Concrete Contractor in Camarillo, CA - Driveways and Patios on a Packed Base
Custom Simi Valley Concrete is a concrete contractor working in Camarillo, CA. We pour driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations for homeowners here, and we take on the sloped yards and old slabs that need some figuring first.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Camarillo homes as we see them on the job
Camarillo sits between Oxnard to the west and the hills toward Moorpark, and the calls we get here usually come from homeowners whose driveway, patio or walk has done its time.
On the flat streets, a lot of houses still have their original driveway and patio, and those slabs have usually settled at the garage or cracked across the middle. Around Old Town, the older part of the city, side yards run narrow and some slabs were poured over whatever was there before, so we often learn what's underneath only once the old concrete is up. Toward the hills the lots slope, the yards step down, and new concrete has to meet the house, the grade and sometimes a pool just right. On a flat lot the job is mostly about rebuilding the base, and on a sloped one it starts with where the dirt and the water want to go.
Concrete work we do around Camarillo homes
When a Camarillo driveway has sunk at the garage or cracked across the middle, we tear it out, rebuild the base and pour a new slab.
A backyard patio here gets used most of the year, so we slope it to carry rain away from the house and cut joints where cracks belong.
Stamped concrete gives a patio or entry the look of stone or tile, and it suits yards where you'd rather have one pour than hundreds of pavers.
Side-yard walkways and front paths on older lots often sink or lift at one edge, and a new one on a packed base ends the trip hazard.
A cracked or stained garage floor in an older house can be broken out and repoured level, with a smooth finish that's easier to sweep and seal.
Color, exposed stone and saw-cut patterns let a front walk or courtyard match your house and yard, and they hold up without the upkeep loose pavers need.
On lots that climb toward the hills, a concrete retaining wall holds back the slope so you can have a flat yard, and it needs drainage behind it.
For a new room, a workshop or a commercial space, we pour an interior floor flat and level so whatever goes on top of it sits right.
A pool deck has to meet the pool's edge just right and drain away from the water, with a surface that stays grippy when it's wet.
Front steps on sloped Camarillo lots often settle away from the porch, and we rebuild them with even risers on footings that hold them in place.
For a new home, addition or backyard unit, a slab foundation starts with the dirt underneath, so we prep and compact the ground before any forms go up.
When you're adding on or building new, we lay out and pour the foundation to your plans, square and level so the framing goes up without a fight.
We build parking areas for business and multi-unit owners here, sloped to drain and thick enough for daily traffic and turning tires.
Patio covers, block walls and decks all sit on footings, and on a sloped lot, getting their depth and width right matters more than anything above.
When part of a house has settled and doors stick or cracks climb the walls, we find out what moved before we lift and support it.
Widening a driveway or running a new drain line usually means cutting the old slab, and we saw a straight, clean edge so new concrete meets it neatly.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate in Camarillo
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day. I come out myself, look the site over and give you a free written estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
(805) 261-5009- Based in
- Simi Valley, CA 93065
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
Permits, licenses and pricing for Camarillo jobs
Permits for concrete work here go through the City of Camarillo, and when a job needs one, the city's review comes before we dig, so the permit often sets the start date more than our calendar does. Before you hire anyone, you can check two things. Ask for the contractor's California state license, and know that every business working in Camarillo has to pay the city's yearly business tax, even a contractor based in another city, like us. When a permit applies, I'll tell you which office handles it, and we can pull it as your contractor or help you pull it yourself.
We come over from Simi Valley for Camarillo jobs, and we work in Agoura Hills and the other cities around us too. What moves the price here is mostly what you can't see on day one: how much old concrete comes out, how deep we dig for a solid base, whether the yard slopes enough to need steps or a wall, how close the truck can get, and the finish you pick. Weather moves the schedule too, because we won't pour with rain on the way, and I put the figure for your job in a written estimate once I've seen the site.
Why Camarillo driveways and patios crack and sink
Camarillo gets most of its rain in winter, mostly in January and February, and almost none in summer, so a slab with a drainage problem can look fine for months and then show it after a few storms. When a patio falls toward the house or a driveway holds a puddle at the garage, water gets under the edge and softens the subgrade, the packed dirt and gravel the slab sits on, and that's where sinking starts. Before we set forms, we check where the water runs on your lot and slope the new slab to carry it away from the house.
Sloped yards bring the other common problem, a slab whose downhill side was poured over loose fill and has been easing away ever since. We dig down to firm ground, pack the base in layers and add rebar, the steel that holds a slab together if it does crack, so the low side has something solid under it.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in Camarillo
Here's how it goes from your first call to the day you can use the new slab, and where you'll hear from me along the way.
Call or send a message
Call (805) 261-5009 or use the form to tell us a little about the job, and a couple of photos help. We'll set a time for me to come out.
I look the site over
I walk the slab and the yard with you, look at the slope and where water runs, and ask a lot of questions. You get a written estimate that spells out what's driving the cost, so you can compare it fairly with anyone else's.
We sort permits and prep
Once you say go, we sort out any permit with you, and work starts once the city's review is done if your job needs one. Then the crew digs out, packs the base and sets the forms, and you don't need to be home for most of it.
The crew pours and finishes
A crew lead runs the work day to day, and I stop by at the steps that matter most, like checking the base before the pour. After the pour the slab cures, slowly hardening while it's kept damp and left alone, and we clean up and tell you when you can walk and drive on it.
Questions about concrete work in Camarillo
Do I need a permit to grade my yard in Camarillo?
Grading in Camarillo goes through a grading permit from the city, one permit for each site, and it can cover both digging out and filling. The application asks for the estimated amount of dirt being moved, so we work that out during the estimate. Only very large grading needs a civil engineer's plan and a grading bond of $3.00 per cubic yard, and a home yard is rarely anywhere near that size. You can start on the city's Plan Check & Permits page.
Can I submit paper plans for a permit in Camarillo?
No, beginning July 1, 2025 the city stopped taking paper plans, and every plan submission goes through its online permitting system. If you'd like to talk to someone first, the public counter is at 601 Carmen Drive and the number is (805) 388-5340. When we pull the permit as your contractor, we handle the online filing.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in California?
Usually yes, because the Contractors State License Board requires a license when a job needs a building permit, uses employees, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A home improvement contractor has to be licensed before bidding, though the board lists some exemptions. We're licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Camarillo?
The price of a Camarillo driveway comes down to its size, how much old concrete has to come out, how much base work the ground needs and the finish you choose. A broom finish, a light texture brushed in so tires and shoes grip, costs less than stamped or colored work, and a sloped lot or tight access adds labor. When a permit applies, the city adds surcharges to building permit and plan check fees, so those belong in the number too. If the budget's tight, I'd cut back on the finish before the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but you can't fix it once the slab is on top.
How long does new concrete take to cure before I can drive on it?
You can usually walk on a new slab after a few days and drive on it after a longer wait, and I'll give you the dates for your slab because they depend on the mix and that week's weather. Keeping cars off early is what keeps the surface from scuffing and the edges from breaking. In the warmer months we pour early in the day, because a slab that dries too fast in midday heat ends up with a weak, dusty top.
What causes concrete driveways and patios to crack in Camarillo?
Most cracks come from what's underneath, like a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or water that runs under the slab and softens the ground. Every slab shrinks a little as it dries, which is why we cut control joints, grooves that give that crack a straight place to go instead of a random one. I'll look at your old slab and tell you which of those it was before we pour the new one.
Simi Valley, CA
Ask us about your Camarillo concrete job
Send a photo of the cracked slab or sloped yard with the form, and I can come out already knowing which questions to ask.