J&R Federal Way Concrete ConstructionJ&R Federal Way Concrete Construction(253) 652-2604
J&R Federal Way Concrete Construction
(253) 652-2604Get an estimate

Concrete Contractor in Kent, WA - Driveways, Patios and Slabs Built From the Base Up

J&R Federal Way Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Federal Way, WA. We pour driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs in Kent, and we build the footings and foundations under homes and small businesses there.

Get an estimate(253) 652-2604
A textured concrete patio slab sits beside a house, bordered by decorative river stones and green lawn.

How Kent's houses and ground shape a concrete job

Kent sits between Renton to the north and Auburn to the south, a short drive from our base in Federal Way. The calls we get here are the mix you'd expect in a city this size: older houses with driveways that have settled and cracked, newer homes that want a patio or a wider parking pad, and small business owners who need a lot, a walk or a slab.

Part of Kent sits down in the Green River valley. On low ground like that, the first thing I check is where the water will go, because a slab with nowhere to drain ends up sitting in it. That decides the base and the slope before we talk about anything else.

Concrete work we do for Kent homes and businesses

In Kent we do the full range of concrete work. That runs from flatwork, the driveways, patios, walks and floors that lie flat on the ground, to steps, walls, footings and foundations. Most calls come from homeowners, and some come from small business owners who need a lot, a walk or a slab. Every job gets planned from the ground up, starting with what failed on the old concrete, where the water runs and what the base needs, before we ever talk about the finish.

  • Concrete driveway building

    Driveways here take cars every day, and plenty of older ones have cracked into pieces. We dig to firm subgrade, the ground the new slab sits on, and pour it thick enough for what you park.

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  • Concrete patio construction

    A lot of backyards here have a small slab by the back door or nothing usable. We build patios sized to how you use the yard, from a grill pad to room for a table.

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  • Stamped concrete services

    For a patio or walk that looks like stone or brick, stamped concrete does it in one pour. We press the pattern in while the surface is soft, then seal it.

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  • Concrete sidewalk building

    Front walks get uneven when one panel settles or a root lifts it, and that raised edge trips people. We replace the bad panels or the whole run so the walk sits flat and drains.

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  • Garage floor concrete

    Garage floors in older homes are often cracked, stained or dusty, and patching rarely lasts. We break out the old floor, rebuild the base and pour a new slab for the car's weight.

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  • Decorative concrete

    Some houses call for more than plain gray, like colored concrete, exposed stone or a border on a patio. We'll tell you which finishes hold up on a driveway and which belong on a walkway.

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  • Concrete retaining walls

    Yards that slope toward the street or a neighbor often need a wall to hold the dirt. We build walls on footings with drainage behind them, because trapped water is what pushes walls over.

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  • Concrete floor installation

    Shops, basements and outbuildings need a floor that stays flat and dry. We set the base, lay a vapor barrier where the floor needs one and finish it smooth for how you'll use it.

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  • Concrete pool decks

    A pool deck takes bare feet, splashing and pool chemicals all summer. We slope it away from the pool and give it a texture that grips when it's wet.

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  • Concrete steps construction

    Crumbling or uneven front steps are an easy place to trip, especially on older houses. We form new steps with even rises and a textured top that grips in the rain.

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  • Slab foundation building

    Garages, shops and additions often go on a slab foundation poured in one piece. We dig, compact and set rebar, the steel bars that hold the concrete together, before the pour.

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  • Foundation installation

    New homes, additions and rebuilds need a foundation that's square, level and sitting on solid ground. We set the footings and walls to the plans and check every form before concrete goes in.

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  • Concrete parking lot building

    Small business lots sink, crack and hold water when they were built like a home driveway. We build them thicker and grade them so water heads to the drains, not the doors.

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  • Concrete footings

    Decks, porches and additions all sit on footings, the concrete pads that carry the weight down to firm ground. We dig them to the depth the plans call for, because everything above depends on them.

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  • Foundation raising

    When doors stick and floors slope, part of the house has usually settled. I look at what caused it before we lift anything, because raising a foundation without fixing the cause only buys time.

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  • Concrete cutting

    Sometimes the job is an opening, not a new pour, for a door, a drain line or a damaged section. We saw-cut clean, straight lines so the concrete around it stays sound.

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The kinds of concrete work people ask us for

These photos show the kinds of driveways, patios, steps and walls Kent homeowners ask us about. Point to a finish or a shape you like, and we'll talk about whether it fits your house.

  • Fresh concrete driveway leads to a brick house, bordered by grass and a curved red-brick walkway.

  • Tan stamped concrete patio and walkway beside a raised wooden deck, with brick walls and a play area beyond.

  • A modern home stands behind a driveway of large pale concrete panels separated by strips of grass.

What to know before a concrete job in Kent

Before we set a date in Kent, two things get sorted out: who issues your permit and who's allowed to do the work. Then comes what moves the price and how long you're off your driveway.

Permits and licenses for a Kent job

First, check that your address is inside Kent city limits, since that decides whose rules apply. The City of Kent's website lets you look it up by street address. Inside the line, the city's Permit Center issues building and residential permits by appointment. When your job needs one, we handle the application and plan the start date around the wait.

Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the state and to be bonded and insured, and the city requires a business license from every business working in Kent. Both are fair questions before you sign anything, so ask us the same as anyone else. We do the same groundwork in Tacoma and every other city we work in, because each one sets its own process.

  • Check your address against Kent city limits before applying city rules.
  • Ask any contractor about state registration and a Kent business license.
  • Not sure which office covers you? Send the address and we'll check.

