Concrete sidewalk building in Covina CA - new sections that match the walk beside them
Cracked, lifted or missing sidewalk out front? We pour a new section on packed ground, matched to the concrete beside it.
What goes into building a new concrete sidewalk in Covina?
Concrete sidewalk building in Covina means forming, pouring and finishing a flat concrete walk on ground that's been dug out and packed first. You end up with a walk that's even underfoot and sheds water instead of tripping people up.
Most calls start with a section out front that's cracked, lifted or chipping, or a bare strip where you want a walk. The price moves with the square footage, how much old concrete has to come out, how much digging and base the ground needs, and whether the finish has to match the concrete beside it. The schedule turns mostly on when the city can inspect and on the curing wait before you can walk on it. On a public sidewalk we pull the city permit ourselves as the licensed contractor, and your written estimate puts a figure on your own walk.
What happens after you call about a sidewalk in Covina?
Call or send us a message
Tell us where the walk is and roughly how big it is, and we get back to you to set a time. We check your address first to see whether the city or LA County handles the permit.
I measure and write it up
I come out myself, look at the ground and the concrete around it, and measure. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, so you can see what goes into the price before you decide.
We handle the city's paperwork
Once you say go, we apply for the city's permit for work on the public sidewalk and set up the Public Works inspection the city requires before work starts. The city wants that inspection booked at least a week before the start date, so count that week in your plans.
We pour and walk it together
On the public sidewalk the city lets crews work only between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM, so that's our workday there, and I'm on site with the crew while the work gets done. The city inspects again when we finish, and then I walk the finished job with you.
How we build a concrete sidewalk, and the flatwork around it
On a public sidewalk we saw cut the bad section out at clean lines, break it out and haul it off. The city wants removed concrete replaced to match the color, finish and joint pattern next to it, and we match it so the new piece blends in. Then we dig out the soft dirt and old rubble and pack the subgrade, the ground the walk sits on, because a base that's only raked flat settles with the dirt and pulls the concrete down with it. That base is the part you never see and the first thing people want to cut, and it's where I won't skimp, because a nice finish on a soft base cracks anyway. We set the forms so water runs off away from your house. We pour in the cooler part of the day so the top doesn't come out weak and dusty, then give it a broom finish, a light brushed texture that gives your feet some grip when it's wet. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack, while the concrete is still young. Then we let it cure, the slow hardening wait before anyone walks on it.
A sidewalk job often sits next to other flatwork, the flat concrete like walks, patios and floors. If the walk leads to a garage with a cracked or sunken slab, we can pour new garage floor concrete while we're set up. For a path through your own yard, where looks matter more than matching the street, decorative concrete gives you color and texture to work with.
Get a written estimate for your sidewalk
We reply within 1 business day, and the on-site estimate is free, with no pressure and no obligation. After you send this, we get back to you to set a time, and I come out to measure and send you a written estimate that spells out what's included.
Sidewalk questions we hear in Covina
Do I need a permit to build a sidewalk in Covina?
Yes, for a sidewalk in the public right-of-way. The City of Covina requires an encroachment permit for any construction there, and the City Engineer reviews the applications. The work also has to meet the city's standards and its published public works specifications, to the Public Works Director's satisfaction, and we handle that application for you.
Who can get a sidewalk permit in Covina?
Only a state licensed contractor can get the permit for work in the city's public right-of-way, so plan on hiring one rather than pulling it yourself. California's contractor license board defines a concrete contractor as one who forms, pours, places and finishes flat concrete work like a sidewalk. We're licensed and fully insured, and we apply for the permit as the licensed contractor.
How much does a new concrete sidewalk cost in Covina?
An installed concrete sidewalk in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $3.50 to $8.50 per square foot, covering materials, labor and site prep. That's a guide for the area, not our price, and where your walk lands depends on the things covered above, like old concrete removal and how much base the ground needs. I'll come out, measure and put a figure for your walk in a written estimate.
Does a moratorium area affect a sidewalk permit in Covina?
It can, because the city asks applicants to check whether the location falls inside a moratorium area before applying. A job inside one needs a pre-construction meeting with the Public Works Inspector before work begins, and depending on the scope, the application may need extra paperwork. We check all of that before we apply, so the extra step goes into your schedule from the start.
What causes a sidewalk to lift and crack in front of my house?
Tree roots pushing up from below are one of the usual causes, along with a base that was never dug out and packed right. If a city-owned tree is lifting your walk, you can report it to Covina Public Works at 626-384-5220, because the city takes reports of sidewalk uplift and other hazards from its trees.
What is the best way to prep the ground for a concrete sidewalk?
Clear it, dig it to depth and pack it firm before any concrete goes down. An older Los Angeles city sidewalk spec lays it out that way. It calls for removing roots, broken concrete and trash, tamping the whole area, and watering the soil the day before and again just before the pour. It also notes that a special base material may be needed where the soil is expansive, the kind that swells when it's wet, so I check the ground on your site before I write the base into the estimate.
Other concrete work that goes with a new walk
Garage floor concrete
A garage slab that's cracked, sunk or stained with years of oil can be broken out and repoured on a packed base built to carry your car.
Decorative concrete
When a walk or entry should look like more than plain gray, colored or textured concrete gives your yard a finish that still stands up to foot traffic.
Get your sidewalk on the city's calendar
Call (626) 412-8842 or send the form with your address, rough square footage and where the walk sits, and if you're not sure we come out your way, just ask, since we work Covina and the cities around it.