Driveway removal and patio removal are the first half of a replacement: the old concrete comes out so something better can go in. Cicarelli Contractors saw-cuts the edges that stay, breaks and hauls the slab, and prepares a compacted base, then handles the driveway replacement itself in pavers, turf or a fresh pour, all under one contract.
Driveway and patio removal
A driveway rarely ends at open ground. It meets the garage slab, the walkway to the front door and, at the street, the apron and sidewalk the city controls. Concrete driveway removal therefore begins with saw cuts at each of those lines, so the breaker stops exactly where the old slab ends and nothing next to it cracks.
Concrete patio removal has neighbors of its own to work around: the house foundation, steps, planters and buried irrigation or drain lines. Close to the house, the slab is broken into smaller pieces with lighter tools, and the drainage underneath is checked, because a new surface should carry water away from the walls instead of toward them.
The difference with Cicarelli is what happens next. Once the base is graded and compacted, the same crew can lay pavers, install turf or form a new slab, so there is no gap between the demolition and the build, and one written contract covers both. We replace driveways and patios from San Francisco and Oakland to San Jose and across the rest of the Bay Area, and our demolition services page lists everything else we take out.
Six Google reviews quoted word for word, from a concrete pool replaced by pavers to new paver yards and a carport. Swipe or use the arrows.
Couldn’t be happier with how our yard turned out! We had Cicarelli remove an old concrete pool and install pavers around the new garden area. The whole process was smooth, and the crew was polite and professional.
We are extremely happy with the job performed in my backyard. And my front yard It was done very fast and the quality of the job is excellent. Highly recommended because you have a great service at a reasonable price.
Just this past week, I hired Cicarelli Contractors to install a carport. Initially I wanted concrete but after speaking with Athalyson and being educated on pavers instead of regular concrete we decided to go with his recommendation. And to our surprise the pavers turned out to be the correct choice versus a concrete slab. The color that we chose really compliments the paint that’s on the house. Cicarelli did an incredible job. They followed the timeline to completion to a tee and each day they worked at my home they always cleaned up before they left for the day. We are so excited how everything turned out, our neighbors constantly come over to say how beautiful the pavers look. To my surprise they completed the work in one week. Not only did they have to prep the work they also had to remove 3 large trees and the existing fence and replace it with a new one. Still hard to believe they did all that work in a short period of time and at the end everything looks very professional.
Very professional. It was explained what was going to be done.
They were done in 4 days. Other companies gave us a time limit of 2 weeks. Hard workers. We will use this company again. We need more work done.
Excellent job and ZERO complaint. The project was done on time.
The team exhibited exceptional performance, demonstrated effective communication, and displayed a commendable work ethic.
From slab to new surface
Our filmed jobs so far are pool demolitions, done by the same crews and machines. These clips from Vacaville, San Ramon and Fremont include a yard that went from a pool to pavers and outdoor living.
Watch On YouTubeDriveway removal step by step
Driveway demolition and the new base are planned together, so the finished height works at the garage, the walk and the street.
Start With A Free EstimateThe finish height of pavers, turf or concrete sets how deep the base goes.
Street work gets its encroachment permit, and 811 marks the buried lines.
Cuts at the garage, walkway and apron keep the concrete that stays intact.
The slab is broken, the rebar cut and the pieces loaded straight onto the truck.
The subgrade is graded to drain and compacted, ready for base rock.
We install the new surface, or leave a clean, compacted base for another builder.
What goes in its place
The most common answers on our jobs, each photographed at a finished Cicarelli project.
Interlocking pavers on a compacted base; a damaged section can be lifted and reset instead of replaced.
A new patio on the same footprint, often with a border, steps or a seat wall added.
A drained, compacted base under turf turns a cracked patio into a green lawn that needs no mowing.
Narrow side-yard paths rebuilt in pavers once the old concrete strip is gone.
Permits and rules
On private property, replacing a flat patio or driveway often needs no building permit in the Bay Area. The street side is different: the apron, curb and sidewalk belong to the city, and a dumpster parked on the street usually needs its own permit. Grading limits can apply once enough soil moves.
Before saw-cutting or digging near the street, USA North 811 asks for two working days' notice to mark buried lines.
