Decorative concrete in Monterey Park CA - the look of stone on a slab that drains
Plain gray concrete that looks tired next to your house? We pour and finish a surface with the color and texture of stone or brick.
What is decorative concrete, and is it right for my Monterey Park home?
Decorative concrete is flatwork, the flat concrete around your house like a patio, walk or driveway, that we color and texture to look like slate, brick or natural stone, so your Monterey Park home gets that look from a poured surface.
Most people who call us have a plain gray slab or a cracked walk and want something that goes with the house, maybe a new patio with a stone look. The price moves with the size of the area, the pattern and how many colors it takes, how much old concrete has to come out and how much base work the ground needs. The schedule turns on the weather for the pour, any permit wait and curing, the days the slab sits before you use it so it can harden all the way through. I write the estimate up with what's included, so your own number isn't a guess.
Why Monterey Park homeowners call us for decorative concrete
We're best known for flatwork that drains the way it should and stays put, and I bring that same care to the parts of decorative work you can't see.
The owner at every estimate
I come out for every estimate myself, and the work is done by me and our crew.
In business since 2013
That's 13 years of our own work, and I learned under a boss who made me tear out anything that wasn't right.
Fully licensed and insured
California's license board covers contractors who form, pour and finish concrete, so ask any crew you're comparing about theirs.
Hard news before the pour
I tell you up front what a look will take and where cracks are likely, so you're deciding with the whole picture.
Backed by our satisfaction guarantee
Ask me anything at the estimate, and when you're ready, call (626) 597-0325 or use the form.
Decorative concrete finishes we offer
I show you a finished sample or a past job, not a small chip, because a chip only gets you close to the poured color, and I'll tell you plainly what each look takes.
What happens when you call about decorative concrete in Monterey Park?
We plan the job around your house, your schedule and the weather for the pour, and you'll see what's included before anything gets torn out.
Call or send a message
Call (626) 597-0325 or use the form with the rough size and the look you want, and we'll set up a time for me to come out.
I come out and look
I measure, check where the water runs and how we'll get in, and look at what's there now, because the ground decides a lot about the job.
Your written estimate
You get an estimate that spells out what's included, from the base work to the finish and any permit, so you can compare it fairly.
We pour, then walk it
Once you say yes, we handle any permits and set a date, then my crew and I do the work and I walk it with you.
Questions about a step? Call and talk it through.
(626) 597-0325Questions about decorative concrete
How much does stamped concrete cost in Monterey Park?
Stamped concrete in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $15 to $30 per square foot, which is the going range around here and not our price. Your own number comes from the written estimate, which lists what's included.
How often does stamped concrete need to be resealed?
Every two to three years, according to one Los Angeles guide, which says upkeep is mostly about protecting the surface from sun and wear. It's worth counting that resealing as a regular cost of keeping the finish looking right.
Will my decorative concrete match the color sample?
Close, but not exactly, because national contractor guidance says color charts and chips only represent the color and the poured surface will differ somewhat. That's why I bring a finished sample instead of a chip.
How long does a stained concrete patio take before you can walk on it?
At least 3 days, going by one national trade group's guide, which says stained surfaces should stay closed to traffic that long and be kept safe from spills until they're sealed. Plan to keep the grill, the furniture and the dog off it for that stretch.
How do I choose a contractor for decorative concrete in Monterey Park?
Look at their decorative work, not just their concrete work, because national trade guidance says placing and finishing decorative concrete takes skills, products and techniques most concrete jobs don't need. You can also ask whether the finisher holds the American Concrete Institute's certification as a Decorative Concrete Flatwork Finisher, which takes a written exam and work experience.
What causes decorative concrete to crack?
Most cracks come from concrete shrinking as it dries and the ground shifting underneath, and the worst ones usually trace back to a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed. We dig out and pack the subgrade, the dirt and gravel the slab sits on, and we pour early so midday heat doesn't leave a weak, dusty top. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather trim the pattern than the base, because nobody sees the base on day one, but it's what keeps the slab flat for years.
Permits and soil for decorative concrete in Monterey Park
The city requires a building permit for any building or structure except a few exempt items, and its list names patios but says nothing about decorative concrete, so whether your job needs one is something we check against the city's building permit rules before we set a date. Anything past your property line, like a driveway apron or a sidewalk, needs an engineering permit from the city, and moving more than 50 cubic yards of dirt to change the grade, the ground level, takes a separate grading permit from the Public Works Department. When a permit is needed, we pull it ourselves and plan the schedule around the wait, since the city issues some permits only to contractors licensed by the state for that trade.
The city also says soil that swells when it's wet runs through many parts of Monterey Park and, with the hills, adds to settling and slope creep, and it points to drainage, landscaping and irrigation as what keeps those properties in good shape. So I plan where the water goes first, sloping the slab away from your house and keeping sprinkler spray off the edges, and we work the same way on jobs in Alhambra, Montebello and the other cities around us.
Ask about decorative concrete for your home
Call (626) 597-0325 any day from 7 AM to 10 PM, even while you're standing in the yard looking at the spot, or use the form.