Concrete contractor in West Covina, CA - slabs that drain right on flat and sloped lots
Classic Whittier Concrete pours driveways, patios, walkways, steps and retaining walls for homes and business properties in West Covina, CA. I come out to look at every job myself, and our own crew forms, pours and finishes it.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
West Covina neighborhoods from the flats to the hills
West Covina is mostly blocks of single-family houses, with the shopping centers and offices gathered along the 10 freeway. We're a concrete contractor based in Whittier, CA, and the calls we get here sound a lot like the ones from Hacienda Heights and the other cities around us. We hear about driveways cracked through and sunk at the street, back patios that hold water after a storm, and front steps pulling away from the porch. A lot of the houses are older, and so is their concrete, often patched more than once.
On the flat streets the work usually starts with what's under the old slab, and on the lots that climb toward the San Jose Hills it starts with where the water runs.
Concrete work we do in West Covina
Concrete driveway building
If your driveway has sunk or cracked across, we break it out, pack a firm base and pour a new slab that sends water to the street.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio here has to drain away from the house, so we set the slope before we pour, whether the lot is flat or steps uphill.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walkway the look of stone or brick in one pour, which suits the front entry of an older house.
Concrete sidewalk building
We pour walkways from the driveway to the door or along the side yard, set flush so nobody trips where old sections have heaved or dropped.
Garage floor concrete
When an older garage floor is cracked, stained or sloping the wrong way, we replace it with a flat, sound slab that drains out the door.
Decorative concrete
Color, exposed stone and borders let a plain gray slab match the house, and we keep the base work the same no matter how fancy the top gets.
Concrete retaining walls
On lots that climb toward the San Jose Hills, a retaining wall holds back the slope and gives you a level yard, with drainage built in behind it.
Concrete floor installation
For a room addition, workshop or commercial space, we pour an interior floor that's level and ready for tile, carpet or whatever goes on top.
Concrete pool decks
Pool decks here take sun all day and wet feet all summer, so we give them a slip-resistant finish and slope them away from the pool.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses often pull away from the porch or settle unevenly, so we rebuild them with even step heights and steel tied in.
Slab foundation building
For an addition, garage or backyard unit, we pour the slab foundation the building sits on, with the ground prepared and the steel placed before any concrete arrives.
Foundation installation
When a house or addition needs a foundation of footings and walls instead of a flat slab, we dig, form and pour it to the plans.
Concrete parking lot building
Shops and offices here need lots that take car traffic all day, so we pour thicker slabs with steel and plan where the runoff goes.
Concrete footings
A block wall, patio cover or post needs a footing, the buried concrete base that spreads its weight, sized for what it carries and the ground under it.
Foundation raising
When part of a house has settled and doors stick or floors slope, we lift the low section back toward level and support it from below.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings in old slabs for drains, plumbing or a cleaner edge, which lets us replace one bad section of driveway instead of all of it.
Get a free concrete estimate for your West Covina property
We reply within one business day to set a time, then I come out myself to 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 West Covina's permits and costs mean for your job
Building permits in West Covina come from the city's Building Division, and when your job needs one, the permit sets the start date, because we don't pour until it's issued. The city also requires anyone operating a business in West Covina to hold a city business license, so it's fair to ask any contractor you're considering whether they have one. I check whether your address falls under the city or the county, and when a permit is needed, we apply for it and we're there for the inspections.
Price here mostly turns on the size of the slab, how much old concrete comes out, how much digging and packing the base needs and the finish you choose. The schedule turns on the weather, any permit and the curing, which is the days new concrete needs to harden before it takes your weight or your car's. We do the same work in Downey and El Monte, for homeowners and for owners of business property, and the estimate I write up after seeing your job gives you your own figure.
Concrete problems we see most on West Covina properties
When a slab on a sloped lot tilts toward the house, rain from the street and the yard above runs onto it and pools at the foundation, then soaks into the subgrade, the dirt the slab rests on, until a section drops. That's why I ask where the water goes now before we form anything, and we set the new slab to fall away from the house with a place for the runoff to go.
Older driveways and walks here have had decades of car weight and tree roots working on them. When only part is bad, we cut out that section and pour it back, and when the base under the whole thing has given way, I'll tell you it all needs to come out.
How a concrete job runs when you call us in West Covina
From your first call to the finished slab, here's what happens and who you'll see at each step.
Call or send us the form
Tell us what you need by calling (562) 358-3032 or through the form. We get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
I come out and look
I ask what the slab is for and where the water goes now, check whether your address falls under the city or the county, and write up your estimate. You'll know the cost before anything is scheduled, so you can decide without being rushed.
Our crew forms and pours
When you're ready, we plan the pour around the weather and any permit, and pour early in the day so the heat doesn't leave a weak, dusty top. Our own crew digs out, packs the base, forms, pours and finishes, and I'm on site while we work.
We walk the job together
We walk the finished job with you and go over how long to stay off it while it cures and how to look after it. You'll see where the joints went and why we put them there.
Questions about hiring a concrete contractor in West Covina
Do I need a building permit for a new concrete driveway in West Covina?
The city's list of work that doesn't need a building permit includes walks and driveways that sit no more than 30 inches above the ground, aren't over a basement or other space below, and aren't part of an accessible route, the path that has to meet disabled-access rules. Plumbing or electrical work tied to the job, like a new drain line, can still need its own permit. I check your job against that list before we schedule anything.
Does a concrete retaining wall in West Covina need a permit?
The city's list lets a retaining wall go without a building permit when it holds back no more than 4 feet of soil, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless it supports a surcharge or is meant to hold back certain liquids. A surcharge is extra weight on the soil behind the wall, like a driveway, a building or a slope above it. Taller walls, or walls carrying that kind of load, fall outside the list, so I'd plan on a permit for those.
How do I apply for a building permit for concrete work in West Covina?
You apply with the city's Building Division, online through its One Stop Building Permit Center or in person at the Building Counter at City Hall, 1444 West Garvey Avenue South, Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. The division doesn't take applications by email anymore, and you can call it at (626) 939-8425 with questions. When your job needs a permit, you can leave the application to us.
Does permit-free concrete work in West Covina still need Planning approval?
It can, because a project that needs no building permit can still need approval from the city's Planning Division. In some cases Planning limits where the work goes and how tall it is, or sets design requirements. Its public counter is in City Hall Room 208, and you can call it at (626) 939-8422, though we'll talk it through at the estimate.
What makes a concrete driveway cost more in West Covina?
On a West Covina lot, a slope usually adds the most, because it means more digging, more forming and more work getting the water to drain the right way. A stamped or colored finish also costs more than a broom finish, the light brushed texture that gives tires and shoes grip. If the budget is tight, I'd trim the finish and keep the base work, because a nice top on a soft base sinks and cracks just like the old one, and the base is the one part you can't fix later without tearing it all out.
What causes concrete to crack, and will my new slab in West Covina crack too?
Some cracking is normal, because concrete shrinks as it dries, so the aim is to decide where it cracks and keep the slab from sinking. Cracks that spread and sink usually come from a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or from water getting underneath. We pack the base, add rebar, the steel that holds the pieces together if a crack opens, and cut control joints, grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along, before cracks pick their own spot.
Get your West Covina concrete estimate scheduled
We're licensed and insured with satisfaction guaranteed, and calling while the damage is in one section often means we can cut out and replace that part instead of the whole slab.