Concrete Floor Installation in Pasadena CA - a floor ready for what goes on top
Thinking about a concrete floor, or stuck with an old slab that's cracked and uneven? We plan the base, moisture and joints so it holds up.
What does a concrete floor installation in Pasadena involve?
Concrete floor installation in Pasadena means our crew forms, pours and finishes a flat concrete slab that becomes the floor of a room, an addition or an outbuilding. We build it on a packed base and plan it for whatever goes on top.
Most calls are about one of two things. Either an old slab is cracked or uneven, or new space like an addition needs a floor from scratch. The price depends on the size of the room, how much old concrete or flooring comes out, how much work the base needs, how close we can get a truck or pump and what goes on top. The schedule depends on whether a permit is needed and how long the concrete has to cure before your flooring goes in. I measure all of that at the estimate and write it out for you. If the job carries outside to concrete steps or a pool deck, we plan those at the same time.
How do you know your floor needs new concrete?
Most floors show trouble well before they fail. These are the things homeowners usually notice first, and what each one tends to mean for the slab underneath.
Cracks that keep widening, or that step up at one edge, usually mean the ground underneath has moved.
A floor that dips or makes furniture rock usually sits on a base that settled unevenly.
Flooring that peels, bubbles or lifts at the seams often points to moisture coming up through the slab.
Chipping, flaking or a dusty surface that never stays clean usually means the top layer is weak.
Damp spots, white powder on the surface or a musty smell suggest water working up from below.
You're adding a room, a workshop or an addition and need a floor poured from the ground up.
If cracks are growing or your flooring is lifting, call before you buy new flooring, and we'll get back to you within one business day.
What happens when you call us about a concrete floor in Pasadena?
I've run this business in Pasadena since 2020. I look at every job myself and stay on site while our crew does the work. Here's how a floor goes, and where the city's permit timing fits in.
Tell us about the room
Call or send the form with the room size, what's on the floor now and the finish you want. We get back to you to set a time to look at the job.
I measure and explain
I come out, measure, ask how you'll use the space and what's going on top, and walk you through what I'd do and why. Then you get a written estimate with each part spelled out, so you can compare it with other bids.
We settle the permit first
Before work starts, we find out whether your job needs a permit from the Pasadena Permit Center, put in writing who's pulling it and handle the paperwork on the ones we pull. A simple job within the city's over-the-counter limits can be reviewed in as little as 5 to 10 minutes, while plans that need full review take about two to four weeks, and the building inspector checks the work at stages depending on the job.
Prep, pour, finish, walk-through
Our crew digs out and packs the base, sets the forms and steel, then pours, finishes and cuts the joints while I run the job. When it's done, I walk the floor with you and go over curing and when it's ready to use.
Get a written estimate for your concrete floor
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, measure and give you a free written estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
- Call
- (626) 345-7318
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
Base, steel, moisture and finish for a concrete floor
Every floor starts with the subgrade, the soil the slab sits on, and the gravel base we pack over it. You never see that part again, and it's the first place people want to save money. I won't cut it, because a base that's only raked level settles with the dirt and takes the floor down with it. Inside the slab, rebar, the steel we set in the middle, holds the concrete together.
What goes on top decides a lot. If you plan to glue down flooring or put on a coating, moisture is the first thing I ask about. Water vapor coming up through a slab can make the adhesive or coating fail, so the flooring peels, warps or discolors. That can leave trip hazards and sometimes mold and odors, so we plan for it before the pour, not after the flooring is down.
A bare floor can be finished smooth and sealed, or kept plain to go under carpet or wood. In busy spots like an entry or a foyer, the sealer may need a fresh coat every few years to keep the floor protected and easy to clean. On hot days we pour early, because concrete that sets too fast in midday heat ends up with a weak, dusty top.
Concrete floor questions we hear in Pasadena
How much does a concrete floor cost in Pasadena?
A concrete slab or pad in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $7 to $14 per square foot. That's the going rate in the area, not our price. Where your floor falls depends on how thick it is, how much old floor comes out, how much base work it needs and the finish you want. I give you your own figure in the written estimate after I measure.
Can concrete go over my tile or wood floor?
Usually, yes. A decorative overlay or microtopping is a thin layer of concrete laid right over the existing sheet vinyl, tile or wood. A full decorative concrete floor is usually practical only where the house already has a slab on grade, which is a slab poured right on the ground, or a basement floor. I'll look at what you have and tell you which way makes sense.
What is the best way to keep a new concrete floor from cracking?
The best way is to control where cracks go. Most concrete gets some cracks as it dries and shrinks, and nobody can fully stop that. Good design and building keep large visible cracks in check with enough reinforcement and control joints, the straight cuts that give the slab a place to crack where we chose. Ask any contractor you're comparing how they handle both, and I'll show you where our joints go.
How long does a new concrete floor take before I can walk on it?
You should be able to walk on a new slab within about 48 hours. Concrete takes 28 to 30 days to fully cure, which is the slow hardening that gives it its full strength. To be safe, wait about a week before heavy furniture or appliances go back in, and plan your move-in around that. Glued flooring and coatings also wait on the moisture question above.
Do I need a licensed contractor for a concrete floor in Pasadena?
The city's Permit Center highly recommends one, and California's contractor license board has a concrete contractor classification that covers this work. You can get an owner's permit and do it yourself. But if you then hire unlicensed workers, you have to carry workers' compensation insurance for them and take on other liabilities. We're licensed and fully insured.
How much can a contractor ask for up front in California?
On home improvement jobs, a California contractor can't ask for or accept a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. Any other payments have to be listed in the contract and tied to work already done or materials already delivered, so check that before you sign.
Other concrete work that goes with a new floor
Concrete pool decks
If the new floor opens onto the backyard, a pool deck needs the same packed base and planned joints, plus a finish that gives wet feet some grip.
Concrete steps construction
When a new floor changes the height at a doorway or patio, steps poured to match keep each rise even so nobody catches a toe.
Set up your concrete floor estimate
Call (626) 345-7318 or use the form, and have the room size, what's on the floor now and the finish you want ready, so the first visit covers your real options.
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM