goes. I ask whether the slab is post-tensioned, built with steel cables pulled tight inside it, because that changes where we can cut at all. Before we cut or core, we scan for buried cable, conduit and rebar, the steel bars set in concrete for strength, so we know what sits in the path. Once we've settled where the crew hooks up water and power, we cut wet, because water on the blade cuts the dust way down, silica dust included. We collect the slurry, the gray paste of water and concrete the saw leaves behind, so it stays out of the drains, then break out and haul the cut pieces and leave the edges clean.

A cut is often the first step of a bigger job, and we can carry it through. When a cracked section of driveway comes out, the new one goes in as part of our concrete driveway building work. If you're widening a patio or replacing a broken corner, it becomes concrete patio construction. On either one I'd rather spend your budget on digging out and packing the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, than on the finish, because a weak base is where most new cracks start.

Sawing slabs, driveways and patios

This suits flatwork, the driveways, patios, walks and garage floors that sit on the ground, when a section has cracked or sunk or a line has to run underneath. We cut long, straight lines with a walk-behind floor saw and finish tight corners with a hand saw where a big blade can't reach.

Core holes and wall openings

Core drilling suits round holes for pipes, drains and conduit, because it leaves a clean, exact hole instead of a broken one. Wall sawing suits doorways, windows and openings in a basement or retaining wall, where the edges need to stay square for the next trade.

Why Malibu homeowners call True North Malibu Concrete for concrete cutting

I take the measurements myself

I come out to look at the job and take the measurements myself, and I'm on site with our crew when the cutting happens. When your project has an engineer, architect or soil consultant, we work alongside them so every cut matches their plans.

Measuring habits from years in a sign shop

Before concrete, I ran a small sign shop for years, where a job was only right if every measurement was right. I learned this trade working next to experienced finishers and foundation crews, and I started this business in Malibu in 2023.

Fully licensed and insured

We're fully licensed and insured, which matters on work that goes near buried lines and into the structure of your house. If you're planning a cut, call (424) 388-5404 or send our estimate form with a few lines about the job.

Get a written scope and price for your concrete cut

Call True North Malibu Concrete at (424) 388-5404 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day by phone or message. I'll come out for a free estimate with no obligation, measure the cut, look at access and the existing concrete, then send a written scope with a price you can compare line by line. If you have drawings, know where the cut goes or know whether the slab is post-tensioned, have that ready when I visit.

Phone: (424) 388-5404
Email: estimates@concretemalibu.com
Location: Malibu, CA 90265
Hours: Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM

Concrete cutting in Malibu and the city's permit steps

Malibu Building Safety takes permit requests for building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, pool and spa and excavation work through the city's Development Portal, and concrete cutting isn't named on that list, so whether your cut needs a permit is a question for the city. A project also has to clear Planning before it moves on to Building Safety, and Planning staff decide whether it's exempt from review. Before I price a job, I look into what the city asks for at your address and tell you what I found. Where approvals are needed, we plan the start around them and can handle the concrete side of the paperwork or work with your architect or engineer, but the city has the final word on your lot.

Here, cutting usually comes up during a remodel or rebuild, a new line run to a pool or guest house, or an older driveway or patio being replaced in sections. The city requires construction and demolition project managers to recycle or reuse at least 65% of the waste generated, so on a project that falls under that rule, we sort out where the broken concrete goes before the first cut. We're based in Malibu and take jobs in many of the cities around it, including Calabasas and Topanga. If you're not sure we cover your address, just ask when you call.

Questions about concrete cutting in Malibu

How much does concrete cutting cost in Malibu?

Across the US, professional concrete cutting usually costs about $3 to $10 per linear foot of cut. That's a national figure, not a Malibu price, and thick concrete, heavy steel, extra core holes or a hard spot to reach push a job toward the high end. My written estimate gives you the figure for your own job.

Can coring or cutting damage a post-tensioned slab?

Yes, coring and drilling into a post-tensioned slab after it's built can damage it and lead to tendon failure, the tendons being the tight steel cables that hold the slab together. If you know your slab is post-tensioned, every hole and cut gets planned around that before work starts. Any drawings from the builder or your engineer help us do that.

How do I know where it's safe to cut into my slab?

A GPR scan, ground-penetrating radar that reads what's inside the concrete, can help find embedded cables, rebar and conduit before anyone cuts. Drawings and what you can see on the surface aren't enough on their own to show a spot is clear. When you're comparing contractors, ask whether a scan comes before the first cut.

What is the best way to choose a concrete cutting contractor in California?

Start with the license, because in California the state's D-6 Concrete-Related Services class covers concrete sawing, breaking and coring. Ask which class a contractor holds, then ask how they check for steel and lines and how they handle dust and slurry.

What hours can a crew cut concrete in Malibu?

Malibu allows construction from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or holidays. Saws are loud, so we set the cutting day inside those hours and let you know the plan ahead of time.