How can I fix my concrete sidewalk in Los Angeles?

How many times has this happened: You’re walking back to your house and you trip on the sidewalk in front of your own house. Maybe you’ve watched skateboarders or kids on bikes fly off your cracked and sloped sidewalks in front of your house.

As any resident or visitor of LA can tell you, we have terrible sidewalks in many neighborhoods. The culprit? Nope. It’s not our earthquakes. More often than not, it’s those beautiful trees growing overhead. And while you may not be able to do much about those city-owned trees, you can do something about the sidewalk. 

Can I fix the sidewalk in front of my house?

Like many Angelinos, you’ve probably been waiting in vain for the city to fix your sidewalk. Some brave souls have even gone ahead and patched up the sidewalk. But who’s responsible for the repairs – the homeowner or the city? The law has always been a bit murky on this subject. 

But now, the city has a clear fix for home and business owners. You fix the sidewalk – and the city pays you back. That’s right. Under the Safe Sidewalks Program, the city will pay you up to $10,000 per project to fix your sidewalk. 

Here’s how you do it. You submit an application at MyLA311. You will have to take pictures of the project and send it to the city. Then, you check your email religiously. Some rebate offers show up in your email box in a couple of months, some take longer. However, once that rebate arrives, you MUST accept it within two weeks. Otherwise, you’re going to have to resubmit your application. 

After the rebate has been offered, you MUST hire a licensed concrete contractor. Yes, the contractor must have a concrete license. You cannot hire a general contractor for this work. The licensed concrete contractor will then work with the city inspector to ensure the work done is up to code and will pass inspections. This process takes about a week or sometimes even less. Once the inspector signs off on the project, your rebate check will be in the mail.

Here’s what you need to know about this rebate:

• You need to be a property owner within the City of Los Angeles with sidewalks that are not ADA compliant.

• You can apply for the rebate on multiple properties.

• The rebate is limited to repair sidewalks and driveway entrances that are within the public right-of-way. 

• You MUST hire a contractor who has a concrete license. A general contractor CANNOT do these types of repairs.

• A city inspector must sign off on your project before you get your rebate check. 

You will have to front the cost of repairs before you get your rebate. However, if you decide to work with our licensed contractors, we will submit your application for you and, in some cases, do the work, and bill you later. 

Here are just a few examples of the types of repairs the rebate covers:

• Uplifts in sidewalks greater than 1/4 inch,

• Sidewalks with a width less than 4 feet,

• Sidewalks with gaps that are greater than 1/2 inch

• Sidewalks that have damage typically caused by tree roots

Commercial or industrial properties that are part of a development project are not eligible for this program. Also not eligible are properties where the owner has maintenance responsibility for the sidewalk.

I decided to fix my sidewalk. What’s next?

Fixing your sidewalk may seem like a simple DIY weekend project. It is not!

Hiring a professional concrete contractor will ensure that your project is done correctly the first time, avoiding any future headaches. Pouring concrete requires patient prep work, precise timing and knowledge about what could be causing the problems.

The contractor you hire will take a look at your sidewalk to determine what is causing the damage. If it is indeed a tree that is causing the damage, you may want to consult a tree expert and proceed with caution. Repairing the sidewalk will require removing the problem roots, which can harm the health of the tree or make it less stable in high winds. If a city-owned tree is causing the damage, you may want to contact the city regarding said tree. If it is your own, you may want to think about what to do about that tree.

After any tree situation is taken care of, the work of repairing your sidewalk will begin. You may or may not have to take out the problematic slab and replace it with a new pouring of concrete. If cracks just need to be repaired, the contractor will check to make sure there aren’t any other underlying moisture issues and then do the repairs. 

Any time you are doing concrete work, save yourself any headaches and hire a contractor with a concrete license. Sure, it seems like anyone can pour concrete, but if you’re talking about sidewalks and driveways, you want it done right. 

If you are replacing a slab of concrete, the contractor to prepare the ground underneath it first. The ground will need to be compacted and even before any concrete is poured. If you live in a particularly dry area, your contractor will probably put in a layer of gravel (called granular sub base) before pouring the concrete to ensure that your concrete remains level, even if the soil underneath dries out. Not only that, but the contractor will water the soil before you pour, to ensure that the concrete doesn’t dry too fast. 

This is a tip that separates the concrete contractor from the general contractor. Concrete contractors know the proper mix for concrete, how to treat the soil before the pour and how to ensure the concrete cures correctly. For instance, did you know that in hot weather, your concrete must be hosed down every day for at least a week? That’s the make sure the concrete doesn’t dry too fast. A general contractor may not give you that advice.

After pouring the concrete, joints will be cut into the concrete at about every 4 feet or so in order to minimize the chance of cracking in the future.

While you're repairing your sidewalk, you may also want to think about fixing your driveway apron at the same time. 

How much will it cost to replace my sidewalk in Los Angeles?

How much it will cost to replace or repair your sidewalk in Los Angeles will depend mostly on how much work will need to be involved in your project. You can expect the project to run about $20-$40 per square foot. If you are just looking to replace or repair the city-provided sidewalk, you’ll be looking at a very basic, cost-effective grey slab. However, the price of the job will depend greatly on how complex the project is. 

Why should I choose Concrete Decor Contractors?

The concrete experts at Concrete Decor Contractors will work tirelessly to ensure that the repair or replacement of your sidewalk gives you as few headaches as possible. We offer an array of services, from driveway extensions and popular grass strip driveways to installing concrete patios and porches. With over 20 years of experience, you can rest assured that our licensed concrete contractors know how to address any issues that arise during the process of repairing your sidewalk. Give us a call today at 818-722-8124 to find out more