Driveway Pavers in Castro Valley CA - laid on a solid base so they stay level
Cracked, stained or sinking driveway? We lay pavers on a deep, well-packed base so the surface stays level and drains the way it should.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does it take to put in a paver driveway in Castro Valley?
At C&M Castro Valley Concrete & Masonry, a paver driveway in Castro Valley means concrete pavers set on a thin bed of sand over a packed gravel base, and that base is what actually holds up your car, keeps the surface flat and, in a permeable driveway, stores rainwater too.
Most people call me when an old concrete driveway has cracked and heaved, or when they want something that looks better and can be fixed one piece at a time instead of torn out. The price mostly moves with the size of the driveway, how steep the lot is, whether an old driveway has to be broken out and hauled away, how deep the base goes, and whether you pick a standard build or a permeable one, the kind that lets rain soak down through the joints. The schedule turns mainly on the weather and on any permit the job needs if it reaches the street, and we take care of that permit for you. Your written estimate spells out the work and the materials, so you can see your own figure and what's behind it.
How can you tell your driveway needs replacing?
Cracks and heaved slabs
When a concrete driveway cracks across and one slab sits higher than the next, the ground or the base under it has usually moved, often because of water or tree roots. Waiting tends to widen the cracks, so a trip hazard can turn into a bigger tear-out.
Sinking pavers and tire ruts
If an existing paver driveway has low spots where your tires run, the base underneath was usually too thin or wasn't packed well enough. We can often lift and reset that area, but left alone the dip spreads and the pavers start to rock and chip.
Water pooling by the garage
Puddles that sit for a day after rain, or water that heads toward the garage door, mean the driveway isn't pitched to drain or the ground under it is holding water. The longer water sits there, the more it softens what's underneath and stains the surface.
How we lay driveway pavers in Castro Valley
The base under a paver driveway does the real work, so that's where I put most of our care. First I work out why the old driveway failed, because a new one built on the same mistake fails the same way. Then we break out and haul off the old surface if there is one, dig down to firm ground, and lay the gravel base in layers, packing each one with a plate compactor, a heavy vibrating machine, before the next goes on. We screed a smooth sand bed, set the pavers in your pattern, cut the edges clean and lock them in with an edge restraint so they can't creep outward, then sweep sand into the joints and run the compactor over the top to settle everything tight.
A driveway rarely sits by itself. On a sloped lot, widening a driveway often means cutting into the bank, and retaining wall construction holds that soil back so it doesn't slump onto the new pavers. If the driveway runs past old brick steps, a planter or a front wall with crumbling mortar, masonry restoration brings those back so the whole front of the house looks cared for.
Standard sand-set paver driveway
This is the usual build, with pavers on sand over a packed gravel base and the surface pitched so rain runs off to the street or a drain. It suits most lots, and any single paver can be lifted and reset later if a pipe underneath ever needs work.
Permeable paver driveway
Here the joints are wider and filled with small stone, so rain soaks through into a deeper base that holds it instead of running down the driveway. It only suits some lots, so we'll talk through whether yours is one before you decide.
Get a free written estimate for your paver driveway
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at your driveway with you and follow up with a free written estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
(510) 264-7156- hello@castrovalleyconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Castro Valley, CA 94546
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What happens when you call about a paver driveway in Castro Valley?
Here's how a driveway job runs with us, from your first call to the day we walk the new pavers together.
Call and set a visit
You call (510) 264-7156 or send a message, and I come out to look at the driveway with you. We walk it together, and I tell you what I see and whether a standard or permeable build fits your lot.
Get your written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out the work and the materials, base depth included, so you know what you're paying for and can hold it up against other bids. Once you say go, we sort out any permit your job needs and put it on the calendar for a dry stretch.
Build it, then walk it
My crew does the work with me checking in as it goes. At the end we walk the finished driveway together, and I'll show you how to keep the joints topped up with sand.
Why Castro Valley homeowners call us about paver driveways
I look at your driveway myself
I come out to the estimate, walk the driveway with you and work out why the old one failed before we talk about replacing it. My crew does the build with me checking in, so the person who made the plan sees it carried out.
