Concrete Services in Lakewood
Lakewood is a Pierce County city southwest of Tacoma, and the whole city lies within an aquifer recharge area. Its regulated shorelines are a string of lakes and creeks — American Lake, Gravelly Lake, Lake Louise, Lake Steilacoom, and Waughop Lake, plus Chambers Creek and Clover Creek — so a good share of residential concrete work here happens on lots near the water.
Concrete topics for Lakewood homeowners
Popular Concrete Services in Lakewood
Replacing older driveways and walks
Many Lakewood calls are for worn-out residential flatwork: driveways, walks, and patios that have cracked, scaled, or settled. When the replacement reaches the street, Lakewood's Engineering Standards Manual applies: residential approaches in the public right-of-way must be at least 15 feet and no more than 24 feet wide at the right-of-way line. For a sound slab that has only sunk, slab leveling may be enough; the leveling cost vs. replacement guide compares the two.
Lakes, creeks, and flood areas
Frequently flooded areas in Lakewood are found along Chambers and Clover creeks, and the city warns that floodwater from Clover Creek may reach some properties in the Springbrook and Hillside neighborhoods. Drainage review scales with the size of the new hard surface: projects with 2,000 to 4,999 square feet of impervious surface go through simplified drainage review, and larger ones need an engineered site development permit. On lake lots, shoreline rules come into play as well; see the permits section below and the patio service page for design options.
Permits in Lakewood
Lakewood's Planning and Public Works Department issues residential permits, and applications go through the city's Online Permit Center. All work in city right-of-way needs a right-of-way permit under LMC 12.04; the city's application form calls for a $5,000 street excavation and obstruction bond and 24 hours' notice to Public Works before work starts, and the permit expires 180 days after issuance. Grading that imports or disturbs 50 cubic yards or more of earth needs a site development permit, as does clearing or grading on slopes steeper than 30 percent or in the buffer of a steep slope, wetland, or stream.
On private property, Lakewood exempts sidewalks and driveways no more than 30 inches above grade, or 18 inches on waterfront property, and upland retaining walls up to 4 feet from the bottom of the footing that don't support a surcharge. Those exemptions don't cover a structure or new impervious surface of any size in a shoreline buffer or critical area. The Shoreline Master Program covers land within 200 feet of the city's regulated lakes and creeks.
Lakewood concrete FAQs
Do I need a permit to replace a driveway in Lakewood?
On private property, a driveway no more than 30 inches above grade (18 inches on a waterfront lot) and not over a basement is exempt from a building permit, unless it is in a shoreline buffer or critical area. Any work in the city right-of-way, including the approach, needs a right-of-way permit under LMC 12.04, and residential approaches must be 15 to 24 feet wide at the right-of-way line.
Can I pour a patio on a Lakewood lakefront lot without a permit?
Usually not. Lakewood's permit handout says a structure or new impervious surface of any size within the shoreline buffer, or in a critical area or its buffers and setbacks, needs a permit, and that includes decks and patios under 18 inches tall. Shoreline jurisdiction covers land 200 feet landward of the ordinary high water mark of the city's regulated lakes and creeks.
When does grading need a permit in Lakewood?
A site development permit is required for grading that imports or disturbs 50 cubic yards or more of earth, and for clearing or grading on slopes greater than 30 percent or within the setback or buffer of a steep slope, wetland, stream, or other critical area. During the October 1 to April 30 wet season, exposed soil must be stabilized whenever no work is planned for 2 days or more.
Nearby service areas
We also pour, repair, and replace concrete in the communities around Lakewood:
Call (206) 552-9998 for a free on-site estimate in Lakewood.
