Concrete parking lot building in Davis CA - a lot that drains and holds up for years
Planned for the traffic, poured to last
We build concrete parking lots in Davis for builders and property owners who've outgrown gravel or are tired of patching asphalt. I start with how many vehicles the lot serves now and later, because that number shapes the whole design.
Why a concrete parking lot is worth building once
A concrete parking lot is flat concrete work at a bigger scale, laid out so water drains and traffic moves. It suits owners who'd rather build once than keep patching, and light pole bases are concrete footings we can pour along with it.
Price moves with the lot's size, slab thickness, base work and any old pavement coming out. The schedule turns on the engineer's design, the weather and curing, the wait before cars can go on it. Your own figure comes from the estimate.
Best for
- Worn-out asphalt lots
- Lots with delivery trucks
- New commercial builds
Less upkeep over the years
Concrete skips the sealing and patching cycle asphalt goes through, so most of what you spend goes in on day one instead of every few summers.
Built for your traffic
The slab gets sized for the cars and trucks the lot will actually see, now and as use grows, so the drive lanes don't wear out first.
Water goes where it should
We check where the water runs before we set forms, so the lot sheds rain to the drains instead of pooling in the stalls or heading for the building.
Cracks in planned places
Concrete cracks. Control joints, straight cuts that give the slab a weak line to crack along, keep those cracks in tidy rows instead of wandering across the lot.
A concrete parking lot that lasts starts underneath
- Most failures start before the truck shows up, so we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, rather than rake it level.
- I do the walk-through and estimate myself, our crew lead runs the site, and I'm there for the pours, when the finish and the joints get decided.
- The state's license board puts paving and flat concrete work under its concrete contractor license, so ask each bidder which license covers it. We're licensed and fully insured.
Choices for your concrete lot
I'll walk you through these with the engineer's plans in hand. If the budget gets tight, I'd trim the finish before the base, because nobody sees the base until it fails.
New lot, fresh base
Suits gravel or dirt lots, or asphalt too broken up to carry anything new on top of it.
Overlay on old asphalt
Worth a look when the existing asphalt is still mostly sound, since it can stay in place as the layer underneath.
Pads at heavy spots
Suits asphalt lots that are fine overall but keep breaking up at dumpster pads, entrances and delivery spots.
Poured in sections
Suits a business that has to stay open, since we can pave part of the lot while the rest stays in use.
Tell us about your lot
Send the lot's size, the vehicles it serves now and later, and any asphalt there. We reply within one business day, then I come out for a free, no-obligation estimate.
Questions about concrete parking lots
How much does a concrete parking lot cost per square foot in Davis?
The closest local figure is about $7 to $13 per square foot, which is what a 4-inch broom-finish concrete driveway usually costs in the Sacramento area, with permits, demolition and grading extra. A lot can need a thicker slab and more base work, so the estimate is where your own number comes from.
How long does a concrete parking lot last?
A well-built concrete lot can give satisfactory service for many years with little maintenance. That low upkeep is a big part of the value, along with the cost to build. How long yours lasts comes down to the base, the drainage and the joints.
Can concrete go over my old asphalt parking lot?
Sometimes, yes. Concrete can be laid over an existing asphalt lot, and a national paving guide covers how to choose, design and build those overlays. I look at the asphalt's condition on the walk-through, because whether it can stay is worth knowing before anyone tears it out.
Who decides how thick a concrete parking lot should be?
An engineer sets it, following national industry guidance that bases thickness on the support underneath, the traffic and the concrete's strength. Your part is the vehicle count now and as use grows, and the layout plans accessible parking wherever state rules apply. We work with the engineer who sets the design.
Does Davis clay soil change how a concrete parking lot is built?
Yes, because slab thickness depends on how well the ground holds it up, and the Yolo soil around Davis averages 20 to 35 percent clay between 10 and 40 inches down. We plan the base around it, and that same clay is why we also get calls for foundation raising on settled buildings.
Can you pour a concrete parking lot during a hot Davis summer?
Yes, with planning. A national industry spec lists heat above 90°F, hot concrete, low humidity, wind and sun as conditions that can harm fresh concrete by drying it too fast, and Davis summers bring most of them. We time pours around the heat so the top doesn't end up weak and dusty.
Related concrete work
Concrete footings
Light poles, sign posts and carports along a lot all stand on footings poured to carry them.
Explore Concrete footingsFoundation raising
When the building next to your lot has settled on clay, lifting it can fit into the same project.
Explore Foundation raising