Concrete patio construction in Piedmont CA - a level slab on a firm, packed base
Cracked, sunken or puddling patio? We dig out, pack a firm base and pour a new slab that sends rain away from your house.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What goes into building a concrete patio in Piedmont?
Concrete patio construction in Piedmont means digging out part of the yard, packing a firm base and pouring an outdoor slab, the same kind used for floors and driveways, then finishing it plain or decorative so you have a level place outside that drains.
Most people who call us have an old patio that has cracked, sunk at one corner or holds a puddle after rain, or a bare patch of yard they'd finally like to use. We're based in Piedmont and work in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda and other cities around the East Bay. The price of a patio turns on its size, whether an old slab has to come out first, how we get concrete to the spot and whether you want a plain or decorative surface. The schedule turns mostly on whether the city needs to review the plan and on the wait while the concrete cures. I measure and look at access when I visit, and the written estimate I send gives you the figure for your own patio.
How we build a concrete patio
Before anyone digs, I ask where the patio will sit on the lot and whether an old slab has to come out, since both change the plan and which city steps apply, and then I show you finish choices so you can pick plain or decorative with the cost in view. When work starts, our crew digs out the subgrade, the soil the slab rests on, and packs a base on top of it, because a patio laid on raked dirt settles as the dirt does. We set the forms with a slight fall away from your house so rain runs off instead of toward your walls, then pour, finish the surface and cut control joints, the straight grooves that give the slab a chosen place to crack. After that the slab cures, which is the slow hardening concrete needs before it takes weight. If the budget is tight, I'd rather trim a decorative extra than the base, because in a kitchen a plate is only as good as the prep behind it, and nobody sees the base on the first day but you'll see it later if a corner sinks.
A patio often ties into other work. If you'd like a pattern or texture pressed into the surface, that's our stamped concrete services, and if you need a path from the driveway or side gate out to the new patio, we can pour it through our concrete sidewalk building so the two meet cleanly.
Plain broom-finish slab
A broom finish is a light texture dragged across the wet surface so the patio isn't slick when it's wet. It suits people who want a sturdy, low-fuss patio and would rather put the budget into size or a better base.
Decorative surface
Exposed aggregate, textured finishes, geometric patterns and stains give a patio more character beside an older house. These are priced on top of a plain slab, so I show you both side by side before you decide.
What Piedmont asks of a new concrete patio
The City of Piedmont requires a Design Review Permit for a patio within the street setbacks, the strips of the lot nearest the street where the city limits what gets built, and some patios farther back may be exempt depending on where they sit. The city also runs design review on every project that needs a building permit unless it's specifically exempt, and I can't tell you from the sidewalk whether a given patio needs a building permit as well, so the city asks owners to check with the city's Planning Division before going ahead. When a job needs a permit or a review, we handle the application and the paperwork and tell you up front which office it goes through, and if it isn't clear, we check with the city before we start. Size matters too, because the city's stormwater rules treat a project as non-regulated when its new or replaced hard surface adds up to less than 2,500 square feet, and an old slab we replace counts toward that, so I total the whole project and not just the patio.
Many of the homes we work on here are older, with the patio tucked behind the house and a side yard too narrow for a truck, so I plan how the concrete gets back there on the first visit. We see the same older lots and tight access on jobs in Oakland and Berkeley, and we plan those patios the same way.
Why Piedmont homeowners call Piedmont Advanced Concrete for patios
The owner measures every patio
I've run this business in Piedmont since 2020, and I come out myself to measure, check access and write your estimate. I then work on site with our crew through the forming, pouring and finishing, so the person who planned your patio is there when it's poured.
Licensed and insured in California
We're licensed and insured. California treats forming, pouring and finishing flat concrete as contractor work, and it only exempts jobs under $500 in total labor and materials that aren't part of a larger project, so nearly any patio belongs with a licensed contractor.
A straight answer before we pour
I'll tell you plainly what a slab can and can't do, including the cracking no one can promise away, before you agree to anything. Our work is satisfaction guaranteed, and that starts with you knowing what to expect from your patio.
A patio turns out right when the plan is right before the first shovel goes in, so please call (510) 738-1848 or reach us through our contact page, and I'll come out to look at yours.
Request a quoteRequest a written estimate for your patio
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I'll come out myself, measure, look at how we'll reach the spot and send you a written estimate. The estimate is free and there's no obligation.
What happens after you call about a patio in Piedmont
Call or send the form
Thank you for reaching out, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come by. It helps to mention the patio's rough size and whether an old slab is there now.
I visit and measure
I'll walk the spot with you, check how we'll get concrete to it and listen to what you have in mind. You then get a written estimate, so you see the price for your patio before anything is decided.
We handle city steps, then prep
If the patio needs a city review, we file it and tell you which office has it, then our crew digs out, packs the base and sets the forms. I'm on site for this part, since it's the part nobody can fix later.
Pour, finish and walk through
We pour, finish and cut the joints, then clean up and walk the finished patio with you. Before we leave, I'll tell you how long to stay off it and when it's ready for furniture.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete patio cost in Piedmont, CA?
A plain concrete slab or pad in the Bay Area usually costs about $8 to $16 per square foot, and that range leaves out staining and stamping. A decorative surface is priced on top of it, and if an old slab has to come out first, the removal is added as well. Your written estimate gives you the number for your own patio.
Do I need a permit to build a concrete patio in Piedmont?
You need Piedmont's Design Review Permit if the patio sits within the street setbacks, and a patio farther back may be exempt depending on its spot on the lot. Whether yours also needs a building permit is a question for the Planning Division, so we check with the city before we start and handle the paperwork if it's needed.
How long does a new concrete patio take to cure before I can use it?
You can usually walk on a new patio within 48 hours, though concrete takes about a month to fully cure. To be safe, you may want to wait a week before setting heavier things on it, like a large planter or a grill.
What causes a new concrete patio to crack?
Concrete shrinks as it dries and hardens, and that shrinkage is what usually cracks a patio, which is why a concrete industry report on slabs calls crack-free slabs unrealistic even with the best design and proper building. Shrinkage goes up with the amount of water in the mix, so it's fair to ask every bidder about their mix, and the control joints we cut give those cracks a place to go.
Should a concrete patio have rebar or fiber in the mix?
Fiber alone won't keep a hardened patio from cracking, while rebar, steel bars set inside the slab, holds the pieces together if it does crack. Older slab guidance says synthetic fibers help with shrinkage cracks only while the concrete is fresh and in its first few hours of curing, and at typical amounts they won't hold it once it hardens. A reinforced slab is priced higher per square foot than an unreinforced pad, so ask each bidder which one they're quoting.
Can you pour a new patio over my old cracked slab?
We usually take the old slab out, because pouring over a cracked or sunken patio tends to carry its problems into the new one. Removing it adds to the cost of the new slab, and I'll look at it on my visit and tell you plainly whether it has to go.
Other work that goes with a new patio
Stamped concrete services
A stamped surface presses a stone, brick or tile pattern into fresh concrete, which suits homeowners who want a patio that looks like pavers without the loose joints between them.
Concrete sidewalk building
A new patio is easier to use when a solid walk leads to it, so this covers paths from the driveway, front steps or side gate that sit level and drain well.
Piedmont, CA
Book a visit for your new patio
Tell us the patio's rough size, where it sits on the lot and whether an old slab comes out, and I'll arrive ready to measure and talk through the finish.