Driveways — Concrete, Asphalt & Pavers in San Francisco, CA

Why driveway contractor is different in San Francisco

The failure modes here are different from inland or mountain California. Hard freezes are essentially unheard of in San Francisco, so freeze-thaw heaving, spalling and de-icing salt damage are not meaningful local risks — the dominant stressors are moisture, salt and constant marine dampness. Mild wet winters driven by Pacific storms and atmospheric rivers push large volumes of water down steep hillside lots, and on a tuck-under garage that water has nowhere to go but the door threshold unless grading and drainage are right. Salt-laden air in the Sunset, Richmond and Sea Cliff areas also attacks the metal at the head of a driveway — gate hardware, operators and exterior locks — faster than at inland Bay Area homes. City permits and impervious-surface limits can apply to driveway work; verify requirements with the city before any pour.

Problems we fix in San Francisco

• Water running toward the garage

  On the tuck-under and ground-level garages common in San Francisco row houses, a slab that pitches the wrong way sends winter rain straight at the door. Pooling and threshold intrusion tend to show up during November-through-March storms and atmospheric rivers.

• Cracking and settling from a weak base

  Poorly compacted base material is a leading cause of cracking and settlement, and steep hillside lots make it worse because loads and runoff concentrate on the downhill edge. Re-pouring over an unresolved base usually repeats the same crack pattern.

• Trip hazards on narrow shared driveways

  Displaced sections are more than cosmetic where driveways are narrow and shared between neighbors, since there is no room to walk around a lifted edge. Aprons at the sidewalk take the most traffic and often move first.

• Tree roots lifting slabs

  Mature trees on older lots in neighborhoods like Noe Valley, Glen Park and Bernal Heights can push roots under thin, aging slabs. Lifted panels change the drainage path as well as the walking surface.

• Pavers going uneven

  Persistent marine dampness and long wet winters can wash out joint material and soften bedding sand, letting pavers rock and drop. Re-leveling and re-setting the bedding layer is often enough when the pavers themselves are sound.

• Original surfaces past their service life

  With the median San Francisco home dating to the mid-1940s or earlier per Census data, many driveways and aprons are decades-old concrete that has been patched repeatedly. At that point resurfacing or replacement usually makes more sense than another patch.

• Corroded gate and access hardware

  Salt fog off the Pacific rusts gate operators, hinges and deadbolts on the city's west side far faster than inland. Driveway work is a good moment to check the hardware that controls access to a tight tuck-under garage.

What we do

Timing and availability

Demand for repair work in San Francisco spikes from November through March with Pacific winter storms and atmospheric rivers, which is also when drainage problems announce themselves at the garage door. If you want grading or drainage corrected before the rainy season, the fall window is the practical time to book. Damp, foggy summers along the western half of the city can keep surfaces wet longer than inland, so scheduling matters for curing and sealing. Phones are answered 24/7 at (888) 996-7488, and same-day or next-day appointments are available in most areas.