Meridian Temple City ConcreteMeridian Temple City Concrete(323) 471-6288
Meridian Temple City Concrete
(323) 471-6288Get an estimate

Concrete Contractor in West Covina, CA - Driveways and Patios Laid Out Right

Meridian Temple City Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Temple City that pours driveways, patios, walks, slabs and footings for homeowners in West Covina, CA, with the grades and base set before any concrete arrives.

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Large concrete patio slabs form a geometric grid with narrow strips of grass between them.

West Covina driveways, patios and yards as we see them

West Covina sits in the San Gabriel Valley, and most of what we're asked to pour there is the everyday concrete around a house: driveways, patios, front walks, steps and garage floors. The calls sound a lot like the ones we get in El Monte and East Los Angeles: a driveway cracked across the middle, a patio that's dropped away from the back door, a walk where water sits after it rains. The city also has a busy commercial strip along Interstate 10, and small business properties need their walkways and lots poured right too.

On every lot, the part you can't see decides more than the surface does. What the old slab was sitting on, and where the water goes when it rains, tell us how the new one has to be built.

Concrete work we do around West Covina homes

In West Covina we do the same work we do across the valley, from driveways, patios and walks to steps, pool decks, retaining walls, footings, slab foundations and concrete cutting. Every job starts the same way. I come out, measure, check where the water runs and what the old slab is sitting on, and then write up what the price includes. Our own small crew does the work, and I run the pours myself, so the person who planned the grades is there when the truck arrives.

  • Concrete driveway building

    A driveway that's cracked across the middle or sunk at the garage usually sat on a base that was raked flat, not packed. We dig it out, compact the base and pour new.

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  • Concrete patio construction

    A patio that tips toward the house sends rain straight to your back door. We set the new one to fall away from the walls, then pour and finish it.

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  • Stamped concrete services

    For a patio or entry that looks like stone or brick without loose pieces, stamped concrete works well. We press the pattern in while the slab is still soft.

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  • Concrete sidewalk building

    Front walks crack and lift where tree roots or a settling base push them out of line, and that edge catches feet. We replace the run with joints cut where cracks should go.

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  • Garage floor concrete

    An older garage floor that's cracked, stained or uneven makes parking and storage harder than it needs to be. We break out the old slab, check the base and pour a flat new floor.

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  • Decorative concrete

    Some yards call for color or a different texture to match the house or the planting. We talk through finishes at the estimate so the look and the base are planned together.

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  • Concrete retaining walls

    On a yard that climbs toward the hills, a low wall holds back soil and gives you level ground. We set it on a proper footing and bring in an engineer for taller walls.

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  • Concrete floor installation

    Additions, workshops and converted rooms need a slab floor that's flat and sits on a firm base. We set the grades and the base first, then pour and finish the floor.

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  • Concrete pool decks

    A pool deck gets wet feet and splash every day, so it needs grip and a slope that carries water off. We use a textured finish and set the fall away from the pool.

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  • Concrete steps construction

    Front steps that have cracked, sunk or pulled away from the porch are a trip risk for anyone coming to the door. We rebuild them with even rises on a firm footing.

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  • Slab foundation building

    A new garage, studio or addition starts with a slab that has to be square, level and ready for what gets built on it. We lay it out to the plans and pour once.

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  • Foundation installation

    An addition or new structure needs a foundation built to its approved plans, with the steel and depths the design calls for. We pour to those plans and ask the engineer when something's unclear.

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  • Concrete parking lot building

    Small commercial and multi-unit lots take daily traffic, so a thin slab or poor drainage shows up fast. We plan thickness and water flow for the traffic the lot actually gets.

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  • Concrete footings

    Patio covers, block walls and posts need footings that hold, because everything above depends on them. We dig to the depth the job calls for and keep the holes clean before we pour.

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  • Foundation raising

    When part of a slab or foundation has dropped, doors stick and cracks open up. We look at why it settled first, and bring in an engineer when the question is structural.

