Concrete Patio Contractor in Los Angeles

We entertain all year long here in Southern California. It’s one of the perks of living in Los Angeles. In fact, you probably spend most of your time on your patio than inside your house.

Your patio is your everything. It’s your outdoor kitchen, your gym, your yoga studio, your office, your Book Club meeting space – it’s your outdoor home. But what if that outdoor space was harboring a dark secret – cracks and uplifts creating trip hazards and uneven surfaces for your grill and furniture. Wouldn’t it be nice to spruce it up a little bit?

Can I repair my concrete patio without replacing the entire thing?

The answer is yes…and no. All concrete will crack over time. It’s inevitable. The soil underneath the patio will shift, water gets underneath, earthquakes and plant roots happen. Concrete settles. If you catch those cracks early enough, you can repair them. Cracks that are smaller than a quarter of an inch wide can easily be fixed using a liquid filler or a concrete caulk. This is stuff you can get at any home repair store. 

Let’s say you’ve inherited a concrete patio with cracks wider than a quarter of an inch. That’s when you’re looking at major issues with your concrete. Now, I’m sure you can find YouTube videos out there with DIY’ers repairing their own concrete patios. Just think for a moment about the amount of time, materials and specialized tools you will need in order to do that yourself. And then…call an expert. 

A licensed concrete contractor can inspect your patio and determine the underlying issues. When you have large cracks and uplifts in your concrete patio, it’s time to replace part or all of it. 

It is possible to replace just a damaged portion of your concrete patio. A licensed concrete contractor will be able to strategically cut out the damaged section, prepare the site and repour new concrete. The downside will be that the color of your concrete won’t match. Your new concrete will be much lighter in color than the rest of the patio. 

If a large portion of your patio is damaged, you’ll probably want to demolish the whole thing and start from scratch. That sounds like a huge project, but with concrete, it really isn’t. The great thing about concrete jobs is that they’re relatively fast to complete – much faster than installing a wood deck. You can demolish your old patio and install a new one in about a week or two. 

Reasons why concrete patios crack 

Most people look at the cracked concrete in Los Angeles and think one thing – earthquakes. In fact, earthquakes are not the main reason why concrete crumbles in the Southland. 

Believe it or not, the main reason concrete cracks is due to plants. That’s right. All those mature trees in your backyard sheltering your patio space may also be undermining it. Tree roots can get massive in their ongoing search for water sources. Those roots bump up against the concrete and lift it up, creating cracks in your patio.

Water is another major source of crumbling concrete. I know what you may be thinking – We get so little rain around here. How could water be damaging my concrete. One word – erosion. Imagine you get a few small cracks in your concrete patio. That allows water to easily seep underneath your patio. That builds up over time and as the water drains out, it takes some soil with it. Over time, this is going to create empty pockets under your concrete. That causes the concrete to settle and, yes, crack. 

How much does it cost to replace a concrete patio?

You can expect to spend about $15 to $20 per square foot to install your concrete patio. If you are replacing your concrete patio, this price includes the demolition and removal of your old patio. 

This price reflects pouring a gray slab. There are actually a wide array of finishes that you can have placed on your concrete to give your patio a crisp, modern look. Have a pool in your backyard? You may want to install a salt finish, to give your patio a little grip to avoid slips when you get out of the pool. Want some texture? A broom finish may be your thing. With a broom finish, your licensed concrete contractor will drag a special broom across the top of the concrete. You can go for straight lines, or mix it up and have the lines go in different directions. Another popular look is exposed aggregate. That look is achieved by placing larger stones in the concrete mix and hosing down the top layer, exposing those rocks. It gives your patio a classic look and a non-slip surface.

Want something a little more daring? It may cost a little more, but you can always switch up the look of your patio with stamped and stained concrete. You can make the concrete on your patio look like almost any other material – slate, natural stone, even wood beams!

The beauty of concrete is that it is one of the most versatile building materials out there. If you want to create a design in your concrete (a star, a compass, the sun, etc.), you can do that. You can create custom stamps and create any kind of design you want. You can also stain or paint your concrete for a truly customized look.

Who we are and why choose us

With over 20 years of experience, we here at Concrete Decor Contractor are here to meet all your concrete needs. 

Other concrete services we provide: 

• Repair/replace sidewalks

• Repair/replace driveway ramps

• Concrete driveway

• Sidewalk repair

• Concrete patio

• Concrete repair 

• Concrete stairs and steps 

• Concrete widen expand

• Concrete approach/apron repair

We are licensed concrete contractors. That means we have the specialized knowledge and know-how to ensure that your concrete project is correctly prepared and poured the first time – avoiding you headaches in the future. 

Give us a call for a free quote today.