Concrete contractor in Monrovia, CA - driveways and patios that drain right
Monrovia Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Monrovia, CA. We tear out and pour driveways, patios, walks and garage floors, and build walls and footings, with the slope and joints worked out before anything gets poured.
Monrovia as we see it on our jobs
Monrovia is home for us, and a lot of what we pour here replaces concrete that's been down a long time. Many of the houses are older, some of them on the city's historic list, and their driveways, front walks and back patios are often cracked, sunk or tipped toward the house.
Up toward the foothills the lots climb and the driveways get steeper. We see the same mix next door in Sierra Madre and Duarte, along with newer homes and the odd shop or lot that needs paving. On an older flat lot the job usually starts with a tired base, and on a sloped one it starts with where the water goes.
Permits, licenses and price in Monrovia
In Monrovia it's the city's Building Division that oversees construction, so the city decides whether your job needs a permit. I check with them before we set a date. If a permit is needed, we sort out who pulls it and have it in hand before work starts, which can push the start back. You can check two things on any contractor here: a California contractor's license, and a City of Monrovia business license, which the city requires of every business working in Monrovia. We're fully licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Most of what moves the price on a new driveway or patio here is work you won't see once it's done: breaking out and hauling the old slab, digging out and packing the base, and how steep the lot is. The finish comes on top of that. The schedule turns on the permit check and on curing, the stretch after the pour when the slab hardens and needs to be left alone. Your own figure comes on a written estimate that lists what's included, like removal and hauling. We price and build the same way in Arcadia and the other cities around Monrovia.
What older slabs and sloped lots need here
Most of the old concrete I tear out failed for one of two reasons. In some cases somebody raked the dirt level instead of digging down to the subgrade, the firm ground the slab sits on, and packing a base on top, so the slab sank as the dirt settled. In others, nobody cut control joints, shallow grooves that give a shrinking slab a straight line to crack along, so the cracks wandered wherever they wanted. We dig out, pack the base, add rebar, the steel that holds the pieces together if a crack opens, and cut the joints while the concrete is fresh. If the budget's tight, I'd keep the finish plain before I'd cut the base, because you can't see the base on day one and you can't fix it later without tearing everything out.
On the sloped lots, water is the bigger problem. A slab that falls toward the house sends runoff at your foundation, so we check where the water runs before we form anything, and we give steeper pours a broom finish, a light brushed texture, for grip. Old trees lift slabs too, and if a protected oak stands where you want concrete, removing it needs the city Planning Division's approval, so we plan around the tree first.
Get a free on-site concrete estimate for your Monrovia home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time to look at your Monrovia job. The estimate is free and done at your property, and there's no pressure to book.
(626) 879-0614How a Monrovia concrete job goes from first call to pour day
Call or send the form
Call (626) 879-0614 or use the form and tell us what you want poured or replaced. A few photos of the old concrete help us know what we're walking into.
I come out and measure
I come to your property myself, measure the job and look at where the water runs. I'll ask how you'll use the concrete, because a patio for chairs and a driveway for a work truck aren't built the same.
You get a written estimate
The estimate spells out what's in the price, like removing and hauling the old slab. Nothing gets scheduled until you say go.
We check with the city
Before we set a date, we check with the office that covers your address. If the job needs a permit, we get it in hand before any work starts.
We prep, pour and walk it
The crew I trained digs out, packs the base, sets the forms and pours, and I'm usually there on pour days. Before we pack up, I walk the finished slab with you and tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for cars.
Driveways, patios, walks and walls
Concrete questions from Monrovia homeowners
Do I need a permit to replace my concrete driveway in Monrovia?
The city's list of work that needs no building permit includes driveways and sidewalks no more than 30 inches above grade, as long as they're not over a basement or part of an accessible route. Any work in the city's right-of-way, usually along the street, needs an encroachment permit, which is good for 90 days. If a roll-off bin for your old concrete has to sit on the street, homeowners can get a no-fee one for that, good for 14 days. We confirm what applies at your address before we pour.
Does a concrete contractor in Monrovia need a California license?
Yes. A California contractor needs a license from the Contractors State License Board for any job whose labor and materials add up to $1,000 or more, which covers nearly any driveway or patio, and also for any job that needs a building permit or uses employees. A home improvement contractor has to be licensed before giving you a bid, and the city also requires a business license, so ask for both before you sign.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Monrovia?
The cost depends mostly on the size, removing and hauling the old slab, how much base has to be dug out and packed, and how steep your lot is. A tight side yard where a truck can't get close adds labor, and stamped or colored finishes cost more than a plain broom finish. I measure on site and put the figure in writing, so call (626) 879-0614 to set a time.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can usually walk on it within a few days, but cars have to wait longer, because curing keeps building strength well after the surface looks done. The mix and that week's weather both change the timing, so plan on parking on the street for a while.
What causes concrete driveways to crack and sink?
Most cracking and sinking comes from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, from water sitting along the edge, or from control joints that were cut late or skipped. Concrete shrinks as it cures, so some cracking is normal, and the joints give it a straight line to crack along instead of a random one. We fix all three things before we pour so the new slab doesn't fail the way the old one did.
Do I need a permit for a shed or deck on a new slab in Monrovia?
The city's list says a one-story, detached shed or playhouse up to 120 square feet needs no building permit, though its electrical, plumbing or mechanical work does. A deck up to 200 square feet needs none if it's no more than 30 inches above grade, isn't attached to the house and serves no required exit door. That list covers the shed and the deck, not the concrete under them, so we check with the Building Division before we pour a pad or footings.
Get your Monrovia concrete job measured
Call (626) 879-0614 or send the form, and if a quick patch won't hold up, I'll tell you so on site instead of selling it to you.