Serving Novato, CA and surrounding areas. (628) 348-0057
KindWay Novato Concrete has worked on San Rafael properties since 2023 - from ranch homes in Terra Linda to steep lots above Fourth Street. We handle patios, driveways, retaining walls, and foundations. Every job is permitted through the City of San Rafael and built to handle the area's clay soils and wet winters.
San Rafael summers are dry and warm from May through October, making an outdoor patio one of the most practical investments for any property here. On the hillside lots above downtown, this means careful drainage planning before the pour. On the flatter Terra Linda properties, it means accounting for clay soil movement beneath the slab. We build concrete patios in the San Rafael area with a compacted gravel base that holds level through the wet-dry cycle Marin County brings every year.
San Rafael has more steep residential lots than almost any other city in Marin County. The hillside neighborhoods above downtown and near Dominican University see significant soil movement and runoff when the winter rains arrive. Concrete retaining walls manage that grade and keep soil off driveways, walkways, and foundations during the rainy season.
Terra Linda and Sun Valley are filled with postwar ranch homes whose original concrete driveways are now 50 to 60 years old. Many have never been replaced. We rebuild driveways on a properly prepared gravel base that can handle the clay soils throughout this part of Marin, with control joints placed to manage the natural seasonal movement.
Older neighborhoods near Fourth Street and the Canal area have sidewalks and walkways that have heaved and cracked from decades of clay soil movement and tree root growth. We repair and rebuild walkways with the right slope to drain water away from foundations - a detail that matters in San Rafael's wet winters.
Hillside properties in San Rafael often have front entries with significant grade changes. Older concrete steps on these lots - especially those built in the 1940s and 1950s - commonly have surface cracks and joint failures from decades of soil movement and moisture. New concrete steps improve safety and curb appeal in one project.
San Rafael has a large share of pre-1980 homes, many of which were built to construction standards well below what is required today. ADU additions, garage conversions, and new accessory structures all need properly engineered slab foundations - we build them to current code requirements and pull every permit through the city.
San Rafael is Marin County's oldest incorporated city, and it shows in the housing stock. A large share of the city's single-family homes were built before 1980 - many in the 1940s through 1960s - and a significant number have never had major exterior work done since original construction. That means original-era concrete driveways, walkways, and patios that were poured to the standards of the time, which often meant thin slabs on minimal base preparation. Today those slabs are cracked, settled, or both. The clay soils throughout Marin County do not help - they expand and contract with the rainy season, and every wet-dry cycle adds stress to any slab that is not sitting on an adequate gravel base.
The terrain in San Rafael creates an additional layer of complexity. The flatland neighborhoods - Terra Linda, Sun Valley, and the Canal area - have standard drainage considerations, but the hillside streets above downtown and near the Marin County Civic Center are a different situation entirely. Steep lots with limited access, tree roots from decades of oak and bay laurel growth, and runoff that concentrates on sloped surfaces all affect how concrete work needs to be approached. A contractor who has not worked on these lots before will underestimate the site work involved.
We permit concrete work through the City of San Rafael Community Development Department on a regular basis. The permitting process in San Rafael typically adds one to two weeks before we can start work, and we factor that into the project schedule from the beginning so you are not caught off guard by the timeline.
San Rafael's neighborhoods feel different from each other in ways that matter for concrete work. Terra Linda is mostly postwar ranch homes on relatively flat lots - predictable site conditions with standard drainage needs. The hillside streets off Mission Avenue and above the Fourth Street corridor have homes that date back to the 1920s and 1930s on steep, tree-covered lots with limited staging room. The Canal neighborhood has older multi-unit buildings close to sea level, where drainage and slab elevation are more critical. Knowing which neighborhood you are in changes what we plan before we start.
We also serve homeowners in Petaluma, north of San Rafael along US-101, and in Novato, the largest city in Marin County just up the freeway. If you have neighbors or family in either area who need concrete work, we can handle both jobs.
Reach out by phone or through the contact form and we will respond within 1 business day to schedule a free on-site visit. No commitment required - we come look at the site, ask about what you want, and take measurements.
We assess the site conditions - soil, drainage, existing concrete, access, and grade - and give you a written estimate. On hillside properties, we will tell you upfront if additional wall or drainage work is needed before the pour. We also confirm whether a permit is required and handle that application for you.
We remove existing concrete, excavate and compact the base, set forms, and pour. On hillside sites, we pay particular attention to drainage direction and grade before anything is poured. The pour itself typically takes one day for a standard patio or driveway.
We apply a curing compound and let the slab harden - plan on keeping foot traffic off for 24 to 48 hours and vehicles off for at least a week. Once cured, the city inspector signs off on the permit and we do a final walkthrough with you to confirm everything is right.
We work throughout San Rafael - from Terra Linda ranch homes to steep hillside lots above downtown. Free on-site visit, permitted work, written estimates. Call or send a message and we will respond within 1 business day.
(628) 348-0057San Rafael is the Marin County seat and the county's oldest and largest city, with about 61,000 residents. Incorporated in 1874, it has one of the more diverse built environments in the Bay Area - Craftsman bungalows and Spanish-style stucco homes on the hillside streets, postwar ranch houses filling the Terra Linda and Sun Valley flatlands, and denser older housing in the Canal neighborhood near the water. The city's centerpiece is the Marin County Civic Center, the famous Frank Lloyd Wright building completed in 1962 that most Bay Area residents recognize. Fourth Street is the downtown corridor - a walkable stretch of local businesses that most San Rafael residents treat as the center of the city. Dominican University of Californiasits on a hilltop campus and has been part of the city since 1890.
The city's hillside neighborhoods - especially those bordering Marin County open space and the hills to the east and north - sit in fire hazard severity zones that affect what materials homeowners can use on decks, vents, and roofing. San Rafael gets about 37 inches of rain per year, most of it falling between November and March in concentrated storms, which makes drainage planning critical on any outdoor concrete project. We also serve the nearby community of Novato, just up US-101, and Petaluma, further north in Sonoma County, for homeowners who want a single contractor for work on both sides of the county line.
Professional concrete driveway installation built to last through years of daily use.
Learn moreCustom patio slabs and outdoor living spaces poured and finished to your specifications.
Learn moreDecorative stamped patterns that add texture and curb appeal to any concrete surface.
Learn moreSafe, ADA-compliant sidewalks and walkways installed with proper slope and finish.
Learn moreDurable garage floor pours with optional finishes for a clean, long-lasting surface.
Learn moreCreative concrete finishes including staining, polishing, and custom surface treatments.
Learn moreStructural retaining walls designed to manage soil and erosion on sloped properties.
Learn moreInterior and exterior concrete floor installations for residential and commercial spaces.
Learn moreSlip-resistant pool deck surfaces that look great and hold up to sun and water.
Learn moreCustom concrete steps and staircases built for safety, durability, and visual appeal.
Learn moreProperly engineered slab foundations for new construction and additions.
Learn moreComplete foundation installation services for residential and light commercial projects.
Learn moreCommercial-grade concrete parking lots designed for high traffic and easy maintenance.
Learn moreLoad-bearing footings installed to code for fences, decks, walls, and structures.
Learn moreFoundation raising and leveling to address settling and structural concerns.
Learn morePrecise concrete cutting and sawing for repairs, utility access, and demolition.
Learn moreServing these cities and communities.
Call us directly or send a message. We cover the full city - from hillside lots near Dominican to ranch homes in Terra Linda - and respond within 1 business day.
