Concrete Contractor in Arlington, WA - Driveways and Patios on a Solid Base
Arlington Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Arlington, WA. We pour driveways, patios, steps, footings and foundations for homes and small businesses here, and we start with the ground underneath so the slab holds up.
Arlington is where we started
I started Arlington Concrete here in 2023, after years with a big commercial concrete outfit pouring slabs, footings and parking lots. That work taught me that a job gets decided long before the first truck shows up, in the digging, the base and the plan for where the water goes. I brought that same planning to homes and smaller properties in Arlington.
We pour flatwork here, the driveways, patios, walks and garage floors that lie flat on the ground, and we build steps, footings and foundations too. Homeowners call us, and so do small business owners who need a pad, a lot or a foundation done properly. We do the same work out to Stanwood and the other cities around Arlington.
What we check under the slab
Before I price a job, I look at what the slab will sit on, the subgrade, and where the rain runs off the roof and the yard. For footings and foundations, the city's residential design requirements set an 18-inch minimum frost depth, so footings have to reach below ground that can freeze and heave. Flatwork stays shallower, so on a driveway or patio the dug-out, packed base is what keeps it steady.
- A raked base. Where a base was raked level instead of dug out and packed, the slab settles with the dirt under it, and you get a sinking, uneven driveway.
- Water running wrong. If nobody checked where the water runs, a slab can end up falling toward the house, and water pools right against your foundation.
- Cracks in odd places. When control joints, the grooves we cut so the slab cracks where we choose, go in late or get skipped, cracks show up wherever they like.
The concrete work we do around Arlington
A driveway that's cracked, sinking or holding puddles usually has a base problem under it. Pouring new concrete on that same dirt just starts the clock again, so on concrete driveway building we dig out, pack a proper base and set the slope before we pour. We add rebar, the steel that keeps cracks from pulling apart, where the job needs it.
Patios, steps and stamped finishes are about how the place looks, and that matters. When a budget gets tight, though, I'd cut the fancy finish before the base, because nobody sees the base on day one and it's what decides whether the slab stays flat. A broom finish, the light texture that keeps concrete from going slick when it's wet, often does the job fine.
Getting us out to your place
We're based in Arlington and work the cities around it, including Marysville and Lake Stevens. Price turns on size, thickness, base work and any old concrete to haul out, and the schedule turns on weather and curing. Call or use the form and I'll come out to measure.
Tell us about your concrete job
Send a few lines about the job and where it is, with a photo if you have one. We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out.
(360) 474-2804- Free on-site estimate
- What's included and what isn't
- No obligation to book
Common questions about concrete in Arlington
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Arlington?
Check with the city's Building Services Division, which issues and inspects permits here, because the city's list of exempt work names things like painting and tiling, not flatwork. A property in a flood hazard zone needs a flood hazard permit even when the work is otherwise exempt. We check what the city wants before we schedule and tell you what we'll file and what falls to you.
Does a concrete contractor have to be registered in Washington State?
Yes, every construction contractor in Washington has to register with the Department of Labor & Industries, and state law requires them to be bonded and insured. On a home job of $1,000 or more, the contractor has to give you the state's disclosure notice. Ask for both before anyone pours.
Does a contractor need a business license to work in Arlington?
Usually, yes. The city exempts businesses with less than $2,000 a year in sales or gross income, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits inside city limits. For a contractor based outside the city, the state Department of Revenue lists no license needed from $0 through $4,000 earned in Arlington, and a $60 fee above that.
Do I need a permit for a concrete retaining wall in Arlington?
Usually not, if it's short. The city's list of common permit exemptions covers walls 4 feet or less from the top to the bottom of the footing, as long as no extra load like a driveway or slope sits above them and they hold back no liquids. We bring in an engineer when a wall calls for one.
Will a new concrete driveway crack like my old one did?
It can still crack, because concrete shrinks as it cures, but the prep decides whether that happens in a neat joint or across the middle. We dig out and pack the base, slope it away from the house and cut control joints on time, so any crack lands where we planned it.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You'll wait longer to drive on it than to walk on it, because concrete keeps curing, slowly hardening and gaining strength, for days after the pour. Weather and thickness change the wait, so I'll tell you when each one is safe for your slab.