Concrete contractor in Anaheim - driveways and patios set to drain winter rain
Standard Pico Rivera Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Pico Rivera, CA, pouring driveways, patios, steps, retaining walls and foundations in Anaheim. I measure every job myself, and our own small crew does the work.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work for Anaheim homes
Anaheim is bigger than most of the cities we work in, and the jobs change as you cross it. On the flatter streets, a lot of our calls are for older tract houses with the original driveway or a patio someone added years ago, now cracked, sunk at one corner or holding water by the garage. Toward the east side the houses sit on slopes, so the questions there are more about steps, retaining walls and where the runoff goes.
We drive down from Pico Rivera for this work, the same way we head over to Fullerton next door or up to West Whittier-Los Nietos closer to home. The lot tells us where to start, because a flat tract lot usually needs its base rebuilt and its slope fixed so water leaves the garage, and a hillside yard needs the ground held back before anything gets poured.
Concrete services in Anaheim
Concrete driveway building
Older tract driveways here often crack and sink near the garage. We dig out the old base, pack new fill and pitch the slab away from the house.
Concrete patio construction
Backyards here get used most of the year, so a cracked patio gets noticed. We pour new ones with joints cut early so cracks have somewhere to go.
Concrete retaining walls
Sloped east-side lots often need ground held back before a patio fits. We set retaining walls on solid footings with drainage behind so water can get away.
Concrete steps construction
Raised porches and hillside entries here need steps, and old ones crack and pull away. We tear them out and pour new steps with even rises.
Slab foundation building
Room additions and backyard units here need a slab under the walls. We handle slab foundation building from the dug-out base to the steel inside the pour.
Concrete pool decks
Pool decks here take hard sun, splash water and bare feet all summer. We pour them with a textured top and slope them toward drains.
What Anaheim yards ask of concrete
Anaheim doesn't get much rain, and most of what it gets comes in December, January and February, with summers that stay close to dry. That pattern hides drainage mistakes, because a slab that falls toward the house looks fine all summer until the first winter storm sends water against the foundation or under the garage door. Before we set forms, we check where water runs on your lot and pitch the slab away from the house. Summer brings the opposite problem, since concrete poured in midday heat can end up with a weak, dusty top, so on hot days we start early.
The other thing we see on older houses here is a driveway poured over dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settled with the dirt and a corner dropped. When a budget gets tight, the base is what people want to cut, because nobody sees it on day one. I'd rather keep a plain broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives tires and shoes some grip, and put the money into the subgrade, the packed ground the slab sits on, because a fancy surface over a weak base cracks just the same.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Anaheim driveway or patio
Call (562) 271-1038 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Anaheim property myself to look at the job, measure and write an estimate that lists what's included, free and with no obligation. If you go ahead, our own small crew does the work with me on site, backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Anaheim concrete questions
These are the questions Anaheim homeowners ask us most about driveways, patios and permits. If yours isn't here, call (562) 271-1038 and I'll walk you through your own job.
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Anaheim?
You might, because the city of Anaheim says most home improvements need a permit before construction starts and only cosmetic work goes without one. The city's Building Division handles plan review and inspections, so if we're not sure what your address needs, we check with them before we start. If your job does need a permit, we pull it and deal with the city for you.
Which building codes apply to a concrete project in Anaheim?
Projects submitted in Anaheim now follow the current California building codes plus the city's own amendments, which deal with local terrain, weather and geology. That matters most on foundations, footings and retaining walls, where the city also says plans have to be drawn by a qualified person, for most projects a California licensed architect or engineer, and city staff doesn't prepare them. We build to those plans and leave the design to the person who signs them.
Does a concrete contractor need a state license to work in Anaheim?
Yes, in most cases, because the California Contractors State License Board requires a license when the work needs a building permit, uses any extra workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined. The city of Anaheim also requires businesses based outside the city to hold an Anaheim business license to work there. We're licensed and fully insured.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Anaheim?
The cost comes down to the size of the slab, what has to come out first and the finish you pick, so I give you a number only after I've measured at your house. Tearing out and hauling off an old driveway, digging out a soft base, a thicker pour, rebar, which is steel set inside to hold the slab together, and stamped or colored finishes all add to it, while a plain broom finish on a flat lot costs the least. Your written estimate lists each of those, so you can see what you're paying for.
How long does a new concrete driveway take to cure in Anaheim's summer heat?
You can walk on a new driveway well before you can drive on it, and I'll give you both dates for your slab before we pour, because curing, the slow hardening that gives concrete its strength, takes time and a car on it too early can crack it. Hot, dry days pull water out of the surface fast, so in summer we pour early in the morning and keep the slab damp while it cures. The overall schedule turns on the size of the job, how much tear-out there is, whether a permit is needed and the weather.
What causes driveway cracks in Anaheim, and will a new slab crack too?
Most cracks we see come from a base that settled, water running under or against the slab, or control joints that were skipped or cut too late. Concrete shrinks as it dries, so some cracking is normal, and control joints are grooves cut across the slab to give that crack a straight line to follow. We dig out and pack the base, check where the winter rain runs and cut joints early, which keeps most cracking in the joints.
Examples of finished concrete
Other cities we work in
Pick a city from the list to see what we do there, or call (562) 271-1038 if yours isn't listed and we'll talk about your job.