Concrete parking lot building in Port Angeles WA - a lot built on an even, solid base
Gravel lot rutting out or old pavement breaking up? We plan the base and the traffic first, so your new concrete lot holds up.
What goes into building a concrete parking lot in Port Angeles?
Building a concrete parking lot in Port Angeles means digging out, laying a packed base and pouring slabs sized for the traffic they'll carry. A lot done that way can give you many years of service with little upkeep.
Most people who call about a lot have gravel that ruts and holds pooling water, or old paving that's breaking up, and the first thing I'll ask is what the space is for. The price mostly turns on the size of the lot, how much digging and base the ground needs, how heavy the traffic is and whether you go with standard or pervious concrete. The schedule turns on the weather, the cure and anything the city has to review. The city lists stormwater permitting among its standards, so we look early at whether your lot needs a permit and whether the work reaches city land, then handle the paperwork or help get your questions to the city's permit staff. My estimate spells out what's in it and what isn't, so you see your own figure before anything's decided.
What happens after you call about a parking lot?
Call or send us a note
Call (564) 203-7120 or use the form and tell us a little about the lot. We'll set up a time for me to come out.
I walk the site with you
I come out myself to look at the ground, the slope and where the water goes, and I ask what the lot is for and what'll drive on it. You get a written estimate that spells out what's in it and what isn't, so you know what you're paying for before you decide.
We handle the city and prep
Once you're ready, we sort out anything the city needs, then dig out and build the base. Weather can move the pour date, and I'll let you know when it does.
We pour and walk it together
I'm on site with our crew for the pour and the finish. When it's done, we walk the lot together and I tell you when it can take traffic.
How we build a concrete parking lot and the work around it
We treat a lot as something you'll own for a long time, so I plan it from the layer under the slabs and the traffic it'll see, not from the finish. First we check where water runs across the site, because a lot that drains toward a building or holds puddles wears out early. Then we dig out to the subgrade, the firm ground the slabs sit on, and lay and pack a subbase of gravel on top of it, since perfect natural soil is rare and that layer gives every slab the same support and resists washing out. How thick the slabs are and how much rebar goes in, the steel that keeps any cracks tight, depends on whether cars or delivery trucks will drive on it. We pour in the cooler part of the day so the top doesn't dry weak and dusty, and we give it a broom finish so tires and shoes grip in the wet. We cut control joints early, shallow cuts that tell the slab where to crack, so any cracks land in straight lines we picked. If pervious concrete fits your site, I'll walk you through the care it needs before you choose it. The trade-off I bring up on every lot is the base versus the surface. The base is the first thing people want to trim because nobody sees it on day one, and I'd rather cut back on the finish, because the base is what keeps the slabs flat.
Some lots need more than slabs. A pole light, a sign or a wall along the edge needs concrete footings set first so it doesn't lean or sink, and we pour those as part of the same plan. If the building beside the lot has settled and its doors stick or its floor slopes, foundation raising is worth doing before we set the lot's grades, so the new slabs meet a building that's back where it belongs.
Get a written estimate for your parking lot
Send us a few details and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come see the site. The estimate is free and done in person, and there's no pressure to book.
Parking lot questions from Port Angeles owners
How much does a concrete parking lot cost in Port Angeles?
Commercial concrete flatwork for parking lots across the US usually costs about $6 to $14 per square foot, which is a national market range and not our price. Where your lot lands in it depends on how much ground has to be dug out and rebuilt, the traffic the slabs have to carry and the surface you choose. I'll give you the number for your site once I've walked it.
How long does a concrete parking lot last?
A well-built concrete lot can give good service for many years with little maintenance. The first round of repair on worn concrete pavement is usually done at 10 to 15 years, while the wear is still slight, and it's the cheapest and least disruptive fix. Planning for it from the start gets you the most out of the lot.
Is pervious concrete right for my parking lot?
It can be if your lot sees light traffic, because pervious concrete is a porous mix that lets rain soak through, which cuts runoff from the site and recharges groundwater, and it's traditionally used for parking areas like that. The catch is upkeep. It needs different maintenance than other pavement to keep water passing through, and that care falls to you as the owner.
How long does it take before I can use a new concrete parking lot?
You wait until the concrete has cured, which is the time it spends gaining strength before it can take weight, and I'll tell you when your lot can open once we know the mix and the weather. Pervious concrete should start curing soon after it's placed and keep curing through 7 days, usually under plastic sheeting left on the whole time, so plan on the lot staying covered for that full week.
Who can build a concrete parking lot in Washington?
Any contractor building your lot has to be registered with Washington L&I, and state law also requires them to be bonded and insured. You can look up a firm in L&I's Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson, or Business tool before you hire. We're licensed and insured, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
What rules does a parking lot in Port Angeles have to meet?
The city publishes its own Parking Design Standards and Zoning Code, so your lot's layout has to work within them, and it's fair to ask any contractor how their design does. Clallam County's building design standards also set a minimum frost depth, which is worth asking about because the lot's base has to account for it. We're based in Port Angeles and work in Sequim and the cities around it, so we plan every lot with both in mind.
Other work that often goes with a lot
Concrete footings
Anything standing at the edge of your lot, from a light pole to a low wall, needs its own firm base so it stays plumb over time.
Foundation raising
When a shop or office beside the lot has sunk on one side, lifting it first lets new paving meet it at the right height.
Book a site visit for your parking lot
Have the lot's rough size, the traffic it'll carry and the site address handy when you call (564) 203-7120 or fill out the form, so I come out already knowing what the space has to do.