Bay Area's Best

Footings First Concrete

Whether you’re building a new home or renovating your current one, it’s essential to hire a skilled and reliable concrete contractor.

What we do

WHY CHOOSE US?

Footings First Concrete

Why choose Footings First for your next concrete construction project? A better question might be—why not? We’re accountable, work to make the process easy, and tirelessly strive to make your vision come to life on every project.

Precision Craftsmanship

Our team ensures every concrete project is built with accuracy and attention to detail, delivering lasting results.

Durable Materials

We use high-quality concrete mixes and finishes that stand up to time, weather, and heavy use—perfect for any project.

Custom Solutions

From decorative patios to functional driveways, we tailor every service to match your design preferences and property needs.

About Us

Concrete Solutions You Can Trust

With over 20 years of experience, we are San Jose’s trusted experts in residential and commercial concrete solutions. From driveways and patios to cutting-edge stamped concrete and polished flooring, we take pride in delivering durable, high-quality results tailored to each client’s needs. Our skilled team uses top-grade materials and advanced techniques to ensure every project is built to last and made to impress. Customer satisfaction, craftsmanship, and reliability are the foundation of everything we do.

Our Services

Your Needs, Our Expertise

We provide top-quality concrete services , specializing in driveways, patios, foundations, stamped concrete, and more. Whether it’s residential or commercial, our expert team ensures durable, attractive, and affordable solutions tailored to your project’s needs.

Concrete Cutting and Polishing

Precision concrete cutting and polishing for smooth, durable finishes—perfect for floors, walls, and custom designs in any residential or commercial space.

Concrete Residential Services

Reliable residential concrete services, including driveways, patios, walkways, and foundations—built for strength, style, and long-lasting value.

Concrete Driveways

Strong, stylish concrete driveways built to last. Boost curb appeal with custom finishes designed for durability, function, and long-term performance.

Concrete Patios

Create beautiful, durable concrete patios perfect for relaxing and entertaining, with custom finishes that enhance your outdoor living space.

Concrete Flooring

Durable concrete flooring and stylish stamped concrete designs that add strength, beauty, and value to your indoor and outdoor spaces.

Stamped Concrete

Stylish stamped concrete mimics stone or brick, adding elegance and durability to patios, driveways, and walkways with custom patterns and colors.

FAQS

Frequent Asked Questions

Explore our FAQs to learn more about our concrete services, pricing, project timelines, and what to expect when working with our expert team in San Jose.

1. What is concrete? Is it the same thing as cement?

No, cement and concrete are not the same thing. A lot of people have the tendency to think that they are the same because they are closely related. However, they mean two different things. Basically, cement is the gray powder which is the result of burned clay and lime. Concrete, on the other hand, is composed of several materials like water, sand, stone, other aggregates, and cement, of course. All these ingredients end up sticking together with cement. The moment water and cement come in contact, it begins to form a paste like consistency, sticky enough to glue everything together.

2. Are there different kinds of concrete?

Yes, there are different kinds of concrete. Some usual types of concrete include lightweight concrete, precast concrete, reinforced concrete, high density concrete, reinforced concrete, glass reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, and the ordinary concrete. These types would typically differ in size, durability, workability, and strength. Each one has its unique characteristics which can fit different needs. We strongly urge our clients to look for concrete with the best composition, since strength greatly relies on the mixture of the ingredients of concrete. As part of that, it must also contain enough paste to make sure that all components are sticking well together.

3. Do I need a concrete contractor?

If you are looking into getting concrete for your property, we would definitely recommend getting a concrete contractor. Aside from the fact that they can do most of the work for you, it will also be a good guarantee of the quality of work. Hiring a credible San Jose concrete contractor gives the assurance of a properly finished work. Since they have the expertise and experience, you can leave the work to them. Concrete is a special material, which requires skill. A legitimate concrete contractor will ensure you of the best outcome for your property and in a timely manner.

4. Can concrete set in the rain?

Although concrete can set in the rain, we do not recommend it. Concrete and rain are not a good mix. It can lead to adverse outcomes, which may not meet your expectations. If you pour concrete in the rain, you may expect scaling, dusting, and a decrease in strength of concrete. We’ll schedule your pour when no rain is forecast for your location. In case rain suddenly arrives during the pouring, you can use place a plastic sheeting over the concrete to protect it from the rain and remove it after the rain is over.

5. Can concrete be painted?

Yes, you can paint concrete for an improved appearance. If you want the best results, we advise to check the type of concrete that you have. Paint adheres better to some specific types of concrete than others, like outdoor concrete for example. There are also different paint types that you can use. We often recommend getting masonry paint for concrete because it has binders which expand and contract with concrete. It is the best option if you do not want the house paint to peel and crack. Before painting, make sure that the concrete is clean and free from debris.

6. Why does concrete crack?

There are several reasons why concrete crack and you can avoid them by knowing why it occurs. For one, concrete would typically crack due to temperatures, especially in colder regions. Although it does not snow here in San Jose, it would still help to discuss it for more information. Concrete cracks are usual for freeze and thaw climates, or in locations with extremely cold and hot weather. Another reason why concrete crack is the evaporation of water within the concrete. As the concrete shrinks in the process of hardening, it cracks. But you can avoid these with the help of concrete joints.