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  • Concrete cutting

    Running a new drain line, widening a driveway or removing one damaged section all mean cutting existing concrete cleanly. We saw straight lines so the new work meets the old without a ragged edge.

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What good flatwork looks like, up close

These photos show concrete work of the kind we pour, from packed base to finished surface. They show the trade in general, not particular jobs of ours, but they're handy for pointing at a finish you like when I come out.

  • Stamped concrete patio with a light stone-like pattern and dark border beside a gray house and lawn.

  • Stamped concrete patio with a wood-grain pattern, surrounding chairs and a circular stone fire pit.

  • Concrete front steps with black railings lead to the entrance of a white-painted brick row house.

Working in West Covina: permits, licenses and what moves the price

Before we set a start date in West Covina, two things get settled: what the city wants for your job, and what the job itself involves. Here's how each one usually goes.

Who decides on the permit in West Covina

Whether your job needs a building permit is the call of the city's Building Division, which issues permits for private work across West Covina. It keeps a list of work that can go without one, and Planning can still have a say, so we ask the city before we set a start, and that answer is the first thing that can move your schedule.

If the city does want a permit, we help you put together what the Building Division asks for, and I'll tell you up front if part of it needs an engineer. You can also check on whoever you hire, because the city requires anyone operating a business in West Covina to hold a city business license, due within fifteen days of starting business there.

  • We ask the city about your address before setting a start date.
  • We help put together what the Building Division asks for.
  • Ask any contractor you hire for their West Covina business license.

What moves the price and the schedule

The price mostly follows the size of the slab, how much old concrete we break out and haul, and how much work the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, needs. A sloped yard, a decorative finish or rebar, the steel that holds a slab together if it cracks, all add to it, and your written estimate lays out what's included.

The schedule turns on the city's answer first, then on the weather and the cure. We pour early in the day when it's hot, because a slab that dries too fast in the afternoon sun can end up with a weak, dusty top. After the pour comes curing, the days concrete needs to gain strength, and I'll tell you before we start how long to stay off it.

  • Size, demolition and base work drive most of the price.
  • On hot days we pour early so the top doesn't dry weak.
  • A sloped yard or a decorative finish adds to the cost.

A free on-site estimate for your West Covina driveway, patio or slab

Call (323) 471-6288 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day by phone or email. I'll come out to your West Covina property myself and write up the estimate, and it's free with no obligation.

(323) 471-6288

What we see on West Covina lots and driveways

Most of the concrete around West Covina houses fails for the same few reasons we see across the valley. Here's what we look at on your property before we price anything.

  • Slabs that sank with the dirt

    When a driveway or patio drops at one corner, the ground under it usually wasn't dug out and packed before the first pour, so it settled with the dirt. Patching the top won't fix that, which is why we break out the bad section and rebuild the base before new concrete goes down.

  • Water pooling against the house

    A patio or walk that falls toward the house sends rain to the wall and the back door instead of the yard. Before we form anything, we check where your water runs now and set the new slab so it carries water away from the house.

  • Yards that climb toward the hills

    Some West Covina lots rise toward the San Jose Hills, and on those the grade decides a lot, from where a driveway meets the street to whether you need a low wall to hold soil back. We set those grades on site before any concrete is ordered.

  • Old cracks that wander everywhere

    Concrete shrinks as it cures, so a few fine cracks in a new slab are normal. Control joints, the straight grooves cut into the surface, give those cracks a place to form, and we cut them on time so cracking mostly stays in the lines.

  • Driveways that carry daily cars

    A driveway carries the weight of your cars every day, which is harder on it than foot traffic on a patio. We size the thickness and steel for what parks on it and give it a broom finish, the light ridged texture that helps tires and shoes grip when it's wet.