Driveway and patio answers
Driveway removal cost and what to put in its place are the two questions that start most driveway replacement projects. The answers below rely on the rules Bay Area cities post and on what actually changes a quote, so you can plan the removal and the replacement together.
It depends on the slab and the site. Size, thickness, rebar, the saw cuts at the street and the garage, truck access and the number of loads to the recycler decide the removal price, and the new surface is priced on top. Compare written quotes that list the same items.
Our slab removal cost guide explains each line of a quote, and our written estimate prices the removal and the new surface together.
It is the removal plus the new surface. Removal is priced by the size, thickness and access of the old slab; the new pavers, concrete or turf, the base rock and any apron work at the street are priced on top. That is why our estimate lists removal and installation as separate lines.
For the paver side of the budget, our Bay Area paver cost guide shows what moves the price of the new surface.
The usual choices are pavers, a new concrete slab, or, where no car needs to park, artificial turf. Pavers sit on a compacted base and single units can be lifted and reset, while a new pour gives one continuous surface. The base under either matters more than the top layer.
Our guide to concrete vs pavers for Bay Area driveways and patios compares the two in detail.
Often not for the private part of the driveway, but the street side is another matter. Several Bay Area cities exempt private driveways and patios from a building permit, while the apron, curb and sidewalk need an encroachment permit, and a dumpster on the street can need one too.
San Rafael, Alameda and San Ramon all publish their rules, and the summary above links each one. When a permit applies, we file it as part of the job.
Keep what can stay. Saw-cutting out only the broken sections instead of the whole slab, reusing a sound base and choosing a surface suited to the use all lower the cost. A full tear-out makes sense when the slab has heaved, drains toward the garage or is breaking up along most of its length.
When both are realistic, ask for partial and full replacement priced side by side so you can compare them line by line.
| Rule | Official source |
|---|---|
| Patios, sidewalks, driveways up to 30 inches | Exempt from building permit in San Rafael (city handout) |
| Dumpster or work in the street | Encroachment permit in San Ramon (city FAQ) |
| Residential sidewalks and driveways | No building permit in Alameda (city page) |
| Driveway approach in the right-of-way | Licensed contractors only in Albany (city handout) |
| Home improvement work over $500 | Written contract required (CSLB) |
| Utility marks before digging | 2 working days (USA North 811) |
Summarized from the official pages linked above; your city may add steps of its own.
Updated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors · CSLB #1109419
FAQ
Send photos of the driveway or patio, where it meets the street and the garage, and what you would like instead; the written estimate covers removal and the new surface. Calls are answered Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, and the site FAQ has more.
Call (650) 404-7049Yes. The broken sections are saw-cut out along straight lines and the rest of the slab stays. This works when the damage is limited to a corner, a strip near the garage or the apron at the street. If most of the driveway has cracked or heaved, full replacement usually works better.
Yes, when the city allows it and the permit is in place. The apron, curb and sidewalk sit in the public right-of-way, so most cities require an encroachment permit and inspect the new work. Albany, for example, issues those permits only to licensed contractors. We check your city's rule before quoting.
Yes. The old slab comes out, the base is graded and compacted, and the pavers go in with the same crew, so the finish height lines up with the garage, the walk and the street. One written estimate covers the removal and the installation, with each part listed separately.
Near the foundation, the slab is saw-cut away from the wall and broken into smaller pieces with lighter tools instead of a heavy breaker. Steps, planters and pipes that stay are marked first. Before the new surface goes in, the base is sloped so water drains away from the house.
The removal is usually the quick part for one crew on an accessible lot. Building the base and the new surface takes longer, and new concrete must also cure before a car can drive on it. The estimate lists the expected days, so you can plan street parking in advance.
Call or text (650) 404-7049, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, or send photos through the free estimate form showing the slab, where it meets the street or house, and what you want instead. An itemized estimate for removal and the new surface follows within 24 hours of the photos or visit.
GuideConcrete vs. Pavers for Bay Area Driveways and Patios: Comparison
GuideConcrete Slab Removal Cost: 7 Factors Bay Area Homeowners Should Know
GuidePaver Walkway Cost in the Bay Area: 2026 Guide to What Drives the PriceUpdated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors
