Concrete patio construction in Norwalk CA - a firm, level slab that sheds water
Cracked slab, puddles by the back door or bare dirt? We dig out the soft ground, pack it firm and pour a patio that drains.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a concrete patio in Norwalk?
Concrete patio construction is a slab of concrete poured on prepared ground, and for most Norwalk homeowners it's the simplest way to turn a dirt or worn-out backyard into a level place to sit, eat and walk, using the most popular and most affordable patio surface there is.
Most people call us because the old patio has cracked into pieces, sunk at one corner or holds water against the back wall, or because the yard is still bare dirt and they're tired of tracking it inside. The price moves mostly with the size, how much soft ground has to come out, whether an old slab has to be broken up and hauled off, how easy it is to get a wheelbarrow or a pump into the yard, and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the ground prep, the weather on pour day and the curing, the days a fresh slab needs to harden before you use it, and I'll put your own figure in a written estimate once I've seen the yard.
How we build a concrete patio
First we pull out the topsoil and dig out any soft spots, because a slab only stays flat if the subgrade, the dirt it sits on, is firm all the way across. We pack the base solid, then set the forms with enough fall to carry water away from the house instead of toward it. Where it helps we set rebar, steel bars that hold a crack tight if one opens, then we pour, give the top a broom finish so it isn't slick when it's wet, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a place to crack in a straight line instead of wherever it wants. I'll tell you up front that concrete can crack, and those steps are how we keep the cracks small. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you cut back on the finish than on the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it's the part that decides whether your patio settles.
A patio is often part of a bigger change to the yard. If you'd like it to look like stone or tile, our stamped concrete services press a pattern and color into the same slab while it's still soft. If the patio needs a path to the driveway or the side gate, we can pour a concrete sidewalk along with it so the two meet cleanly and drain the same way.
New patio on bare ground
This suits a yard that's been dirt, grass or gravel, where we start by finding out how soft the ground is and which way water runs across it. It's usually the simpler job, since there's no old concrete to break out and haul away.
Replacing a cracked or sunken patio
This suits a slab that's broken up, tipped toward the house or dropped at one end, where we break it out and look at what's underneath before we pour again. I want to know why the old one moved, because a new slab on the same bad ground goes the same way.
What to know about concrete patio construction in Norwalk
In California, the Contractors State License Board sets who can take on a job like your patio. Someone without a license can only do work under $1,000, and only when the job needs no permit and they have nobody working for them on it. Anything bigger, or any job with a helper on it, calls for a licensed contractor, so ask everyone who quotes your patio for their license. We're based in Norwalk and work across the cities around it in southeast Los Angeles County and north Orange County, and if you don't see your city listed, call and ask.
About 73% of the mapped soil in Los Angeles County is low shrink-swell, meaning it doesn't swell and shrink much as it gets wet and dries out, while 25% is moderate and 2% is high. A county map can't tell me what's under your yard, so I look at the ground on every estimate and we dig out whatever's soft, the same as we do on patio jobs in Downey and Bellflower.
Why Norwalk homeowners call T&M Norwalk Concrete Company for patios
I look at your yard myself
I come out for the estimate in person, and I'm on site with our crew on the day we pour. The person who saw your ground is the one making sure the base gets built the way we talked about.
Working out of Norwalk since 2021
I opened this business in Norwalk in 2021 after years on other people's crews, starting as a helper setting forms. We take the odd jobs too, like tight backyards where everything goes in by wheelbarrow.
Licensed and insured for patio work
We're licensed and insured. California's contractor law counts building, replacing or improving a patio on your home as home improvement work, so it's worth knowing exactly who you're letting into the backyard.
If you're comparing quotes, ask each crew how they'll prepare and slope the ground before the pour, then get in touch and I'll come walk the yard with you.
Request a quoteGet a written estimate for your concrete patio
We reply within one business day. I come out, look at the yard, ask what you need the patio to do and send you a free written estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
What happens after you ask about a patio
Send the size and photos
Call (562) 307-9138 or use the form and tell us roughly how big you want the patio. The rough size in square feet and a few photos of the yard help me show up with the right questions.
I come out and look
I walk the yard, check the ground, see which way water runs and ask how you plan to use the patio. You get a written estimate based on what I saw, not a guess over the phone.
We pour, then walk it
We check whether your city or the county wants a permit for your address and pull it if one's needed, then prep the ground, pour and finish. When it's done I walk the patio with you and go over the curing before you put anything on it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete patio cost in the Los Angeles area?
A concrete patio in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $4 to $18 per square foot, materials and labor included. The low end is a plain slab on easy ground, and the high end comes with more digging, hard access or a decorative finish. The written estimate after my visit shows where your yard lands.
How long does a concrete patio last?
A concrete patio lasts 30 to 50 years on average, whether it's plain or decorative. Brick pavers average 25 to 35 years, so if you're choosing between the two, concrete usually outlasts them.
Will my new concrete patio crack?
Probably somewhere, because all concrete tends to crack and a fully crack-free slab isn't possible. Good basic practice keeps cracks small and in planned places, and reinforcement set at the right depth can keep a crack narrower even though it can't stop one. Ask every contractor you talk to what they do about it.
Who can build a concrete patio in California?
A concrete contractor licensed by the state board, which licenses the trade that forms, pours and finishes flat concrete work like patios. The small-job exception covered above is narrow, so check the license of anyone who quotes your patio.
How long does it take before I can use a new concrete patio?
The slab has to cure first, and a national concrete trade group says curing should start as soon as possible after finishing. Its guide calls for spraying a curing compound or covering the slab with damp burlap kept moist for at least 3 days. We'll tell you when it's ready for foot traffic and furniture before we leave.
What's the best time of day to pour a concrete patio in Norwalk?
Early morning whenever possible, according to one concrete trade group's hot-weather guide, which also calls for prompt delivery, placing and finishing. The same guide suggests temporary windbreaks and sunshades to keep wind and heat off the surface. A slab that dries too fast on a hot afternoon can end up with a weak, dusty top.
Other concrete work that goes with a patio
Stamped concrete services
If a gray slab feels too plain, stamping gives your patio a pattern and color that reads like laid stone, while it stays one solid piece of concrete.
Concrete sidewalk building
A new patio is easier to enjoy when there's a solid path to it, so a walkway from the street or the back door keeps mud and gravel off the slab.
Norwalk, CA
Set up a patio estimate visit
The sooner I see how water moves across your yard, the sooner we can plan a patio that sends it the right way.