How we run a concrete job in West Covina

We're a concrete contractor in Temple City, CA, and since 2017 we've built our name on flatwork, the driveways, patios, walks and slabs that lie on the ground. Here's how we run a job in West Covina.

We spend the budget on the base first

The base is the part of a slab you'll never see, and it's the first thing people want to cut when a price runs high. I understand why, because on the day of the pour a slab on a raked, loose base looks just like one on a dug-out, packed base. A few years on they don't look alike, because the loose one settles with the dirt.

So when a budget is tight, I'd rather trim the finish than the digging and packing underneath. A plain finish on a good base can look clean for years, but no finish saves a slab that's sinking, and fixing the base later means tearing out the concrete on top of it. Your estimate shows what the price includes, so you can see that trade-off yourself.

  • I come to every estimate

    I come out to every estimate myself, so the person pricing your job is the one who runs the pour. I measure, take photos, check the grades and the old base, and write up what the price includes, so you can compare it line by line.

  • Our own crew, start to finish

    The work is done by our own small crew, not handed off to whoever is free that week. That matters on pour day, because the people placing and finishing the concrete already know the grades, the joints and the plan we agreed on with you.

  • Licensed, insured and honest about cracks

    We're fully licensed and insured. I'll also tell you before we start that a few fine cracks in new concrete are normal, and that our job is to keep them tight and in the joints rather than promise a slab that never moves. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.

  • Grades checked before the truck

    I learned the trade watching finishers check everything twice before the truck showed up, and we still work that way. We check the forms, the grades and the slope before concrete is ordered, because a bad pour usually means tearing it out. Call (323) 471-6288 and I'll come take a look.

Questions West Covina homeowners ask about concrete work

These are questions that come up about concrete in West Covina, from what drives the price to what the city asks for. If yours isn't here, call and ask me directly.

How much does a new concrete driveway cost in West Covina?

The biggest swing in the price of a West Covina driveway is usually the work that comes before the new concrete, breaking out and hauling the old slab and fixing the base it sat on. Width, the thickness your cars need, and how the driveway meets a sloped street or garage add to it, and I'll give you your own figure in writing after I've seen the site.

Do I need a permit to replace a driveway or walkway in West Covina?

The city's list of work that needs no building permit includes driveways and walks that sit no more than 30 inches above grade, aren't over a basement or a story below, and aren't part of an accessible route for disabled access. A plumbing or electrical permit can still apply to work tied to the job, such as replacing a drainpipe, and Planning can have its own requirements. We confirm with the city for your address before we set a start.

Do I need a permit for a concrete retaining wall in West Covina?

On the city's list, a retaining wall that holds back no more than 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, needs no building permit unless it supports extra load above it, such as a slope or a driveway, or holds back certain liquids. A taller wall, or one carrying that load, falls outside the exemption, so it's the Building Division's call, and I'll tell you when the design belongs to an engineer.

Do I need a permit for a concrete block wall or fence in West Covina?

A fence 6 feet tall or less is on the city's no-building-permit list as long as it isn't the barrier around a pool, spa or hot tub. A masonry or concrete fence also has to sit back from the street or other public way by at least its own height, and if the wall holds back soil, the retaining wall limit applies instead.

How do I find out if my project needs Planning approval in West Covina?

Ask the Planning Division, because the city says a project that needs no Building Division permit can still need Planning approval. In some cases Planning can restrict where it goes and how tall it is, and set design requirements. Its public counter is at City Hall, Room 208, phone (626) 939-8422, and we'll help you work out what to ask.

How do I apply for a building permit in West Covina?

You apply through the city's One Stop Building Permit Center, or in person at the Building Counter Monday through Thursday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, since the Building Division no longer takes applications by email. For questions, call the division at (626) 939-8425 or visit its counter at City Hall, Room 215. We help put together what the division asks for at your address.

Service areas

We're based in Temple City and work across the cities around it, including the ones listed here. If your city isn't on the list, call (323) 471-6288 or send the form and ask.

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