In business since 2013
I started this business in 2013 after learning the trade on old brick and on other masons' crews, so that's 13 years of driveways, walls and repairs. You get someone who has seen what goes wrong under pavers and builds to avoid it.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. The paver industry group also suggests asking each bidder whether they hold a current ICPI Concrete Paver Installer certificate, and that's a fair question to put to anyone you're comparing.
Ready for County inspection visits
When driveway work reaches a County road, sidewalk or right-of-way, Alameda County inspects it before, during and after construction. We plan the base, edges and apron with those visits in mind, so an inspection is a step and not a surprise.
A good driveway starts with knowing what went wrong with the last one, so call (510) 264-7156 or send us a message and I'll come take a look.
Paver driveways, slopes and permits in Castro Valley
The permit to know about on a Castro Valley driveway job comes from Alameda County, because the County issues encroachment permits for work in its roads, sidewalks and public right-of-way, and driveway construction is part of that. So if your new driveway meets the street, or we rebuild the apron where it crosses the sidewalk, that part needs the permit. A hillside lot can bring a second one, since the County requires a stormwater permit when a project disturbs 5,000 square feet or more of land on property with a slope of 15% or more, and you can check the current hillside terms with the County. We check with the office that covers your address, Alameda County here and in the nearby unincorporated areas or the city building office elsewhere, and we take care of the paperwork and inspections.
A lot of what we see here is hillside, with steep driveways where rain picks up speed on its way to the garage, and older homes whose narrow concrete driveways have cracked after decades of use. That's why I look hard at slope and drainage before we pick a build, and we meet the same kinds of lots on jobs in Hayward and San Leandro.
Questions about driveway pavers in Castro Valley
How much does a paver driveway cost in Castro Valley?
A sand-based concrete paver driveway, installed, usually runs about $18 to $22 per square foot in the Bay Area, going by one regional cost guide. That guide figures a 4-inch packed gravel base and a 1-inch sand bed and leaves out tearing out an old driveway, so compare base depth and removal line by line when you look at bids. I'll come out, look at your driveway and follow up with a written estimate for your own job.
Do I need a permit for driveway work near the street in Castro Valley?
Yes, work in a County road, sidewalk or public right-of-way, driveway construction included, needs an encroachment permit from the County, as covered above. When your driveway reaches the street, we handle that permit and its inspections for you.
How do I know if permeable pavers will work on my lot?
Permeable paver driveways generally aren't used where groundwater sits within 2 feet of the bottom of the pavement, so how deep the water is under your lot is the first test. On clay that drains poorly and gets packed hard for stability, the design makes up for it with a thicker base and perforated underdrain pipes, small pipes with holes that carry the extra water away. A home driveway can also skip a separate lower layer and use one thicker base to store water and carry the load.
How thick should the base be under a paver driveway?
Paver industry guidance calls for a base at least 6 inches thick under a home driveway on well-drained soil. That's more than the 4-inch base in the cost guide above, so ask every bidder to write down their base depth and your quotes will compare the same build.
How long does a paver driveway last?
The paver industry group gives permeable paver units a 50-year design life, based on how they've held up in the field. They don't need sealing, which keeps upkeep costs down over the years, and the base under them matters as much as the pavers themselves.
What is the best time of year to put in a paver driveway in Castro Valley?
Plan for a dry stretch, because industry guidance keeps sand and paver laying out of heavy rain. We watch the forecast and set your start date around it, so a wet week can push things back a little.
Other masonry work that pairs with a driveway
Retaining wall construction
When your driveway cuts into a slope, a well-built wall holds the bank in place so soil and runoff stay off the new pavers.
Masonry restoration
Old brick steps, porch walls or chimneys near the driveway can look tired beside new pavers, and restoring the mortar and brick brings them back to sound shape.
Service areas for driveway pavers near Castro Valley
C&M Castro Valley Concrete & Masonry is based in Castro Valley, California, and we build paver driveways in the 12 cities listed below, including Oakland and Dublin. They aren't the only places we work, so give us a call about yours.
Castro Valley, CA
Get a price on your paver driveway
Call (510) 264-7156 or send the form with your driveway's rough size, how steep the lot is and whether an old driveway comes out, and I'll show up ready to talk through real options.