Concrete Contractor in Lodi, CA - Driveways and Patios Built on a Packed Base
Galt Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Galt that pours driveways, patios, walks, garage floors and footings for homes in Lodi, CA, digging out and packing the ground first so the slab sits on something solid.
Lodi: older neighborhoods and settled slabs
Lodi is a short drive south of us in Galt. It mixes older neighborhoods around the historic downtown with newer subdivisions, and the vineyards run right up to the edges of the city. We work its blocks the same way we do in Stockton and back home in Galt.
In the older neighborhoods, a lot of the driveways, walks and patios were poured decades ago on a base that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed. That's why we see sinking panels, cracks running every which way and patios that hold water against the house. The newer tracts have younger concrete, but the ground under both moves with the seasons, soaking up water in winter and drying hard in the summer heat, so a lot of our time on a Lodi job goes into what sits under the slab.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Concrete work we do in Lodi
Concrete driveway building
A lot of the Lodi driveways we're called to have sunk where the base was only raked level. We dig out, pack new base and cut joints so cracks fall where we pick.
Concrete patio construction
Lots of Lodi backyards have patios that tilt toward the house and pool water. We slope the ground away from your walls before a new concrete patio goes in.
Concrete sidewalk building
Walks beside older Lodi homes get lifted and chipped by tree roots and years of settling. We remove the broken sections and pour new ones on packed base.
Garage floor concrete
Garage floors in older Lodi homes often crack and dip at the door. We replace the slab on a packed base, sloped so water runs out, not in.
Concrete footings
Patio covers, additions and garden walls need footings that hold when the ground softens in winter. We dig to the depth the plans call for and pour first.
Concrete cutting
Many older Lodi driveways are one car wide, so widening one means cutting into the old slab. We saw a straight edge so the new pour meets the old cleanly.
Working in Lodi: permits, county lines and price
Inside Lodi city limits, permits and inspections run through the city's Building Division, which reviews plans and inspects the work against the state building codes. If your job needs a permit, that review and the inspections become part of the calendar. I talk with the division about what your job needs before we set a pour date, and we handle the permit paperwork when one is required. After that the schedule mostly turns on the weather and on how long the concrete needs to cure before you use it.
Lodi is in San Joaquin County, while Galt and Elk Grove are over the line in Sacramento County. Some properties around Lodi sit out in the county instead of inside the city, so the first thing I check is which office covers your address. What moves the price is mostly the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out first and how much work the ground needs before we pour, and your written estimate spells that out for your job. We're licensed and insured.
Get a written concrete estimate for your Lodi property
Send the form or call (209) 865-3675, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Lodi property myself, look at the ground and write the estimate out so you can see what goes into the job. It's free, and there's no pressure to book.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Concrete ideas for Lodi homes
Concrete questions from Lodi homeowners
How much does a concrete driveway or patio cost in Lodi?
The price of a Lodi driveway or patio comes down to its size and thickness, the tear-out, the base work, whether it needs rebar and the finish you pick. Rebar is the steel set inside a slab to keep a crack from opening up. A broom finish, the light texture dragged across the top for grip, costs less than stamped or decorative work. People often want to trim the base first because nobody sees it once the pour is done, but it's the last place I'd cut, since it decides whether the slab settles.
Which building codes apply to my Lodi concrete project?
Inside Lodi, the city enforces the 2025 California codes, including the building and residential codes, for projects submitted on or after January 1, 2026. A project submitted before that date stays under the previous code cycle, so the date your plans go in decides which codes apply. You can check the details on the city's page on the 2025 codes.
How do I reach the Lodi Building Division?
Call the Building Division at 209-333-6714, or go in at 221 W Pine Street in Lodi. It's open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. City offices close every other Friday, so call before you drive over on a Friday. If we're doing your job, I make that call for you.
Who handles business licenses for concrete contractors working in Lodi?
For work inside Lodi city limits, San Joaquin County sends businesses to the City of Lodi for a business license. The county licenses businesses that are located in or working in its unincorporated areas, the parts outside any city. Which office applies depends on which side of the city limits the job sits.
What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink in Lodi?
Most cracking and sinking happens when the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the concrete settles as the dirt does. The other common cause is control joints that were cut late or skipped. Those are the grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along where you want it. We pack the base, slope the slab away from the house and cut the joints on time, and concrete can still crack, but on a good base the cracks usually stay small and land in the joints.
How long does new concrete take to cure before I can use my driveway in Lodi?
You can walk on a new slab well before you can drive on it, and once I know the mix and the weather I'll tell you when each is safe. Curing is the wait while concrete hardens and gains strength, and rushing it costs you strength, so plan to park on the street for a while. In Lodi's summer heat we pour early in the morning and keep the surface damp, because concrete that dries too fast at midday ends up with a weak, dusty top.