Concrete patio construction in Pico Rivera CA - a slab that drains away from the house
Cracked, sunken or puddling patio, or just bare dirt out back? We dig out, pack a solid base and pour a slab that sheds water.
Get your patio measured and priced
Our hours run until 10 PM on weekdays and 11 PM on weekends, so you can call (562) 271-1038 after work or send the form.
What does it take to build a concrete patio in Pico Rivera?
Concrete patio construction means digging out the yard, packing a firm base, then forming, pouring and finishing a flat slab, and at Standard Pico Rivera Concrete we build patios in Pico Rivera and the cities around it, including Downey, Whittier, Norwalk and Montebello.
Most people call us when an old patio has cracked, sunk or started holding water, or when the backyard is bare dirt and they want a place to sit. The price moves with the size, whether old concrete has to be broken out and hauled off, how much digging and base work the ground needs, how easy it is to get equipment into the backyard and what it takes to steer water away from the house. The schedule mostly turns on whether the job needs a permit and on the weather on pour day. Your written estimate lists each of those parts, so you can see what you're paying for before anything gets poured.
Why Pico Rivera homeowners call Standard Pico Rivera Concrete for patios
The owner estimates and runs the job
We've been in business since 2017, and I still come out to measure and write every estimate, then run the job on site. You deal with one person from the first visit to the final walkthrough.
We check your address first
If we're not sure what your patio needs at your address, we check with the Pico Rivera Building Division or the county office before we start. That way a permit question gets settled before anyone digs.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and you can see both at the estimate. It's worth asking every bidder the same, because you want the people working in your yard covered.
On a patio, what matters most is what you can't see once it's poured, so tell us about your yard and I'll come out and measure it.
How we build a concrete patio
We start by marking out the patio and checking where water runs now, because a slab that falls toward the house sends every rain against your walls. Then we dig out the soft dirt, bring in base material and pack it down, since a base that's only raked level settles with the dirt and takes the slab down with it. We set the forms and screeds, the guides we level the concrete against, place the steel, pour and finish, and cut control joints, grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack. If you might want a roof or pergola over the patio someday, tell me at the estimate, because we can plan footings for those posts now instead of cutting into a new slab later. When a budget gets tight, people want to cut the base and keep the nicer surface, and I'll push the other way, because you can redo a surface but you can't fix a bad base without tearing the patio out.
A patio usually connects to other work. If a plain gray surface isn't what you want, ask about our stamped concrete services, and if you need a path from the driveway or side gate to the new patio, we can pour it through our concrete sidewalk building while we're already set up.
A new patio on bare ground
This suits a backyard that's dirt or tired lawn. We dig out the soft topsoil and build the base from scratch, which is the best chance to get the slope right from the start.
Replacing a cracked or sunken patio
This suits a slab that has settled, broken up or holds water. We break out and haul off the old concrete and fix the base under it, because pouring over a failed base brings the same problems back.
Adding on to the patio you have
This suits a sound slab that's simply too small. We tie the new section to the old one and set a joint between them, so any movement shows up at the joint instead of across the new concrete.
How can you tell your patio needs replacing?
Cracks that keep spreading
A crack that widens or grows a lip you catch your toe on usually means the ground under it has moved. Waiting lets more water in, and the broken edges get worse.
One side has sunk
If one corner or edge sits lower than the rest, the base under it has usually settled or washed out. The longer it goes, the more the slab tips and the worse the trip hazard.
Water pools after it rains
Puddles that sit on the patio, or water running toward the house, mean the slab is flat or falls the wrong way. Left alone, that water ends up against your walls and foundation.
Chipping and a dusty top
A surface that flakes, chips or leaves gray dust on your shoes often started with a pour in the heat or poor curing. It keeps wearing, and patches tend to pop loose.
What happens after you call about a patio?
Call and set up a visit
Call or send the form, and I come out to measure, check the drainage and answer questions. Then you get a written estimate that lays out each part of the job.
Permit, prep and the pour
Once you say yes, we pull any permit needed, then prep, form, pour and finish. The city's Building Division is open Monday through Thursday, so permit steps move on those days.
Walk the finished patio together
When the finishing is done, I walk the patio with you so you can see the joints, the slope and the edges. We clean up before we leave.
Patio questions we hear most
These are the questions Pico Rivera homeowners ask most before a patio pour. If yours isn't here, call or send the form and I'll answer it for your yard.
How do I compare concrete patio prices in Pico Rivera?
Compare what each bid covers before you compare the price per square foot, because a lower number can mean part of the job is missing. Check whether it includes taking out the old patio, digging out, base preparation, reinforcement, the finish, equipment to reach the backyard, drainage and any required approvals. Our written estimate lists each of those, so you can line it up against other bids.
Will my new concrete patio crack?
Probably a little, because concrete shrinks as it dries, and that kind of cracking can't be eliminated in most slabs. What good design and building can do is keep large, visible cracks in check with enough reinforcement and well-placed control joints. Ask every bidder how their plan handles both.
Does hot or windy weather change the pour date for a patio?
It can, because high heat, low humidity and strong wind all affect fresh concrete and the work of mixing, hauling and placing it. In a hot, dry or windy stretch, ask your contractor about the pour date and how the crew plans around the weather. We'd rather start early in the morning or move the day than pour into a hot afternoon that leaves a weak, dusty top.
Who can legally build a concrete patio in California?
In most cases a licensed contractor, because the state's small-job exemption tops out at $1,000 and only applies when the work needs no permit and the person doing it employs no one. A patio that needs a permit, or one built with hired workers, calls for a licensed contractor. The state licensing board has a concrete contractor class for people who form, pour and finish flatwork, which is slabs like patios, walks and driveways.
Do I need a permit for a concrete patio in Pico Rivera?
The city's Building Division is the office that decides, because it enforces the rules for building residential structures in Pico Rivera. Plans there have to meet both the city's municipal code and the California Residential Code. You can email the division at buildingdivision@pico-rivera.org with questions about your address.
How long does a new concrete patio take to cure before I can use it?
You'll need to stay off a new patio for a while after the pour, because curing, the time fresh concrete spends hardening and gaining strength, can't be rushed without weakening the surface. At the walkthrough I'll tell you when it's ready to walk on and when the furniture and grill can go back.
Get a written estimate for your patio
Tell us your address, the rough patio size and whether an old one comes out, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come measure and send a free written estimate, no obligation.
Examples of finished patios
Other work that pairs with a patio
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio pattern and color pressed in while it's fresh, a good fit if a plain gray slab doesn't suit your backyard.
Learn moreConcrete sidewalk building
A solid walkway from the driveway or side gate to your new patio keeps foot traffic off the lawn and mud out of the house.
Learn more