Decorative concrete in Covina CA - new color and pattern on a sound slab
Plain gray slab looking tired? We stain or resurface a sound one, or pour and stamp new concrete that looks like stone or brick.
Can my plain concrete be made decorative, or do I need a new slab?
Decorative concrete in Covina adds color or a pattern to a patio, walkway, driveway or floor, so plain gray concrete looks like stone, brick, slate or wood, or just takes on a richer color. Stain works on the slab you already have, an overlay puts a thin new topping on an old slab that's still sound, and stamping presses the pattern into a fresh pour.
Most calls start with a patio or walk that's solid but plain, or one that's cracked enough you're not sure it's worth saving. The condition of that slab moves the price more than anything else, because keeping it means stain or a topping, while tearing it out adds removal, base work and a new pour. Size, the method and how detailed the pattern gets set the rest, and the schedule mostly turns on whether it's a new pour that has to cure before you use it. If you'd rather start fresh, stamped concrete gives you the stone or brick look on a brand-new slab. Your own number comes from the written estimate, which spells out what's included.
What happens when you call about decorative concrete in Covina?
Call or send us a message
Call (626) 412-8842 or use the form. Tell us where the slab is and what look you're after, and we'll set a time for me to come out.
I look at the slab
I come out myself, look the slab over, check your address and measure. Then I send a written estimate that spells out what's included and which method fits the slab you've got.
We handle permits and the work
Once you say go, we take care of any permit and inspection steps, and our crew does the work with me on site. Covina doesn't allow construction work that bothers neighbors from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. or on Sundays and public holidays, so we schedule inside those hours.
Walk the finished job together
When we're done I walk the job with you and tell you when you can use it, which on new concrete means waiting while it cures and hardens. We pack up and leave the site clean, with the neighbors' driveways and walks clear.
How we do decorative concrete, and the work that goes with it
The first thing I check is the slab you've got. If it's sound, we can stain it or resurface it with an overlay, and if it's heaving or cracked through I'll tell you it needs to come out, because a new surface can't fix what the slab underneath is doing. On a slab we keep, we clean and prep the surface so the stain or topping takes. On a new pour, we break out the old concrete, then dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and check where the water runs so the finished slab sheds it away from your house. Then we set forms and rebar, the steel that holds the slab together if it cracks. We time the pour so the top doesn't dry too fast and go weak and dusty, press the pattern in while the concrete's still fresh and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather simplify the pattern than skimp on the base, because nobody sees the base on day one, but it's what keeps the pattern from settling and cracking later.
Get a written estimate for your decorative concrete
We get back to you within one business day to set a time, and I come out myself to look at the slab and measure. The estimate is free and done on site, and you get it in writing with what's included, with no pressure and no obligation.
Decorative concrete questions from Covina homeowners
How much does stamped concrete cost in the Los Angeles area?
Installed stamped concrete in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $15 to $30 per square foot. That's a planning figure for stamped work on a new pour, not our price. It runs higher than plain concrete because it takes a professional crew to install. Staining or an overlay on a slab you keep is priced on its own, so I'll put your number in the written estimate after I've seen the slab.
How long does the seal on stamped concrete last?
Stamped concrete needs resealing every 2 to 3 years, and skipping it makes the surface wear out faster. If you're choosing stamping, count that upkeep in what the surface costs you over the years. Resealing is upkeep on your end, and the work we do is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Can you stain my existing concrete instead of pouring new?
Yes, if the slab is sound, because stain is the decorative method that works on concrete you already have. Acid stains react with the concrete and leave a marbled pattern that comes out a little different on every slab. Water-based stains give you even color and a wider range of colors to pick from.
Does the City of Covina have to approve decorative concrete on my patio?
Yes, flat work in the city goes to the Planning Division for approval. Covina Building & Safety processes applications for City of Covina addresses, and its permit handout lists flat work and landscape as needing no permit but Planning Division approval. The city also gives landscaping, exterior changes and adding a patio or porch as examples of work that needs Planning approval. A Covina mailing address can sit in West Covina or a county area that applies elsewhere, so we check your address first, and we work in those areas too. When a job needs a permit, we apply as the licensed contractor and set up the inspections.
How do I get my driveway approach widened or redone in Covina?
Widening, rebuilding, removing or adding a driveway approach goes through the city's encroachment permit process. Removing or adding an approach, or building a circular driveway, needs Planning Division approval first. Any work in the public right-of-way needs a city permit obtained by a state-licensed contractor, so we handle that application as part of the job.
Do I need a licensed contractor for decorative concrete in California?
In most cases, yes. In California, forming, pouring, placing, finishing and installing flat and other concrete work is licensed concrete contractor work. The state's small-job exemption goes up to $1,000, and only when the work needs no permit and the person doing it has no employees. We're licensed and fully insured, so that's settled before we start.
Other work that often goes with it
Concrete retaining walls
When the yard slopes toward the patio, a poured wall holds back the dirt and gives the new decorative surface a level, clean edge.
Concrete floor installation
If you want a stained floor in a garage, shop or addition, it starts with a new interior slab that's poured flat and left to cure properly.
Send us photos of your slab
Call (626) 412-8842 or use the form with the slab's location, rough size, current condition and a few photos, so I show up already knowing what to look for.