What moves the price and the schedule

Size and what has to come out first move the price the most. Breaking out an old slab and hauling it off is real work, and so is digging past soft dirt to firm subgrade and packing new base. The finish comes last, and a plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that keeps a slab from getting slick, costs less than stamped or colored concrete.

The schedule turns on three things: the permit wait when there is one, a dry day to pour, and curing, the stretch of days concrete needs to gain strength before it takes a load. Rushing the cure is how a good slab gets marked up or cracked early. Your own numbers come from the estimate I write after looking at the job.

  • Plan to park on the street until the new driveway has cured.
  • Patios and walks take foot traffic well before driveways take cars.
  • Stamped or colored finishes add extra steps on pour day.

Get a free on-site concrete estimate for your Kent property

Call (253) 652-2604 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Kent property myself, look at the ground and the old concrete, and write the estimate. It's free, with no obligation.

(253) 652-2604

What we see on Kent houses and driveways

Most of the concrete trouble we see on houses here goes back to a few shortcuts taken the first time. Here's what we look for when we walk your property, and what we do about it.

  • Driveways crumbling at the edges

    A lot of older driveways we see were poured on dirt that was raked smooth instead of dug out and packed. The ground keeps settling under them, so the edges crumble and panels tip. We dig down to firm ground and compact the base before anything gets poured.

  • Water running back toward the house

    We still find slabs that fall toward the house, so rain pools at the garage door or runs along the foundation. Before we set a form, I walk the yard to see where the water goes now, then slope the new concrete to carry it away.

  • Cracks in places nobody chose

    Concrete shrinks as it dries, and it's going to crack somewhere. Control joints are grooves cut into the slab so that crack runs along a straight line we picked instead of across the middle. When they're cut late or skipped, you get the random cracks most people call us about.

  • Steps pulling away from the porch

    Front steps on older houses often sit on a shallow pad or no footing at all, so they settle on their own and open a gap at the house. We set new steps on a proper footing so they stay put against the house instead of drifting away from it.

  • Tops that chip and turn dusty

    Some slabs look fine for a year, then the top starts chipping and leaves dust on your shoes. That usually comes from pouring in midday heat or working a wet surface too early. We start pours early in the day and finish the surface when it's ready, not when it's convenient.

How we run a concrete job from start to finish

This is how we run a job in Kent, from the first look to the last sweep. None of it is fancy, but it's the part that decides how long your concrete lasts.

Why we put the money under the slab

The base is the part you'll never see. Once the concrete's down it's buried for good, which makes it the first place a lot of budgets get cut and the main reason slabs sink and crack a few years later. I grew up on a farm fixing whatever broke, and that's where I learned concrete shows every shortcut sooner or later.

So when a budget's tight, my advice is to keep the base and simplify the finish. A plain slab on a well-packed base outlasts a fancy one on raked dirt, and you can add color or a pattern on the next project. A bad base can't be fixed without tearing out everything sitting on top of it.

  • I write your estimate myself

    I come out to look at the job and write the estimate, so the person pricing it is the person who answers for it. Then I'm on site running our crew while we form, pour and finish, instead of checking in by phone from somewhere else.

  • Based in Federal Way since 2017

    I started this business as a concrete contractor in Federal Way, WA in 2017, after years on other crews, and Kent is one of the cities around it we work in. We're known for flatwork that comes out true and for the footings and foundations a lot of crews would rather pass on.

  • Licensed and insured on every job

    We're fully licensed and insured, which protects your property and our crew while we're working on it. Our work is also backed by our satisfaction guarantee, and I'd rather hear about a problem straight from you than have you sit on it.

  • Straight answers and a clean street

    If something you want won't work on your lot, I'll tell you at the estimate, not after the pour. We keep the site tidy, clean up as we go and respect your neighbors and the street. Call (253) 652-2604 when you're ready to talk about your job.

Questions Kent homeowners ask about concrete work

These are the questions worth answering before concrete goes in at a Kent address, from checking a contractor to building near the river. If yours isn't here, call and ask.

How do I check that a concrete contractor is registered in Washington?

Ask for their state registration number, because state law says it has to appear on their business cards, internet ads, estimates and bids. That registration is with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. On registrations renewed July 1, 2024 or later, the state requires a $30,000 bond for general contractors and $15,000 for specialty contractors.

What building code applies to a concrete slab or foundation in Kent, WA?

Kent follows the Washington State Building Code, and for houses that means the 2021 International Residential Code with the state's own additions and exceptions, in effect since March 15, 2024. The State Building Code Council says the newer 2024 codes take effect May 3, 2027. We build footings, slabs and foundations to what your permit and plans call for.

How do I find out if my Kent home is near the Green River floodplain?

Start with the city's website, which lists Green River flooding information, flood resources and FEMA elevation certificates for homes in or near the floodplain. The King County Flood Control District also has a draft plan for reducing flood risk along the 21-mile Lower Green River, which runs through parts of Kent, Auburn, Renton and SeaTac. If your house sits near the river, tell me when you call, because it changes how I plan the base and drainage under a new slab.

What makes a concrete driveway cost more in Kent, WA?

The biggest price swings come from the lot, not the concrete itself. A spot the truck can't reach means pumping or wheelbarrows, a work truck or RV calls for a thicker slab with more rebar, and low ground near the river can need extra base and drainage work. I'll give you your own number when I come out and write the estimate.

Service areas

We're based in Federal Way and work in Kent and the cities around it, including the ones listed here and plenty of places in between. If you don't see your city, call (253) 652-2604 or send the form and ask.

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