Concrete contractor in Arcadia, CA - wide driveways and patios that stay level
San Gabriel Concrete is a concrete contractor working in Arcadia, CA. We tear out and pour driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations for Arcadia homeowners and landlords, with the base dug out and packed before any concrete goes down.
Get your Arcadia concrete job priced on site
I walk the old slab with you, see where water runs and measure what comes out.
Request an estimateArcadia: big lots, long driveways, old slabs
Arcadia is mostly houses on good-sized lots. Many streets have older ranch homes, and you'll see bigger, newer houses where an older one came down. That means long driveways, wide side yards and patios that run the length of the back of the house, and a lot of what we tear out was poured decades ago. We're based in San Gabriel and do the same work across the cities around it, and our Arcadia calls come from homeowners and from landlords getting a rental ready.
The ground is where these jobs are won or lost. Mature trees lift old slabs at the seams, older driveways often sat on raked dirt that settled, and a long run toward a garage has to carry water away from the house instead of toward it.
Working in Arcadia: permits, licenses and the price
In Arcadia, the city's Building Services division issues building permits for most structures once the plans are approved. If your job needs a permit, plan review comes before the pour date, and that's usually what sets the schedule. The city says state law puts the permit in the hands of a licensed contractor or you as the owner. A contractor applying has to show a current state license, an Arcadia business license and a workers' comp certificate, so those are the three things worth asking any contractor for, and you can look up the state license with the Contractors State License Board. We're licensed and insured, and before work starts we settle with you who handles any permit the city asks for and what it needs from us.
In Arcadia, the price mostly comes down to how much old concrete has to come out, how much digging and packing the base needs, how close our truck can get, and the finish you pick. A broom finish, the light brushed texture that keeps a wet slab from getting slick, costs less than stamped or colored work. The schedule turns on any permit review, the weather and the curing time before you can use the slab, and I go over all of it with you at the estimate. Long driveways and tree roots look about the same in Temple City and Pasadena, and we handle them the same way there.
Services in Arcadia, CA
Concrete driveway building
Long Arcadia driveways often crack where roots lift them or the old base settled. We dig to firm ground, pack a new base and cut joints where cracks should go.
Concrete patio construction
Back patios on these wide lots often tip toward the house, so water pools by the door. We set the new slab so water runs out to the yard.
Concrete pool decks
Pool decks in Arcadia backyards are often chipped, heaved or slick when wet. We replace them with a textured finish that gives bare feet some grip.
Concrete steps construction
Older front steps here often sink or pull away from the porch as the dirt under them settles. We tear them out and pour new steps on a packed base.
Foundation installation
Rebuilds and additions on Arcadia lots need a solid start under the new walls. Our foundation installation crew digs and sets the steel to the approved plans before the pour.
Concrete retaining walls
On sloped lots toward the foothills, the hill can push soil onto patios and walks. We build concrete retaining walls with drainage behind them so water doesn't build up.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Arcadia concrete job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Arcadia property myself to look at the job and talk it through, and our crew does the work with me running it. The estimate is free and there's no pressure to book.
- Phone
- (626) 816-3530
- Location
- San Gabriel, CA 91776
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
- Credentials
- Fully licensed and insured.
What Arcadia homeowners can count on
We're based in San Gabriel, CA, and offer 16 concrete services across 12 service areas, Arcadia among them. We're fully licensed and insured, every estimate is done on site, and our satisfaction guaranteed on every job promise covers your Arcadia job too.
- Based in
- CA
- San Gabriel
- Services
- 16
- Service areas
- 12
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a new concrete driveway in Arcadia?
You might, so check with the city before you set a pour date. The city's list of work that needs no permit covers things like painting, fences and small sheds, not concrete. Building Services takes questions at (626) 574-5416, and front yard paving has to meet the zoning code whether or not a permit is required. If one is needed, we work out with you who pulls it.
Does a concrete contractor need an Arcadia business license?
Yes, every business that works in Arcadia needs a city business license unless state or federal law exempts it. Contractors without an address in the city carry the license while they're working there and show it to police or city staff who ask, so it's fair for you to ask to see it too.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. The state licensing board says that limit applies to all home improvement projects, so a new driveway or patio in Arcadia falls under it.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Arcadia?
It comes down to the size of the driveway, how much old concrete has to come out and how much base work the ground needs, so the real number comes from a look at yours. Thickness, rebar, the steel rods that hold the slab together if it cracks, and a pump when the truck can't reach the back of a long lot all add to it. If you're trimming the budget, cut the fancy finish before the base, because the base is what keeps the slab from settling and you can't fix it later without tearing the slab out.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack, and will a new one crack too?
Most bad cracks in old driveways come from a base that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, joints cut late or skipped, or a pour in the midday heat. Concrete can still get fine hairline cracks, so we dig to firm subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, pack the base, cut control joints, shallow grooves that give a crack a straight line to follow, and pour early on hot days.
How long does a new concrete driveway take before I can drive on it?
You'll be walking on it well before you're parking on it, because the slab needs curing time, the wait while it hardens enough to carry weight. I give you the day for each at the estimate, based on your slab and that week's weather, and on a long Arcadia driveway we can sometimes pour it in two parts so you keep a way in.
Call about your Arcadia driveway or patio
Call (626) 816-3530 any day from 7 AM to 11 PM, or send your project question through the form.