Can a General Contractor Pour Concrete in San Diego?

A B License Is Not a Concrete Only License

Most homeowners look for a C-8C-8 is the CSLB license class for concrete work. It covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing flat and mass concrete. on a driveway job. That is a fair first step. It is not the only legal path. The CSLB licenses Class B general buildingA Class B general building contractor runs jobs that need at least two unrelated building trades. California has more B licenses than any other class. contractors for jobs that need at least two unrelated building trades. The CSLB Fast Facts sheet says B is the most common license class in California.

So you may meet a B who takes your driveway, patio or slab job. That can be fine. What matters is how the B handles the concrete part.

Three Ways a B Can Take a Concrete Job

The CSLB says a B may take a prime contract for other trades, concrete included, in only three cases.

First, the contract includes at least two unrelated trades besides framing or carpentry. Second, the B also holds the C-8 concrete license. Third, the B subcontracts the concrete to a properly licensed specialty contractor, here a C-8.

If none of the three fits your job, the B should not be the one signing for the concrete.

What Counts as Two Other Trades

Think of a backyard in Clairemont or Kensington. A patio slab, a block wall along the back and new drainage under it, plus lighting. That is concrete, masonry, drainage and electrical in one contract. The concrete rides with the others.

A driveway that comes with a room addition works the same way. So does a slab under a new room. Framing or carpentry does not count toward the two trades, so a deck frame plus a slab is not enough on its own.

A Concrete Only Job From a B

A driveway by itself has one trade. A B can still take it. The B either holds C-8 or hires a licensed C-8 to pour it. Ask which one before you sign.

The CSLB says the C-8 class forms, pours, places and finishes mass, pavement and flat concrete. A contractor whose only trade is plaster coatings or placing rebar does not fit that class.

One Contract and One Point of Contact

A good reason to hire a B is coordination. The B runs the job, hires the C-8 and the other trades, and answers to you for the whole thing. Those trades may include electrical C-10, masonry C-29, earthwork and paving C-12 and landscape C-27.

You sign one contract and call one person. The contract should name who does each part, so you know which license sits behind each line.

Do Not Mix Up B and B-2

The B-2 Residential Remodeling class is for existing wood frame homes. It needs at least three unrelated trades in one contract and no structural changes to load bearing parts. Concrete is not on its list of trades. A B-2 alone is not a concrete license, so ask what else the contractor holds.

Street Work Is a Separate Question

A driveway approach sits in the public right of way. The CSLB says a Class A general engineering contractor may do concrete work that is part of fixed works like roads. Some cities want an A for work in the street.

Ask the City of San Diego which license your approach needs. Our approach permit guide shows what Rapid Review covers and what needs full plans.

What to Ask Before You Sign

Ask for the license number and look it up on the CSLB lookup. It shows every class the license holds. Ask for the name and license number of any sub who will pour the concrete.

Then get a written contract that names who does each part. Work over $1,000 in labor and materials needs a license, per AB 2622. The full steps are in how to check a contractor.

More Guides

• Permit Guide
• Approach Permits
• Clay Soil
• Check a Contractor