Concrete Contractor in East Los Angeles - Driveways and Walks for Older Lots
Standard Pico Rivera Concrete pours driveways, patios, front walks, steps and retaining walls for homes in East Los Angeles. We tear out cracked or sinking concrete, rebuild the base underneath and pour new slabs that drain away from the house.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Concrete work in East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles is a short drive west of us, and I know it best by its driveways and front walks. Most of the houses are older and sit close together on narrow lots, with a long driveway beside the house to a garage in back and a short walk and a few steps out front. A lot of that concrete has been patched more than once. East Los Angeles also isn't a city of its own. It's an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County, so the County sets the rules and handles permits for your house.
We're based in Pico Rivera and work across the cities around it, from Montebello next door to El Monte a little farther north. Here the job usually comes down to space and what's underneath. Tight side yards mean careful tear-out and more hand work, and old concrete poured on a thin, loose base means the ground needs as much attention as the new slab.
What we pour in East Los Angeles
Concrete driveway building
Narrow driveways beside older houses here often crack and sink over a base that was never packed. We dig out, compact a new base and repour.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps up or down, an old wall can lean as wet soil pushes on it. We build concrete retaining walls with a drain behind them.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks on older lots get lifted by tree roots until the edges catch people's feet. We cut out the bad sections and pour new walk sloped to drain.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses here settle away from the porch and chip. We tear them out and form new steps at even heights.
Concrete patio construction
Small backyards here get heavy use, and a patio that pools water by the back door wears fast. We slope the new one away from the house.
Concrete cutting
Tight side yards leave little room for big equipment to break out an old slab. We saw-cut it into pieces we can carry out by hand.
What older East LA lots need
Most of the cracked and sinking concrete I look at here failed from underneath. A lot of older driveways and walks were poured over dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab sank as the dirt settled. Many were never pitched to move water either, so it pools against the house or runs into the garage. We dig down to firm ground and pack a new subgrade, which is the layer the slab rests on, and we check where the water will run before the forms go in. Then we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a place to crack, early enough that cracks follow our lines instead of wandering across the slab.
The price moves with how much old concrete has to come out and how hard it is to reach, how much base the ground needs, the size and thickness of the slab, and the finish you pick, from a plain broom finish, the brushed texture that gives shoes and tires grip, to stamped patterns. If the budget gets tight, I'd keep the base and simplify the finish, because the base is the one part you can't fix later without breaking the slab out. Timing turns on whether your job needs a County permit and on curing, the wait while new concrete gains strength before you walk or drive on it. Your written estimate lists what's included, so you can see where the money goes.
Get a free written estimate for your East Los Angeles concrete job
Call (562) 271-1038 or send the form, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your East Los Angeles house myself, measure the job and write up a free estimate that lists what's included. There's no obligation to go ahead.
East Los Angeles concrete questions
These are the questions I hear most from homeowners in East Los Angeles. If yours isn't here, call or send the form and we'll get back to you about your own job.
Who issues concrete permits in East Los Angeles?
LA County Public Works issues them, because East Los Angeles is County ground with no city building department of its own. The department runs an East Los Angeles Building and Safety Office that serves the community. If your job needs a permit, we pull it and deal with that office for you.
Do I need a permit for a concrete patio or retaining wall in East Los Angeles?
Most likely, because the County's permit list names patios and retaining walls among its building permit items, along with grading work. Driveways and walks aren't spelled out on that list, so if I'm not sure what your address needs, we check with the County office before we start. When we apply, the office tells us whether the job needs a plan check, a review of the drawings, before the permit is approved.
How long do I have to get the first inspection on an LA County permit?
The County wants the first inspection requested within 12 months of getting the permit, and follow-up inspections every 6 months keep the permit active. On a concrete job we schedule inspections as the work reaches them, usually before the pour, so the permit doesn't lapse while you're waiting on us.
Does a concrete contractor need a California license to work in East Los Angeles?
Yes, on almost any driveway, patio or wall job. The Contractors State License Board requires a license when a project needs a building permit, uses any extra workers or comes to $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and the contractor has to hold it before bidding. We're licensed and fully insured.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in East Los Angeles?
The cost here comes down to four things: how much old concrete has to come out, how easy it is to reach, how much base work the ground needs and which finish you choose. A narrow driveway beside the house usually means more hand work and hauling than an open one, and old slabs sometimes turn out thicker or layered once we start breaking them. Your written estimate lists each part, so you know what you're paying for before anything gets poured.
What causes a new concrete driveway to crack?
Most early cracks come from a base that wasn't packed, control joints cut late or skipped, or a pour rushed through the heat of the day so the top dries too fast and turns weak and dusty. We handle the base and joints the way I described above, pour early in the day when we can and give the slab time to cure. Concrete can still crack some, but these steps keep cracks small and in the lines we chose.
Driveways, patios and walks
Other cities we work in
Choose a city from the list to read about our work there. If you don't see yours, call (562) 271-1038 and ask whether we can get to you.