Concrete Contractor in South Hill, WA - Slabs Built on Packed, Drained Ground
Cornerstone Tacoma Concrete is a Tacoma-based concrete contractor pouring driveways, patios, steps, retaining walls and foundations in South Hill, WA, with the base dug out, packed and drained before any concrete goes in.
Get your South Hill concrete job estimated
I walk the site and look at where water runs and what's under the old slab.
South Hill: sloped yards and wet winter ground
South Hill sits up on the plateau in the middle of Pierce County, and most of our calls there come from subdivision homes with a two-car driveway, a back patio and a yard that often slopes off toward the back line. Many of those slabs went in when the houses were built, and by now they show the usual signs: cracks running across the driveway, a corner sunk by the garage door, and water pooling on a patio that's tipped toward the house.
South Hill has more than one water and sewer provider, and some lots are on septic, so what's buried under a yard changes from street to street. The ground stays wet through the long rainy season, which is why the subgrade, the packed ground a slab sits on, gets more of my attention here than the finish does.
What we've learned working in South Hill
South Hill isn't part of any city, so concrete work here falls under Pierce County, and building permits go through the county's Development Center. The county has named South Hill a place that could become its own city one day, but only if residents approve it, so for now the county is who we deal with. Before we start, we check what the county wants to see for your address, handle the paperwork when the job needs a permit and tell you what to bring if it's one you have to get yourself, and that review usually sets the start date more than our crew's schedule does. Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the Department of Labor & Industries and carry a bond and insurance, so ask anyone you're comparing for their registration. Because South Hill isn't a city, there's no city business license to ask about, and the county only licenses certain kinds of business. We're fully licensed and insured.
Plenty of South Hill homes sit on cul-de-sacs with narrow side yards, so getting concrete to a backyard patio or a wall on a slope is part of the plan from the first visit. Those awkward jobs are the ones we're known for, and I still come out to look at each one myself because the right fix usually depends on what's under the old slab. The price moves mostly with what you won't see once it's poured, like how much old concrete comes out, how deep we dig to reach firm ground, how much the yard slopes and how close the truck can get. Rain moves the schedule too, since we won't pour onto a soaked base, and your written estimate lays out both. We do the same work in Fircrest, in Parkland next door and across the cities around Tacoma.
Services in South Hill, WA
Concrete driveway building
Many South Hill driveways have sunk where they meet the garage. We tear out the old slab, dig down to firm ground and pack a new base before we pour.
Concrete patio construction
Back patios here often settle toward the house and hold rainwater against the foundation. We set the new patio to fall away from the house so water runs into the yard.
Concrete retaining walls
On yards that drop toward the back line, concrete retaining walls hold the ground level enough for a patio or lawn. We build them with drainage behind so wet soil doesn't push them over.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps pull away from the house when the ground under them settles in wet winters. We pour new steps on a solid footing so they stay put against the porch.
Garage floor concrete
Garage floors in these subdivision homes crack and pit where wet tires sit all winter. We break out the damaged floor, rebuild the base and pour a new one.
Concrete cutting
Sometimes only one sunk panel of a South Hill driveway is the problem. We cut it out along a clean line and replace that section instead of the whole slab.
Get a written concrete estimate for your South Hill property
Send us a few lines about the job and your South Hill address, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself to look at the site and write the estimate, which is free and yours in writing, so you can take your time with it. There's no pressure and no obligation to book.
- Phone
- (253) 354-0081
- Location
- Tacoma, WA 98402
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–10 PM
- Credentials
- Fully licensed and insured.
What South Hill homeowners get
We're based in Tacoma, WA, and offer 16 concrete services across the 12 cities with their own page on this site, South Hill included, plus others nearby. Every estimate is done in person at your property.
- Based in
- WA
- Tacoma
- Services
- 16
- Service areas
- 12
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in South Hill, WA?
A plain broom-finish driveway on flat, firm ground is the least expensive kind of job, and the cost climbs with tear-out, a sloped lot or a decorative finish. A broom finish, the light texture that gives tires and shoes grip in the rain, costs less than stamped or colored concrete. If you have to cut somewhere, cut the finish and keep the base, because a fancy surface on a weak base sinks just like a plain one.
How do I know if my South Hill property needs a pre-application screening?
Pierce County requires a pre-application screening for certain projects, including properties on septic or a private well and sites with critical area indicators or special restrictions. You can look up your lot in the county's Online Development Guide with your parcel number or address to see when a permit is needed and what the application asks for. The county also maps areas where landslide risk is high enough to require a geological assessment, so on a steep yard that's something we ask about before we plan the job.
Do I need a permit to pour a slab for a shed in South Hill?
The county's exemption list doesn't settle it, because it covers a small one-story shed that meets its size and spacing limits, not the concrete under it. Even work that's exempt has to meet county code, so before we pour we check with the county what it wants to see for your lot.
How long does a new concrete driveway take to cure before I can park on it?
You can usually walk on a new driveway within a few days, but parking on it takes longer, and I'll give you both days for your pour once we know the weather. Curing is the wait while the concrete gains strength, and in cool, damp South Hill weather it goes slower, so rushing a car onto it is how surfaces chip and crack early. We'll talk through where you'll park in the meantime.
What causes concrete driveways in South Hill to crack and sink?
Most of the sinking we see comes from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settles as the soft ground under it gives in the wet months. Cracks that wander across the middle usually mean the control joints, the grooves cut so the slab cracks along a line someone chose, went in late or not at all, while rebar, the steel inside the slab, helps hold any crack tight. We dig to firm ground, pack the base, pitch the slab away from the house and cut the joints on time so the new one doesn't repeat the old one.
Does my concrete contractor in South Hill have to give me a disclosure statement?
Yes, Washington requires a contractor to give you the state's written disclosure notice on any residential job of $1,000 or more. Read it before you sign, and keep it with the written estimate so you have both in one place.
Tell us about your South Hill concrete job
Describe the slab and the lot when you call (253) 354-0081 or send the form, so I show up with the right questions.