Redondo Beach · Masonry Services
Concrete
Concrete driveways, patios, stairs, walls and repair across the South Bay, including stamped finishes and city sidewalk and driveway apron work.
Concrete · Redondo Beach
Flatwork and Structures Poured Right
Concrete looks simple and forgives nothing. The mix, the base, the reinforcement, the joint layout and the cure all happen before anyone sees the finished surface, and every one of them decides whether the slab is still flat and uncracked in twenty years. Redondo Beach Masonry pours concrete throughout Redondo Beach and the South Bay: concrete driveways, concrete patios, concrete stairs, concrete walls, plus city sidewalks and driveway aprons where the city requires a licensed contractor. We do stamped concrete for the properties that want pattern and color, and we do concrete repair where an existing slab is worth saving. Every pour goes over a compacted base with the reinforcement the job calls for, and gets jointed on a layout planned before the truck arrives.
Why Go With Us for Concrete
Concrete cracks. That is not a defect, it is what concrete does as it shrinks, and the entire craft is deciding where those cracks happen. We plan control joints on a proper layout so the slab breaks along a straight tooled line instead of a jagged one across the middle of your driveway. We compact the base properly, use the right mix for the exposure, and we do not add water at the truck to make the pour easier, because that one shortcut is behind a large share of the failed slabs we get called out to replace. Finishing is a timing job too, and our crews have been reading South Bay weather long enough to know how a marine layer morning changes the window. Concrete is the base a great deal of other work sits on, from a paver overlay to an outdoor kitchen island that needs a slab under it before anything gets built, and the two are quoted together, since Redondo Beach Masonry handles the flatwork and everything that lands on top of it.
- Driveways, patios, stairs and walls
- Stamped, exposed aggregate and broom finishes
- City sidewalks and driveway aprons permitted
- Compacted base and planned joint layout
- Crack repair, resurfacing and slab replacement
- Reinforcement sized to the actual load
Reasons to Pour or Replace Concrete
Concrete work usually starts for one of these reasons.
The driveway has broken up
Wide cracks, sections that rock under a tire, spalling surfaces and areas that have sunk all mean the base underneath has failed or the slab was too thin. Patching buys a season. Replacement on a proper base is the real fix and often costs less over ten years.
You want more usable outdoor space
A concrete patio is the fastest way to create a level, furnishable area, and it is the base a great many outdoor projects sit on. It also carries an outdoor kitchen or fire pit without settling.
Steps or a landing have become a hazard
Concrete stairs settle, crack at the nosing and go uneven at the risers. Uneven rise between steps is a genuine trip hazard and it is the sort of thing that turns into a liability claim.
The city has flagged your sidewalk or apron
City sidewalks and driveway aprons in the public right of way come with their own requirements, inspection and permit. We do this work regularly and handle the paperwork rather than leaving it with you.
You want a decorative finish
Stamped concrete gives you the appearance of stone, brick or plank at a lower cost than laying the real material. Integral color, exposed aggregate, broom, salt and smooth trowel finishes are all options on the same pour.
Something structural needs a footing
Retaining wall footings, garage slabs, equipment pads, pool decks and foundation repairs all start as concrete, and they need reinforcement sized to the load rather than a standard thickness.
Call (310) 651-7257 and we will tell you honestly whether it needs replacing or just repair. Call: (310) 651-7257
How We Work
Site walk, written scope, permit, build. One crew lead from the first visit through final cleanup.
1. Measure, layout and mix design
We measure the area, work out the joint layout, and specify thickness, reinforcement and mix for what the slab has to carry. Driveways and patios are not the same pour and we do not price them as though they were.
2. Demolition, base and forms
Old concrete comes out and gets hauled. We grade and compact the base, set forms to the right fall so water runs off the way it should, and place rebar or mesh on chairs rather than laid on the dirt.
3. Pour, finish and cure
We place, screed, float and finish to the texture you chose, tool the control joints, then cure the slab properly. We give you exact times for foot traffic and vehicles before we leave the site.
Concrete Work We Cover
Concrete driveways
Poured on a compacted base with reinforcement sized for vehicle loads, jointed on a planned layout and finished for grip. Thickened edges where the drive meets the street and proper fall so water leaves the slab.
Concrete patios
Flat, level outdoor space in broom, trowel, exposed aggregate or stamped finish, sloped away from the house so it drains. The straightforward base for seating areas, outdoor kitchens and fire features.
Stamped concrete
Pattern and color pressed into fresh concrete to read as stone, brick, slate or timber plank. Considerably less than laying the real material, and available across driveways, patios, pool decks and walkways.
Concrete stairs
New stairs and replacements, poured with consistent rise and run, reinforced and tied into the surrounding grade or structure. Broom or exposed finish for traction on wet mornings.
Concrete walls
Poured reinforced walls for retention, foundations, planters and property boundaries. Board-formed, smooth or textured, and ready to take stone veneer or stucco as a finish.
Concrete repair
Crack routing and filling, slab section replacement, resurfacing where the base is sound, joint replacement and spall repair. We tell you when repair is a false economy.
City sidewalks and driveway aprons
Right-of-way work to city specification, including the permit, the inspection and the ADA requirements at driveway crossings. Common after tree root damage or a code enforcement notice.
What Affects the Cost of Concrete
Concrete is quoted per square foot, and the finish drives most of the spread. What affects it:
- Square footage and thickness. A patio slab and a driveway that carries vehicles are different pours at different prices.
- Finish. Broom finish is the value option. Exposed aggregate sits above it, and stamped concrete with color and release is the premium end.
- Demolition. Removing and hauling an existing slab is a real cost, and reinforced concrete costs more to break out than plain.
- Base work. Soft ground, poor drainage or a slope that needs regrading all add days before anything gets poured.
- Reinforcement. Mesh, rebar, thickened edges and fiber all get specified to the load rather than applied by default.
- Access. If a truck cannot reach the pour, concrete moves by buggy, pump or wheelbarrow, and that changes the labor considerably.
Free estimates on all concrete work in the South Bay. Call (310) 651-7257.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does concrete last?
Properly poured and sealed concrete lasts 25 to 50 years. Stamped concrete and concrete driveways may need resealing every 2 to 3 years to maintain appearance and prevent cracking.
What is better, stamped concrete or pavers?
Stamped concrete costs less upfront, around $12 to $18 per square foot against $15 to $30 for pavers, but it cannot be easily repaired if it cracks. Pavers are more durable, allow individual replacement, and typically add more resale value.
How long before you can walk on new concrete?
You can walk on new concrete after 24 to 48 hours. Vehicles should wait at least 7 days, and full cure takes 28 days. We will give you exact timelines based on your project.
Why is my concrete cracking?
Some hairline cracking is normal shrinkage as the slab cures. Wide cracks, cracks with a height difference across them, and cracking that keeps opening usually mean the base settled, the slab was too thin for the load, or control joints were never cut. We look for the cause before quoting a repair.
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway in Redondo Beach?
The private portion of a driveway on your own property often does not need one, but the apron and any sidewalk in the public right of way does, along with a city inspection. We handle the permit and coordinate the inspection as part of the job.
Planning masonry work in Redondo Beach?
Tell us what you have in mind, a wall, a patio, a repair or a full backyard, and we will come out for a free on-site walk and a written price.
Or call us now: (310) 651-7257