Concrete Contractor in South Pasadena, CA - Flatwork That Fits Older Homes
Built Right Pasadena Concrete is a concrete contractor working in South Pasadena, CA. We pour driveways, patios, walks, steps, slabs and retaining walls, and we start with the base, drainage and joints under the concrete.
South Pasadena concrete on older homes and hillside lots
South Pasadena is a city of older houses on settled streets, with flat blocks in some parts and hillside lots in others. Many of the driveways, front walks and porch steps we look at here have been down for decades. The cracks, sunken corners and puddles by the garage usually come from what's underneath, not the surface. We see much the same in San Marino and up in Sierra Madre.
Price and schedule here mostly turn on how much old concrete comes out, how much base work the ground needs, the finish you choose and whether the city wants a permit or design review first. The written estimate puts your own figures on all of that. On a flat lot we usually dig down to firm dirt and pack a new base. A hillside lot adds grading, drainage and sometimes a wall to hold the yard.
Why South Pasadena driveways and patios crack and sink
Most of what goes wrong with concrete starts under the slab or with where the water goes, and the older houses and sloped lots in South Pasadena give both plenty of chances.
Many older slabs here sit on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so they settle along with the dirt.
A driveway or patio that tips toward the house sends rain at the foundation, so we check where water runs before we set a form.
The city's hillside planning goal is to keep reshaping, erosion, flooding and slide damage low, so we grade only what the job needs.
Old slabs cracked every which way usually had control joints, the cut lines that give concrete a planned place to crack, cut late or skipped.
Older houses often have tight side driveways and steps up to the porch, so getting forms, wheelbarrows and the truck in shapes the plan.
I'll look at all of this when I come out for the estimate, so you hear about the base and the water before anything is poured.
Where we pour concrete around South Pasadena
We're based next door in Pasadena and work across the cities around it, including South Pasadena, Altadena and Glendale. The cities below each have a page, though they aren't the only places we work.
Concrete work we do in South Pasadena
Concrete driveway building
When an old driveway here cracks or sinks, we dig it out and pack the subgrade the slab sits on before we pour new concrete.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio has to shed water away from the house, so we check where the water runs on your lot before we set any forms.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick, which can suit an older house, and it still needs the same packed base underneath.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks to older porches often lift or chip, so we pour new ones with a broom finish, a brushed texture that grips when wet.
Garage floor concrete
Older garages here often have thin, cracked floors, so we break them out, pack the base and pour a slab thick enough for a car.
Decorative concrete
Decorative concrete, from colored finishes to exposed stone, lets new work sit easily beside an older house instead of looking like a fresh gray slab.
Concrete retaining walls
Hillside yards often need a wall to hold the slope, so we build it with drainage behind it and steel inside so it holds up.
Concrete floor installation
For a new room, workshop or basement floor, we pour an interior slab on a packed base so it stays flat for the flooring on top.
Concrete pool decks
Around a pool, the deck has to drain away from the water and the house and stay safe underfoot, so slope and finish get planned together.
Concrete steps construction
Older front steps often settle away from the porch or crumble at the edges, so we form and pour new steps with every step the same height.
Slab foundation building
When you add a room, garage or accessory building, we pour the slab foundation it sits on, starting with the grade and the packed base.
Foundation installation
For new construction or an addition, we lay out and pour the foundation to the plans, so the walls above start square and level.
Concrete parking lot building
For a small lot behind a shop or an apartment building, we grade for drainage and pour concrete thick enough for the traffic it carries.
Concrete footings
Footings are the buried concrete under a wall, deck or addition, and on a sloped lot their depth and placement matter more than anything above.
Foundation raising
When part of an older house has settled and doors stick or floors slope, we raise and support the foundation to bring it back toward level.
Concrete cutting
We cut openings, trenches and straight lines in existing slabs, so a plumber can get in or a damaged section can come out cleanly.
Get a written estimate for your South Pasadena concrete
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your South Pasadena property myself, look at the base, the slope and where the water goes, and write the estimate out for you. It's free, and there's no obligation to hire us.
- Call
- (626) 345-7318
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
Why South Pasadena homeowners hire us
Most concrete looks fine the week it's poured. Whether it still looks fine years later comes down to how we work before and during the pour.
The owner writes your estimate
I learned this trade running pours for another contractor before starting this business in 2020. I come out to write your estimate myself, and I'm on site running the job while our crew does the work.
Base first, finish second
If the budget gets tight, I'll simplify the finish before I cut corners on the base, because a dug-out, packed base is what keeps a slab from sinking, and nobody can fix it once concrete covers it.
Licensed, insured, permits in writing
We're licensed and fully insured. When your job needs a permit, we settle who's pulling it before we start, put that in writing, then handle the paperwork on the ones we pull. Call (626) 345-7318 to set up a visit.
Concrete questions from South Pasadena homeowners
How do I find out if my concrete project in South Pasadena needs a permit?
Ask the city's Building Division, which issues permits for building and altering structures and says most construction needs one. A wall that holds back more than 3 feet of ground counts as a retaining wall there and needs a permit. For a driveway, patio or slab, we check with the city before we start.
How do I know if my South Pasadena house is historic before I redo the driveway?
Ask the city's Planning and Building department, which can tell you whether your house is on its Cultural Heritage Inventory. About 2,500 properties are on it, including most homes 50 years or older. Being listed affects only exterior work, which has to follow the city's standards and guidelines, so it's worth knowing before we plan a new driveway or front walk.
Does exterior concrete work in South Pasadena need design approval?
It may, because the city requires design approval for most exterior changes to homes and buildings. Depending on how much you're changing, that can be a staff sign-off or a public hearing, and the bigger review can push back when we start. Ask the city about your project early, and we'll plan the start date around the answer.
Does a concrete contractor need a business license to work in South Pasadena?
Yes. Anyone doing business inside South Pasadena city limits needs a city business license, and that includes contractors based in other cities. It applies to us as a Pasadena-based contractor the same as anyone else.
When does a concrete job in South Pasadena need a licensed contractor?
In California, a job needs a licensed contractor when it needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or when one or more contracts on it total $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The state's Contractors State License Board is the office that issues those licenses.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in South Pasadena?
A driveway's cost comes mostly from its size and thickness, how much old concrete we break out and haul away, how much digging and packing the base needs, and the finish you pick. On older lots here, tearing out a cracked driveway and rebuilding a base that was never packed is often a big share of the work, and a sloped lot adds grading and drainage. I measure all of it on site and write your number out.
Book your South Pasadena concrete estimate
Call (626) 345-7318, open seven days a week, or send the form if it's easier to describe the job in writing.
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM