Concrete Contractor in Pasadena, CA - Driveways and Steps Built to Fit Older Homes
San Gabriel Concrete is a concrete contractor based in San Gabriel that pours driveways, patios, steps, walkways and retaining walls for homeowners, landlords and property managers in Pasadena, CA, from the first look to the cleanup.
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I come out, look at the old concrete and the slope, and talk the job through.
Request an estimatePasadena: older houses, decades-old concrete
Pasadena is a city of older houses, and many of its neighborhoods carry a historic designation from the city, so most of the concrete we're called about there has been down for decades and patched more than once. Homeowners and landlords here usually want the new work to look like it belongs with the house, not like it was dropped in next to it.
The ground changes across town, from hillside lots up near the Arroyo Seco and the foothills to the flatter streets running down toward San Marino. On lots like these the job usually comes down to fitting new concrete to what's already there, with the slope set so water runs away from an old foundation.
Working in Pasadena: permits, licenses and pour day
In Pasadena, permits go through the city's Permit Center, and that's what sets the start date, because we don't put a pour on the calendar until the permit side is sorted. Before anyone breaks ground, you can ask any contractor for a California contractor's license and a current Pasadena business license, which the city has contractors show when they pull a permit. 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. Past the permit, the price moves with how much old concrete has to come out, how much base the ground needs, the slope we're working with and the finish you pick, and the on-site estimate is where you get your own number.
Getting there matters on pour day, because a concrete truck sitting in traffic is a load that's already starting to set. We plan around the 210 at rush hour and around Rose Bowl game days and concerts, and we keep trucks and gear off the neighbors' driveways on tight older streets. It's the same driveway and patio work we do in West Covina and Arcadia, but in Pasadena it more often means tying new concrete into old curbs, porches and garages.
Services in Pasadena, CA
Concrete driveway building
Older driveways here often have to meet an old curb and garage door. We break out the cracked slab, pack a fresh base and pour to fit.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses often pull away from the porch as they settle. We break them out and pour new ones with every step the same height.
Concrete sidewalk building
Big street trees in older neighborhoods lift walks and leave edges people trip on. We cut out the raised sections and pour new ones that sit flush with the rest.
Concrete retaining walls
Hillside lots here often need a wall where the yard drops to the driveway. We build concrete retaining walls on solid footings with drainage behind them.
Concrete patio construction
Older backyards here often have a heaved patio that holds water against the house. We take it out and pour a new one sloped so water runs away.
Garage floor concrete
Detached garages behind older houses often have thin floors that have cracked and dropped. We replace them with a thicker slab reinforced with rebar, steel that keeps any cracks tight.
Your free on-site estimate in Pasadena
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out to your Pasadena property myself to look at the job and talk it through, and there's no obligation and 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 Pasadena owners can count on
We're based in San Gabriel, CA, and offer 16 concrete services across 12 cities with their own pages, Pasadena among them. Every estimate is free and done on site.
- 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 concrete driveway in Pasadena?
Usually yes, because in residential zones the city lists driveways and other paving among the work that needs a zoning permit, which checks the work against zoning rules even when no building permit is required. Lower retaining walls, up to 4 feet measured from the footing, are on that list too. It's worth doing right, because when you sell, the city inspects the property and can make you tear out illegal construction.
How do I check if a concrete contractor is licensed in California?
Look them up with the state licensing board, which licenses anyone doing work that needs a building permit, using employee labor, or charging $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Pasadena's permit staff check the license through the board too, and contractors have to carry workers' compensation insurance.
Can I pull the permit myself and hire a crew in Pasadena?
You can get a permit as an owner doing your own work, without the contractor requirements, but if you then hire unlicensed workers, you're the one who has to provide workers' compensation and take on other liabilities. The city's permit staff highly recommend hiring a licensed contractor for that reason.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Pasadena?
A Pasadena driveway is priced mostly by what's under it and what has to come out, so the estimate after I've seen it is the number to go by. When the budget's tight, the base is the first thing people want to cut, and it's the one I'd keep, because it's buried on day one and it decides whether the slab cracks and sinks. Save on the finish instead, since a plain broom finish, a lightly brushed texture for grip, costs less than stamped or colored concrete and wears fine.
How long does a new driveway take to cure in Pasadena before I can drive on it?
You can walk on a new slab well before you can drive on it, because curing, the time concrete spends hardening and gaining strength, takes longer than it looks. I'll tell you when it's safe for feet and when it's safe for the car, based on the weather that week. On hot days we pour early in the morning, since concrete that dries too fast in the midday heat ends up with a weak, dusty top.
What causes concrete driveways to crack in older Pasadena neighborhoods?
Most cracks start under the slab, where an old base was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the concrete settled along with the dirt. We pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a straight line to crack along, so if it cracks, it cracks where we chose. We also slope it away from the house, because a slab that falls toward your foundation sends the water right at it.
Call about your Pasadena concrete job
We pick up from 7 AM to 11 PM every day, so call (626) 816-3530 after work or send the form.