Decorative concrete in Hacienda Heights CA - a good-looking finish on a solid base
Tired of a plain gray patio or a faded, worn finish? We put color and pattern on a base that's dug out and packed right.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What does a decorative concrete patio, walk or driveway involve?
Decorative concrete is regular flatwork, the flat surfaces like patios, walks and driveways, given color, a stamped pattern, a stain or an overlay so it looks like more than a plain gray slab. In Hacienda Heights we usually do it as part of a new pour, so the digging out, base work and forming come first and the finish goes on at the end.
Most people who call me have a plain or worn-out patio and a picture on their phone of what they'd like instead. The price moves mostly with the size, how busy the design is and how hard it is to get material into your yard, so if you're up a slope or behind a tight side gate, tell me early and the estimate will cover the extra hauling. The schedule turns on the permit question for your address, the weather on pour day and the wait while the concrete cures, and you'll get your own figure from the estimate after I've seen the space.
When does a patio or walk need decorative work?
Faded, blotchy color
If the color on your stamped patio has gone pale or patchy, the sealer has usually worn off and the sun is working on the color itself. Catch it early and a clean and reseal can often bring it back, but wait too long and you're looking at a recolor.
Cracks through the pattern
Cracks that run across the stamp instead of along a joint usually mean the base moved or the joints weren't cut in time. Water gets into those cracks, so the edges start to chip and the pattern breaks up faster the longer it goes.
Water sitting on the slab
Puddles that hang around after you water, or that run toward the house, mean the slab wasn't sloped right when it went in. No finish fixes that, and water against your house costs more than the patio does, so this one usually means a new pour.
Work that often goes with decorative concrete
Concrete retaining walls
If your patio sits on a slope, a wall can hold the dirt back so the slab beside it has firm, level ground and doesn't creep downhill.
Concrete floor installation
Stain and color work indoors starts with a new slab poured flat and smooth, so a fresh concrete floor is often the first half of the job.
How we do decorative concrete
We start under the finish, because decorative work only looks good if the base under it is right. Our crew digs down to the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, then packs and grades the base so water runs away from the house and the slab comes out the same thickness all the way across, which one maker's guide says lowers the chance of cracking. A Los Angeles patio guide points out there are no hard freezes or frost heave there, so a deep gravel base isn't needed, but that's no excuse to rush the packing. Then we set forms, add rebar, the steel inside that keeps a crack from pulling apart, pour early in the day ahead of the heat and work in the color, stamp or stain while the concrete is still soft. It cures, which is the wait while it hardens enough to take weight, and then we seal it to protect the color. If your budget's tight, I'd rather you pick a simpler pattern than cut corners on the base, since nobody sees the base on day one but everybody sees it once it settles.
Some yards need more work before the finish has anywhere to go. On a hillside lot we may build concrete retaining walls first so the patio sits on level, held-back ground, and for a stained floor in a garage room or inside the house, concrete floor installation gives us a flat new slab to color.
Basic stamped pattern
One pattern in one color costs less and is easier to keep up, though it won't stand out as much. It suits a side yard, a walk or anyone who'd rather spend on the base and the size.
Mid-range color and texture
These sit between the two, adding a second color or more texture without the full cost of custom work. It's where a lot of backyard patios end up.
High-end custom design
Intricate patterns, several colors, borders or inlays can add curb appeal and resale value. They cost more and need frequent upkeep, so pick this if you plan to keep up with the sealing.
Get a decorative concrete estimate at your property
We'll get back to you within one business day to set a time, and I'll come out for a free, no-obligation estimate. Rather talk now? Call (626) 413-5388.
Call (626) 413-5388Why Hacienda Heights homeowners call Elite Hacienda Heights Concrete for decorative work
I walk and price every job
I come out to every job and write the estimate myself, and our own crew does the forming, pouring and finishing. You're not handed off to people you've never met once the deal is done.
In business since 2013
I started as a helper on a concrete crew, mixing and hauling long before anyone let me near a finish, and I've run this business since 2013. That's why you'll hear the parts people don't like hearing before we start, not after.
Licensed in California, fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured for the work we do at your house. The state contractors license board defines a concrete contractor as one who forms, pours, places and finishes concrete, which is every step of a decorative job.
We know who issues permits here
Hacienda Heights is unincorporated county land, so LA County Public Works issues permits here, not a city hall. That's who we check with for addresses here before we plan the pour.
On a decorative job the finish gets the attention, but the base decides how long it looks right, so ask me how we'd build yours when you contact us.
What happens after you call about decorative concrete in Hacienda Heights?
Call or send the form
You call (626) 413-5388 or send the form, and we set a time for me to come out. A photo of a pattern or color you like helps me picture it.
I measure and ask questions
I measure, look at what's in the way and ask how you'll use the space, since a patio for big get-togethers gets built differently than a quiet side walk. Then I write up an estimate with the design level we talked through and the price for it, so you know the number before anything gets dug.
We sort out the permit
Before anything gets poured, we sort out the permit question with the right office for your address. If the job needs one, we handle it as part of the work.
Our crew pours, I check
Our crew forms, pours and finishes, and I check the work before we call it done. We'll tell you when it's cured enough to walk on and, on a driveway, to drive on, so the new finish doesn't get marked early.
Common questions
How much does stamped or decorative concrete cost in Hacienda Heights?
Stamped concrete in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $15 to $30 per square foot. The low end is a single pattern and color, and the high end is busier designs with borders, extra colors or inlays, while the size of the job and local contractor rates move the total too. I'll give you your own number at the estimate.
Do I need a permit for a concrete walkway or driveway in Hacienda Heights?
A low walk or driveway can fall under the county's exemption, which covers walks and driveways up to 30 inches above the ground that aren't over a lower story and aren't part of an accessible route, the path built for wheelchair access. Anything outside that is a question for the county, so we check your address before we plan the pour.
How often do you need to reseal stamped concrete near Los Angeles?
Every two to three years is the usual advice for the Los Angeles area, mostly to protect the surface from sun and wear. Plan it as a regular cost of keeping the color, not a repair, and keep an eye on the spots that get the most foot traffic, since they usually dull first.
How do I know if a concrete contractor can legally do my job in California?
Anyone taking a job over $1,000 needs a California contractor license. The state's minor work exemption only goes up to that amount, and only when the work needs no permit and the person has no one working for them, so ask each bidder for a license number and check it with the board before you sign.
What causes decorative concrete to crack?
Concrete cracks some no matter who pours it, and the cracks that ruin a pattern usually come from a base that settles or control joints that were cut late or skipped. Control joints are lines cut into the slab so it cracks along them instead of across your design, and we place ours to follow the pattern. The base work described above handles the rest.
Can you put decorative concrete over an existing slab?
Often yes, with an overlay, a thin decorative layer bonded to the old concrete, as long as the slab underneath is sound. If it's sinking or broken up, an overlay just copies the problem, so we'd tell you to tear it out and pour new. I'll look at yours at the estimate and tell you which one it is.
Get a price on your decorative concrete
Have the rough size in square feet, a few photos of the area and a note on how we'd get into your yard ready, and the first call or form goes a lot quicker.