Concrete Contractor in University Place - Driveways and Patios Built for Sloped Lots
Cornerstone Tacoma Concrete is a concrete contractor working in University Place, WA. We build driveways, patios, steps, retaining walls, footings and foundations, starting with the ground under them so the slab holds up on sloped, wet lots.
Get your University Place concrete job priced
I walk the site, check the slope and drainage, and put the estimate in writing.
University Place: sloped yards and wet ground
Most of University Place is settled neighborhoods of single-family homes, and most of our calls here are flatwork, the flat pours like driveways, patios and front walks, replacing concrete that's been down for decades. The ground toward Fircrest tends to sit flatter. On the side of the city facing Puget Sound, a lot of yards drop away from the house, so a new patio or driveway often needs digging, a step or a short wall before it can sit right.
Between those slopes and our wet winters, water is what I watch most here. When a base was only raked level instead of dug out and packed, the dirt softens every rainy season and the slab sinks or cracks along with it. So the first thing I ask about an old slab is simple. What's under it?
Working in University Place: permits, slopes and what sets the price
In University Place, permits start with the agency that covers that kind of work. The city's Planning and Development Services Department issues building, plumbing and mechanical permits, while electrical and water permits come from Tacoma Public Utilities and sewer permits come from Pierce County Utilities. The city's list names projects like decks, sheds, additions and kitchen remodels rather than driveways or patios, so whether your slab needs a permit is a question for that department, and we check it for your address before work starts. When a job calls for a permit we handle the paperwork, or tell you what to bring if it's one you have to get, and the pour waits until that's settled, so I bring it up at the estimate.
We're based in Tacoma and do the same work in Lakewood and the other cities around here, so this is familiar ground for us. Price here turns mostly on what's under the job and how we get to it, meaning the old slab we tear out, how much soft dirt has to go before we pack new base, how steep the yard is, whether the truck can reach or we have to wheel concrete into a tight backyard, and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the permit if there is one, the weather, since a hard rain can ruin a fresh surface, and the curing time before you can use it. I look at all of that on site and give you a written estimate you can take your time with.
Services in University Place, WA
Concrete driveway building
Older driveways here often sink where wet winters softened the dirt underneath. We tear out the old slab, pack new base and pitch the pour away from the garage.
Concrete patio construction
Backyards that slope toward the Sound rarely give a patio a flat start. We cut it into the grade or build it up, then slope it so rain runs off.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on houses that have stood for decades settle and pull away from the porch. We rebuild them on a packed base so each rise sits even underfoot.
Concrete retaining walls
Sloped lots here often need a wall holding back soil before a patio can sit level. We put drainage behind each one so water doesn't pile up against it.
Concrete footings
Decks and additions on sloped University Place lots need footings that reach firm ground. We dig down to it, set the steel and pour to your plans.
Foundation installation
An addition on an older house here needs a new foundation that ties into the old one. Our foundation installation work starts with the soil and follows the approved plans.
Get a written concrete estimate for your University Place property
Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your University Place property myself, look at the ground and where the water goes, and write the estimate, which is free and comes with no obligation. You get it in writing so you can take your time with it.
- Phone
- (253) 354-0081
- Location
- Tacoma, WA 98402
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–10 PM
- Credentials
- Fully licensed and insured.
What University Place owners can count on
We're based in Tacoma and offer 16 services across 12 service areas with their own pages here, University Place among them. Every job starts with a free in-person estimate.
- 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 concrete driveway cost in University Place?
Your price comes from what's on your lot, and a written estimate after I see it is the only honest way to give it. The biggest swings come from tearing out an old slab, digging out soft ground, working on a slope or in a tight spot, and choosing stamped or colored concrete over a broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives feet and tires grip. If the budget's tight, I'd keep a plain broom finish before I'd cut the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it's what keeps the slab from sinking later.
Do fee-exempt projects in University Place still have to meet building code?
Yes. The city's handout on when a permit is required says structures exempt from building permit fees still have to meet the current minimum building code and the setback, height and other zoning rules for their zone, and that all work has to follow the city's municipal code. Treat it as the city's guide, since it notes it may not reflect the latest rules, and confirm with the department. For us it means we check where a wall or pad sits on your lot before we set forms, not after.
What do University Place design rules mean for footings under a deck or addition?
Footings under a deck or addition are part of the structural work the city's design criteria apply to, so they get built to plans drawn with those criteria in mind. The city lists Seismic Design Category D1 for houses built under the residential code, a 25 pounds per square foot snow load and an 80 miles per hour basic wind. Most of the city is wind Exposure B, but some areas facing Puget Sound are C and D, so wind design can differ from one lot to the next, and if you're on that side I'll ask what your designer used.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack or sink in University Place?
Most sinking starts underneath, with the soft, wet base problem described above, and most surprise cracks come from control joints, the grooves cut so the slab cracks along a line we chose, that were cut late or skipped. A pour in midday heat can also leave a weak, dusty top that chips later. We dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, check where the water runs and cut joints on time, so if the new slab cracks, it cracks where we planned.
How long does new concrete take before I can drive on it?
Usually you can walk on it after a few days, and you'll wait longer before driving on it, because the slab is still curing, which means slowly gaining strength while it holds its moisture. Cold, damp weather slows that down, so the right wait for your slab depends on the week we pour. I'll tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for the car before we leave.
What is the best way to build a patio on a sloped yard in University Place?
Usually it's to cut the patio into the slope or hold it up with a short retaining wall, then pitch the slab gently away from the house so rain runs off instead of toward your foundation. Where part of the patio sits on built-up ground we often add rebar, steel bars inside the slab that hold the pieces together if it cracks. Which way fits depends on how steep the yard is and what's uphill of it, so I'd rather walk it with you than guess.
Tell us about your University Place project
Call (253) 354-0081 or use the form, even if it's an awkward job someone else wasn't sure how to start.