7. How long must my concrete driveway cure before I can drive on it?

It is ideal to wait for seven days before driving on your driveway. This amount of time can ensure that the concrete driveway has sufficiently cured and is ready for the weight of the vehicle. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of giving the concrete enough time to cure to make sure that it has reached its best state. The driveway will not be cured enough to support the weight of the vehicle in less than 7 days and will permanently damage the driveway. Meanwhile, if you are going to use the concrete driveway for heavier equipment, make sure to wait at least 30 days before using it.

8. What is concrete sealer and how often must it be applied?

Concrete sealer gives protection on your concrete. It keeps the moisture from penetrating through the concrete. At the same time, concrete sealer also helps in preventing salt penetration, which can cause concrete deterioration. Most concrete companies in San Jose recommend applying concrete sealer after 30 days. Such amount of time ensures that the concrete is almost done drying up. Prior to the application, also ensure that the surface is dry as well. Since the concrete sealer will thin through time, you will need to reapply every so often. For best results, we recommend doing the reapplication between 2 to 3 years.

9. Is the concrete affected by weather?

Yes, the weather does affect the concrete, especially extreme weather conditions. For one, the change in the rate of humidity affects the concrete’s compressive strength development. Rain, on the other hand, can affect the drying up of concrete. It can cause either decrease of strength or scaling on the concrete. Meanwhile wind can make the concrete crack. Temperature is another significant factor to look out for. For colder climate, you can heat the ingredients of concrete prior to use. You can also cover the concrete to keep it from freezing. For warmer temperature, you can cool the ingredients instead of heating.

10. Why should I choose concrete over asphalt for my driveway when asphalt is less expensive?

However, Asphalt has a significantly shorter lifespan than concrete. This causes quicker deterioration, resulting in excessive ongoing maintenance. While concrete can last as long as 50 years with minimal maintenance. Please consider Total Cost of Ownership over the lifespan of the selected product. In our experience, concrete is far superior both as a product and economically for total cost.

11. What are recommended mix proportions for good concrete?

Concrete is available in different mixes. Inquire about concrete density options, as they very for each use case. However, mixtures usually observe the basic rule of 6’s. In this rule, it says to use a maximum of six gallons of water for each cement bag. Six cement bags for each cubic yard of concrete desired. Next is allow rest for six days before use. Last rule of 6’s is to maintain at least 6% of air content in concrete mixture, especially for those locations that undergoes freezing and thawing.

12. Why does concrete crack?

It is usual for concrete to crack after some time. These cracks would typically appear while the concrete dries up since it goes through minimal volume change during this time. The average rate of volume change is about 500 millionths. For a better visualization, such rate is about 0.4 cm per 3 meters. If we convert it, that is around 1/16 of an inch for every 10 feet. Although minimal and seems negligible, the change appears as cracks on the concrete. But you can completely avoid concrete cracks from happening by maximizing the use of concrete joints for an even crack.

13. Why test concrete?

We recommend testing concrete to check its strength, as it helps ensure the toughness, durability, and stability of the material. Other than measuring the strength, concrete testing also helps gauge its consistency, unit weight, air content, and temperature. Overall, it is a measure of quality. For the best results, make sure to use a legitimate concrete test for your material. Concrete tests can be performed on both hardened and freshly mixed concrete. There are different types of concrete tests available that you can use. Some types are limited to organizations such as the department of transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

14. How do you remove stains from concrete?

There are two ways on how you can remove stain from your concrete. You can either opt for dry method or wet method. To remove concrete stains with dry method, it will require the use of mechanical work. Some examples of dry method include scabbing, scouring, grinding, sand blasting, shotblasting and flame cleaning, and planing. If you will be using a steel brush, see to it that there no metal debris is left behind. Meanwhile, if you opt for wet method, it will require the use of both water and chemicals such as bleach to completely dissolve the concrete stain.

15. What is concrete?

Concrete is the result of mixing cement with coarse aggregates, fine aggregates, cement and other additives. Once the concrete mixes with other water, it forms a paste like substance. There are different types of concrete available such as mineral colors, granulated blast-furnace slag, and combined cements. Concrete has always been a favorite material for property owners because of durability and its strength. It is also very adaptive and can easily match with all types of property. With all its promising characteristics, the only disadvantage about concrete is it requires seven days of curing time. It is only until then that you can use it.

16. Why is concrete gray?

Concrete has the color gray due to its primary ingredient, which is cement. Cement, on the other hand has the color gray, because of Iron Ore—one of its main component. Even though the Iron Ore is originally black, it becomes gray when it mixes with the other cement ingredients. Since gray can be plain and boring, property owners have the option to paint it the color that they prefer to better suit their properties. Our company offers a wide variety of colors options. Along with that, we also offer stamped concrete and concrete staining for a more elevated look.

17. Does concrete gain strength by drying out?

Drying out has nothing to do with the concrete’s gain of strength. As we know, the concrete is the outcome of the combination water, cement, and aggregates. Opposed to the common belief, it is not drying that allows the concrete to gain strength but the process of hydration. Such chemical event happens once the cement comes in contact with water. During this period, new compounds form which results to the strengthening of concrete. As the same time, crystals also begin to lock together. The process of strengthening of concrete typically happens in first month or the first 30 days.

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