Concrete Contractor in Umatilla, OR - Slabs on a Dug-Out, Packed Base
R&S Richland Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Richland, WA. We cross the river to pour driveways, patios, steps, slabs and foundations for homes and property owners in Umatilla, OR.
I started R&S Richland Concrete Construction as a concrete contractor in Richland, WA, and we work across the river in Umatilla, OR, building driveways, patios, steps, sidewalks and foundations, plus lots and cutting jobs for property owners. I come out to look at every job myself, because I'd rather show you why we dig, slope and cut a slab the way we do so you can judge the work yourself.
- Owner on site with the crew
- Written estimate, every line explained
- Walk-through on caring for concrete
Concrete work for Umatilla homes
We see the same kinds of calls on both sides of the river, and most start with something you can see, like a driveway that's cracked or sunk at one end, a patio holding pooling water, or front steps that have chipped. Where a slab has settled like that, the cause is usually underneath it, ground that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the concrete sank right along with the dirt.
Water is the other half of it. A slab that falls toward the house sends rain at the foundation, so we check where the water runs before we set a single form, and we keep pours out of the midday heat, when a top can dry too fast and turn dusty later.
What we pour in Umatilla
Pick the work you're thinking about for your place in Umatilla, and each page explains how we do it, what changes the price and what to ask us.
Concrete driveway building
Where a driveway has cracked or sunk, we dig it out, pack a new base and pour fresh.
Concrete patio construction
A new or replacement patio sloped away from your house, so rain runs off instead of pooling by the door.
Stamped concrete services
Patterns pressed into fresh concrete so a patio or walk looks like stone or brick.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks and side paths poured on a packed base, with joints cut so cracks stay in line.
Garage floor concrete
Garage slabs thick enough for the cars and gear they'll carry, finished smooth or with some texture.
Decorative concrete
Color, exposed stone and custom finishes for concrete that's meant to be looked at as well as used.
Concrete retaining walls
Walls that hold back a slope in your yard, with an engineer brought in when the wall calls for one.
Concrete floor installation
Interior concrete floors for shops, basements and additions, placed level and finished for what goes on top.
Concrete pool decks
Pool decks with a broom finish, a light dragged texture that gives wet feet some grip, sloped away from the water.
Concrete steps construction
If your front steps have chipped or settled, we form and pour new ones with even rises.
Slab foundation building
Slab foundations for homes, garages and additions, poured over a packed subgrade, the ground the slab rests on.
Foundation installation
Foundation forms set, checked and poured for new homes and additions, built to the plans you've been given.
Concrete parking lot building
Parking lots and other flatwork, the big flat slabs at ground level, sloped so rainwater moves off the lot.
Concrete footings
Footings for decks, posts, walls and additions, dug to the depth and width the plans call for.
Foundation raising
When part of a slab or foundation has sunk, we find out why first, then talk through lifting it.
Concrete cutting
Saw cutting for new doorways, utility trenches or pulling out one damaged section without breaking up the rest.
Serving Umatilla from across the river
We're based in Richland and cross the river into Umatilla the same way we drive out to Kennewick and the other cities around us. Umatilla is on the Oregon side, so the City of Umatilla and Oregon's rules apply to your job, and we plan for that from the first visit.
What moves the price is mostly the size of the slab, how much old concrete has to come out, how deep we dig for the base, the steel and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the season, any permit and inspection, and how long the slab needs to cure. Your written estimate spells it out line by line.
Before your Umatilla pour
Most of what decides a concrete job gets settled before the truck shows up. How thick the slab is, whether it gets rebar, the steel bars that hold a cracked slab together, and which way it drains all change the work, so we settle them at the estimate instead of on pour day.
When the budget is tight, people want to cut the base first because it's buried by the end of day one. I'd drop a fancy finish before I'd skimp there, because a plain slab on packed ground holds up, and a stamped one on loose dirt sinks just like the old one did.
- Where rain should run off the new slab, away from the house
- How long you can do without the driveway or patio
- Which finish you want, plain, broomed, stamped or colored
- Whether the job needs a city permit, which we check before work starts
How a Umatilla job runs
I come out and look
You call, and I come out myself to look at the job, measure, check where the water runs and talk through your options right there.
Written estimate and plan
You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, and we plan the pour around what the job and the season call for, including any permit.
The pour and walk-through
I'm on site with our crew, and any city inspection gets requested 24 hours ahead. Before we leave, I walk you through caring for the new concrete.
Questions from Umatilla homeowners
Who issues permits for concrete work in Umatilla, OR?
The City of Umatilla Building Department issues permits, and it takes applications through Oregon ePermitting, the state's online system for applying, paying and receiving them. Whether your slab needs one is something we check with the department for your address before work starts, and if it does, we sort it out and tell you what to expect.
Does my concrete contractor need a Umatilla city business license?
Yes, the city requires a business license for every business operating inside city limits, including ones based elsewhere that regularly work there. The fee is $40, paid after approval, and working without one can bring a penalty of up to $250 a day. It's a fair question to ask any contractor before you hire.
Does a concrete contractor need an Oregon license to work on my house?
Generally yes, because the Oregon Construction Contractors Board says state law requires anyone paid to improve real property to be licensed, and most construction and repair work falls under that. An older board guide adds that contractors working on homes built before 1978 also need a special lead license.
Which building code applies to a concrete project in Umatilla right now?
The code in effect when the permit application or plan review is filed controls the work, unless the applicant agrees to later changes. Oregon is phasing in a new residential code, and until April 1, 2027, either the older or the newer edition may be used for its construction rules. We sort that out along with the permit.
How long before I can walk or drive on a new concrete driveway?
Usually a few days before you walk on it and longer before you drive on it, because concrete keeps curing, slowly hardening as it holds its moisture, well after it looks dry. The wait depends on the mix and that week's weather, so I'll give you the timing for your slab at the walk-through.
Will my new concrete slab crack like the old one did?
It can still crack, because all concrete shrinks as it cures, but we plan where that happens. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give a crack a straight line to follow, and we pour on a dug-out, packed base, often with rebar, so a crack that does show up stays tight and level.
Tell us about your Umatilla project
Call (509) 581-2407 or use the form to tell us what you need and where. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, no obligation.
Call (509) 581-2407