Concrete contractor in South Whittier, CA - slabs that drain away from your house
Classic Whittier Concrete builds driveways, patios, walkways, steps and foundations in South Whittier, and replaces the slabs that have cracked or sunk. We're based in Whittier, and I come out to look at every job myself.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
South Whittier homes and the concrete around them
South Whittier is mostly homes, so most of our calls here are for driveways, back patios, front walks and steps, along with some parking areas for small business and apartment owners. A lot of the houses are single-story with a driveway running along the side to the garage, and much of that concrete is original or has been patched over the years, so it has had plenty of time to crack, lift over a root or sink. We do the same work in Hacienda Heights and West Whittier-Los Nietos.
Side yards here are often narrow, with a fence on one side and the house on the other, so we plan how the old concrete comes out and the new concrete goes in well before the day of the pour.
Concrete work we do on South Whittier properties
Concrete driveway building
Long side driveways here often crack where they meet the street or sink by the garage, and we replace them from the ground up.
Concrete patio construction
A back patio on a flat lot needs a slight fall away from the house, so rain runs to the yard instead of pooling at the back door.
Stamped concrete services
For a patio or front walk that looks like stone or brick, we press a pattern into the fresh concrete and color it to suit the house.
Concrete sidewalk building
The walk to the front door is often the oldest concrete on the lot, and we replace lifted, tripping sections so it sits level again.
Garage floor concrete
Older garages often have a cracked, oil-stained floor that's sunk in spots, so we break it out and pour a new slab that drains toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored concrete, exposed stone or a scored pattern can dress up a plain front yard, and we'll tell you which finishes hold up to daily foot traffic.
Concrete retaining walls
Where one yard sits higher than the next, or a planter is pushing on the driveway, a concrete wall with drainage behind it holds the soil back.
Concrete floor installation
For a room addition, workshop or converted space, we pour an interior floor that's flat and ready for whatever covering goes on top.
Concrete pool decks
Around a backyard pool, the deck needs a surface that isn't slick when wet and slopes so splash water runs off instead of under the slab.
Concrete steps construction
Front porch steps on older houses are often cracked or pulling away from the porch, so we form and pour new ones with every step the same height.
Slab foundation building
For a new garage, back house or addition on your lot, we pour the slab the walls stand on, with the ground under it dug out and packed first.
Foundation installation
When a new building goes up on your property, we set the foundation it sits on, from layout and digging to forming and the final pour.
Concrete parking lot building
Small business lots and apartment parking pads take heavier, steadier traffic than a driveway, so we pour them thicker and plan where the water drains.
Concrete footings
A patio cover, block wall or carport needs footings, the concrete feet buried under it, sized to keep the structure from leaning or settling.
Foundation raising
If one corner of a slab or an older foundation has sunk, we look at why first, because lifting it without fixing the cause just buys time.
Concrete cutting
When you need a doorway, a trench for a pipe or one bad section removed, we saw-cut clean lines so the rest of the slab stays intact.
Get a free on-site estimate in South Whittier
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the job and write up a free estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
- Based in
- Whittier, CA 90602
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What working in South Whittier means for your job
South Whittier is unincorporated, which means Los Angeles County runs it and LA County Public Works issues building permits here through its South Whittier District Office in Norwalk. When a job needs a permit, the County's review and inspections set the start date more than our crew does, so we build that wait into the schedule. You can look up any contractor with the Contractors State License Board, which licenses construction work across California, and we're licensed and insured. A business based in the County's unincorporated areas may also need a County Business License, depending on its line of work, so that's fair to ask a local outfit about.
On price, the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how much the ground needs digging and packing and the finish you pick do most of the moving, and your estimate puts a figure on your own job. The schedule turns on the permit when there is one, on the weather and on the street, since the concrete truck needs room at the curb and narrow streets take some planning. We see the same kinds of houses and driveways in Norwalk and Pico Rivera.
Older slabs and flat yards in South Whittier
Many houses here still have their original driveways and walks, or patches poured over them years later, and that concrete has had a long time to move. Tree roots lift the edges, the ground under the slab settles where it was never packed, and cracks open into trip hazards and gaps that let water under the slab. When a slab is too far gone to patch, we tear it out, dig down to firm ground and pack the base in layers, because new concrete over the same soft dirt settles the same way.
Most yards here are fairly flat, so water goes wherever the concrete sends it, and an old patio that leans toward the house sends it straight to your foundation. We set each new slab to fall away from the house and garage, and check where that water ends up before we pour.
How a concrete job runs in South Whittier
Here's how a job goes once you get in touch, from the first call to the walk-through on your finished slab.
Reach out by phone or form
Call (562) 358-3032 or send the form with a line about the job, and we'll set a time for me to come see it. A couple of photos of the cracks or the low spot help me come prepared.
I look at the job
I ask what the slab is for and where the water goes now, check which office covers your address and measure up, and it helps if you're home to show me the trouble spots. You get a written estimate that breaks out the tear-out, the base and the finish, so you can see where the money goes before you decide.
We plan and pour
We schedule the pour around the weather and any permit, and our own crew digs, forms, pours and finishes with me on site. We pour early in the day when we can, because midday heat dries the top too fast and leaves it weak and dusty.
We walk the finished job
When it's done, we walk it with you and go over when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for cars. We also show you how to keep it damp while it cures, the wait while concrete hardens, because a slab that dries too fast comes out weaker.
Concrete contractor questions from South Whittier homeowners
Do I need a permit to pour a new driveway or patio in South Whittier?
Some concrete jobs here need a County permit and some don't, so I check yours before we plan the pour instead of guessing. You can ask the South Whittier District Office mentioned above, and the County's Service Locator gives the phone and email for the Building and Safety office that covers your address. When your job needs a permit, we apply for it and we're there for the inspections, and any drain or lighting work tied to it can need its own permit.
Does a small concrete job in South Whittier need a licensed contractor?
Usually yes, because California only lets someone without a contractor's license take minor work under $1,000, and only when the job needs no permit and they have nobody working for them on it. That limit used to be $500, so older advice you find online may be out of date. A driveway or patio takes a crew, so check the license with the state board before you hire.
How much can a concrete contractor ask for up front in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, under the state licensing board's rules for home improvement work. Any payments after that have to be listed in the contract and tied to work that's done or materials that have been delivered.
What drives the price of a concrete driveway in South Whittier?
Beyond the size and the tear-out, thickness and finish move a South Whittier driveway price the most, plus the side-yard access I talked about above. A slab that carries a truck or RV gets poured thicker with more rebar, the steel inside that holds the pieces together if it cracks. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you skip the stamped finish than skimp on the base, because the base is buried on day one and it's what decides whether the slab settles.
How do I keep a new concrete slab from cracking like my old one?
You can't stop concrete from cracking at all, but you can decide where it cracks and keep those cracks tight and level. We cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned line to crack along, early enough that the slab doesn't pick its own spot, and we set it on dug-out, packed ground. A hairline crack or two along those lines is normal, and I'd rather tell you that now than have it surprise you later.
How long does it take to replace a concrete driveway in South Whittier?
The tear-out and pour are usually the quick part, and the cure is what keeps your car off it longer than most people expect. Walking on it comes well before driving on it, and I give you the dates for both when we schedule, since the weather and the slab's thickness change them. If the job needs a permit, the wait for it comes first.
Get your South Whittier slab looked at
Call (562) 358-3032 or send the form, because a cracked section caught early can sometimes be cut out and replaced on its own before water under it spreads the damage.