Concrete Overlays in Bellevue, WA

Concrete overlays in Bellevue: what to know

Edges usually tell the story on a Bellevue patio or drive. Water gathers there, freeze and thaw works the surface loose, and the first hairline cracks show up at the joints. A coating cannot correct what happens underneath it, so soft zones are probed, crumbling material is removed, and the base is rebuilt before anything goes down. A thin system is worth its cost only over a slab that stays solid.

A coating that runs past the property line changes the job. We end the coating at the private slab line. Apron and walk work in the public right-of-way waits on the city’s review, and Bellevue’s residential right-of-way permit may cover driveway reconstruction, so the street side is scoped on its own track. Keeping the two apart means the private surface does not wait on paperwork for the street.

Permits and rules in Bellevue

A private slab is scoped by its area and by anything bundled into the same bid, such as a wall or a drain. We measure the area against the 2,000 square foot line in Bellevue’s stormwater guideline before the schedule is set. Anything touching the street moves through the right-of-way permit, and we confirm where that review stands before we commit dates.

Bellevue’s permit FAQ requires a permit for a retaining wall over four feet high, counted from the underside of the footing up to the top edge, and for any wall supporting a surcharge load. Walls over 30 inches high must stay out of any required setback. A patio or paver set on grade needs no permit unless the earthwork passes the city’s thresholds, and that exemption does not reach lots inside the Critical Areas Overlay District. The residential right-of-way permit may cover driveway installation and driveway reconstruction or relocation. The city revises these rules, so we confirm the current requirements before work begins.

How we approach it

Probe the edges and garage apron for soft spots
Patch failed areas, then let the base cure first
Use a thin system only over slabs that stay solid
Hold the street-side apron and walk out of the coating

For the full process, see our Concrete Overlays page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our concrete overlays work, serving Bellevue

Examples of our work. We build concrete overlays in Bellevue and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Bellevue homeowners

What makes a Bellevue slab a poor overlay candidate?

Movement is the usual reason. Open joints, heaved panels, and soft ground under the slab tend to show through a coating, so those are repaired, or the slab is replaced, before any overlay goes on.

Does a resurfacing count toward Bellevue’s stormwater line?

Possibly, depending on how the city counts it. Bellevue’s 2012 single-family stormwater guideline measures new and replaced impervious surface against a 2,000 square foot line, so on larger areas we ask city staff how a resurfacing is counted before we quote.

Does a Bellevue overlay extend to the street-side apron?

Not within the same job unless the city’s right-of-way review allows it. The street side is scoped apart from the private slab, and an apron or walk stays out of the coating until that review is complete.