Concrete Contractor in Pasadena - Driveways and Patios Built on a Solid Base
Cornerstone Sierra Madre Concrete pours driveways, patios, front walks, steps and retaining walls for homes in Pasadena, CA. We're based nearby in Sierra Madre, and I come out myself to look at your job.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Older homes and driveways across Pasadena
Most of our Pasadena calls are for houses, and a lot of them are older, from the blocks above the Arroyo Seco on the west side to Hastings Ranch on the east. The city has many designated historic neighborhoods, and on jobs there we're often replacing a driveway or front walk that's been in about as long as the house has.
We're based in Sierra Madre and work across Pasadena and the cities around it, including Altadena to the north and Arcadia to the east. Older houses usually mean narrow side driveways, big trees and old concrete to break out and haul away before we pour, so that's where planning a job here starts.
Our services in Pasadena, CA
- Concrete driveway building
Many Pasadena driveways are decades old, cracked and settled where the dirt underneath was never packed. We break out the old slab, dig and compact a firm base, and pour new.
- Concrete patio construction
Older Pasadena backyards often hold a cracked slab or bare dirt. On a concrete patio, we slope the slab away from the house so rain runs off.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks in Pasadena's tree-lined neighborhoods get lifted by roots until they're a tripping hazard. We cut out the raised sections and pour new walk on a packed base.
- Concrete steps construction
Porch steps on older homes here often crumble at the edges or pull away from the house. We form and pour new steps with each one the same height.
- Concrete retaining walls
Sloped yards here often need a wall to hold back the dirt. We build them on solid footings with drainage behind, so water doesn't build up against them.
- Stamped concrete services
Plain gray concrete can look out of place beside an older Pasadena house. We stamp and color walks and patios to look like stone or brick that suits it.
What Pasadena's older houses ask of new concrete
A lot of the cracked and sinking concrete we see in Pasadena didn't wear out so much as start out wrong. Older driveways were often poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settled with the ground and now tips water toward the house or into the garage. On the farm we learned that a water trough set on loose dirt leans by the next season, and a slab is no different. So we dig down and pack a firm subgrade, the ground the slab rests on. Then we check where the water will run and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along instead of a random one. You won't see any of that once it's poured, and it's the part I care about most. Does that make sense?
Pasadena summers get hot, and concrete poured in the middle of a hot afternoon can set with a weak, dusty top, so we'd rather pour in the cool of the morning. That's one thing the schedule turns on, along with whether the city needs a permit for your job and the days the slab needs to cure. The price moves with the size of the job, how much old concrete comes out and the finish you choose, and when I come out I'll write the estimate for your own driveway or patio.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Pasadena concrete
We get back to you within one business day to set a time, and then I come out to your Pasadena house myself to look at the job and write the estimate. It's free, done on site, and there's no obligation to hire us.
Concrete driveways, patios and walls
Pasadena concrete questions answered
Do I need a permit to replace a concrete driveway in Pasadena?
Yes, if your house is in a residential zone, because the city requires a Zoning Permit for driveways and other paving there, even when the work doesn't need a building permit. That permit checks that the work meets Pasadena's zoning rules, and lower retaining walls up to 4 feet high, measured from the footing, need one too. Applications go through the city's Permit Center, which also issues building permits for most construction. Before work starts, we look into what your job needs, and when a permit applies we handle the application as the licensed contractor and walk you through each step.
How do I know if my concrete contractor needs a license in Pasadena?
A contractor needs a state license from the California Contractors State License Board when the job needs a building permit, when they use employees, or when labor and materials come to $1,000 or more. Pasadena's permit staff check that license with the board and require the contractor to carry workers' compensation insurance, and a contractor pulling a permit has to show a current City of Pasadena business license. We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask us about it before you sign anything.
How much can a contractor ask for up front on a home improvement job in California?
The state contractors board caps a home improvement down payment at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. Any other payments have to be written into the contract and match work that's been done or materials that have been delivered. If someone wants a big check before any concrete shows up, that's a good reason to slow down and ask questions.
What makes a concrete driveway cost more in Pasadena?
On older Pasadena houses, the biggest cost drivers are usually breaking out and hauling away the old slab and how much digging it takes to reach firm ground for the new base. A narrow side driveway can mean more work by hand, rebar, the steel that holds a slab together if it cracks, adds to the job, and stamping or color costs more than a plain broom finish, the light texture that keeps tires and feet from slipping. Call (626) 828-0332 or use our request form, and I'll come out and write up your own figure.
How long does it take before I can drive on a new concrete driveway in Pasadena?
Usually you can walk on new concrete after a day or two and drive on it after about a week, though it keeps hardening for weeks after that. That wait is curing, the time concrete needs to gain its strength, and parking on it early is one of the ways a new slab can crack at the edges. I'll tell you when it's ready for your car, so plan on parking on the street for a bit.
What happens if my Pasadena house has unpermitted concrete work when I sell?
When you sell, the city's Occupancy Inspection Program researches the property, inspects the site and reports any illegal construction it finds. Owners with illegal construction may be forced to tear it down, so a driveway or wall poured without a permit it needed can turn into a problem later. That's one more reason we check what your job needs before we pour.