Concrete pool decks in Piedmont, CA - a cool, sure-footed deck for bare feet
Cracked, faded or rough concrete around your pool? We'll tell you whether to resurface or replace it, then finish it for bare feet.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Should you resurface or replace the concrete around your pool?
A concrete pool deck job in Piedmont either replaces the slab around your pool or resurfaces it with an overlay that bonds to the slab you already have, so you end up with a steady deck that isn't faded, stained, chipping or worn rough.
Most pool deck calls I get start with something you can see, like a chipping surface, a crack that keeps getting longer or a section lifted near the coping, the edge right at the water. What we do next depends on what's underneath, and that's also what moves the price, since tearing out the old slab and rebuilding the base costs more than an overlay, and the size of the deck, the finish you choose and how easily we can get into your backyard all add to it. The schedule turns on whether the city needs to review the work and on curing, the wait while fresh concrete hardens enough to use, and my written estimate after a visit gives you the figure for your own deck. We're based in Piedmont and work in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda and other cities around the East Bay.
How we handle a concrete pool deck
I start by looking closely at your existing deck to see whether it's sound enough to resurface or needs to come out, and I'll give you an honest answer either way, because an overlay is only as good as the slab under it. Then we talk about how you use the area, since bare feet call for a cooler finish with good grip. When the old deck comes out, we break it up and haul it away, then dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, so the new deck doesn't settle with loose dirt, and we check where the water runs so it drains away from the house instead of toward it. We pour early in the day, because midday heat leaves a weak, dusty top, and we cut control joints, the grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along instead of a random one, before we finish the surface and let it cure. In a kitchen a plate is only as good as the setup behind it, and concrete is the same, so if the budget gets tight I'd rather you pick a plainer finish than skimp on the base you'll never see.
Pool decks rarely stand alone. If the steps down from the house or patio are cracked or uneven, our concrete steps construction work can rebuild them while the forms are out, so the steps and deck match. If you're adding a pool house or an equipment shed nearby, our slab foundation building gives it a level slab to stand on.
Resurfacing a sound deck
This suits a deck that's still solid and level but worn on top, since the new layer bonds to the slab you already have. It's usually less disruption than a tear-out, and you still get to pick a new finish.
Tearing out and replacing
This suits a deck that has lifted, sunk or broken through, because the trouble is below the surface. It costs more, but it lets us start over with a dug-out, packed base and joints placed where we choose.
Concrete pool decks in Piedmont and the city's permit rules
The City of Piedmont issues site improvement permits for outdoor projects, and its list names hardscape, patios and site drainage but doesn't name pool decks, so the list alone doesn't settle whether your deck needs a permit. We don't guess at that. We check with the city before we start, handle the application and paperwork if one is needed, and tell you up front which office it goes through. Your deck's layout can bring in two more rules. A patio inside the street setbacks, the stretch of yard near the street where the city limits building, needs a Design Review Permit even when no building permit is required, so a deck near the front of a lot gets a closer look. And if the new deck would send more rainwater to the street, or the work reaches into the public right of way, you'd need an encroachment permit from Piedmont Public Works, which is one more reason we plan the drainage before we pour.
Many pools here sit behind older homes with narrow side yards and steps between the street and the backyard, so I look at how we'll get forms, concrete and the old slab in and out before I price anything. We see the same tight access on jobs in Oakland and Berkeley, and we plan the haul-out and the pour the same way there.
Why Piedmont homeowners call Piedmont Advanced Concrete for pool decks
The owner at every estimate
We've been in business since 2020, and I come out to every job myself, then work on site with our crew while they form, pour and finish. You deal with the same person from the first look at your deck to the final walk-through.
Licensed and insured for concrete
We're licensed and insured. California's contractor licensing board describes concrete work as forming, pouring, placing and finishing it, and that's exactly the work our crew does on your deck.
Satisfaction guaranteed, prep first
Our promise is satisfaction guaranteed, and I keep it by putting the time into prep, since there's no taking concrete back once it's poured. That's why the base and the drainage get settled before anyone talks about color.
Thank you for considering us. If you'd like to talk through your deck, send us a note or call (510) 738-1848.
Request a quoteGet a written estimate for your pool deck
Expect a reply within one business day, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation. Once you send the form, we'll reach out to set a time, I'll come measure the deck and look at how we'll get to it, and then I'll send you a written estimate.
What happens after you call about a pool deck in Piedmont
Call or send the form
You call or send the contact form, and we reply to set a time for me to visit. All I need is a look at the deck and the way into your backyard.
I visit and write it up
I come out myself, look at the deck and how we'll reach it, and listen to what you have in mind. Then I send you a written estimate, so you see the cost on paper before anything is decided.
City steps, pour and walk-through
If the work needs a city review, we line that up first, and Piedmont usually reviews a small, simple permit in about 2 to 4 weeks, while a bigger project's first review takes about 5 to 8 weeks and often comes back asking for changes. Then we prep the site, pour and finish, clean up, and walk the finished deck with you.
Frequently asked questions
Should I resurface or replace my concrete pool deck?
Resurface it when the slab is sound and stable, the damage is only on the surface and the cracks are narrower than about 1/4 inch. Replace it when sections are heaving, the slab is sinking, cracking runs through much of the deck or the base under it has failed, because an overlay can't fix anything below the surface. That's general guidance, and on the visit I'll tell you which side of the line your deck is on.
How much does a concrete pool deck cost in Piedmont?
A concrete pool deck in the San Francisco area usually costs about $6 to $15 per square foot installed. That's the going rate around the Bay, not our price, and where your deck lands depends on what I find on the visit. The written estimate gives you your own figure.
What is the best pool deck finish for bare feet?
A spray texture overlay, often called a cool deck or knockdown finish, is the usual choice for bare feet because it stays cool and gives good grip. Pool deck paint costs the least up front, but it may need redoing in as little as a year, so it can end up costing more. Where people mostly wear shoes, a broom finish, the light brushed texture that keeps a slab from getting slick, also works.
What causes a concrete pool deck to crack and lift?
Movement in the ground under it is a common cause, and expansive soil, clay that swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, can lift and crack slabs around a house. You can find out whether your lot has it from your home buyer's disclosures, the local building department or a soil engineer or geologist, and it's worth knowing before a new slab goes in. A gravel layer under the concrete can give more even support and help drain water that soaks in, but it doesn't cancel out expansive clay or promise the deck won't heave.
Who pulls the permit for pool deck work in Piedmont?
In California, only a properly licensed contractor or an owner acting legally as an owner-builder can get a permit, so it's fair to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring. When your deck needs a permit or a city review, we handle the application and the paperwork for you.
How do I redo my pool and pool deck at the same time in Piedmont?
Plan them as one project, because the city's pool permit covers building or repairing the pool itself, and a separate permit may be needed when that work is part of a larger site improvement like a new deck. We tell you up front which permits the deck side needs and set our pour around the pool work at its edge.
Other work that goes with a pool deck
Concrete steps construction
Crumbling or uneven steps between the house and the pool are a tripping risk with wet feet, and rebuilding them alongside the deck lets both surfaces match in finish and height.
Slab foundation building
A pool house, cabana or equipment shed needs a level, well-supported slab under it, and building that slab while we're already set up nearby saves a second round of digging.
Piedmont, CA
Send us a few photos of your deck
Photos, the rough size and a note on any cracks or lifted sections let me arrive already thinking about whether your deck can be resurfaced.