Concrete driveway building
When your driveway has sunk at the street or broken into pieces, we tear it out, pack a new base and pour it sloped away from the house.
Concrete Contractor in El Monte, CA - Driveways and Patios That Stay Flat
Caliber East Los Angeles Concrete is a concrete contractor based in East Los Angeles that pours driveways, patios, walks, garage floors and foundations for homes and lots in El Monte, starting with the ground underneath.
In El Monte, Caliber East Los Angeles Concrete builds and replaces driveways, patios, walks, garage floors, steps and retaining walls, and pours footings and slab foundations for new rooms and back units. I walk every job myself before we quote it, so the price matches what your property needs.
El Monte driveways, patios and the ground beneath them
A lot of the calls we get here are older driveways running down the side of the house to a garage in back. They've cracked across, sunk near the street or tipped toward the house, and water sits where it shouldn't. Usually the slab isn't the real problem. The subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settled and the concrete went with it.
Out back, it's patios that have heaved or chipped, walks that catch a toe, and slabs for a new room or a back unit. On that work the footings and the steel matter more than the finish, so we build it the way the plans call for it. We do the same work in West Covina and Monterey Park, and the problems look a lot alike from one yard to the next.
- Based in
- East Los Angeles, CA 90022
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Concrete work we do on El Monte properties
Concrete patio construction
For a backyard patio that heaves or holds water after a rain, we set the forms so it drains toward the yard instead of the back door.
Stamped concrete services
Stamped concrete gives a patio or walk the look of stone or brick in a single pour, and it holds up best when the base under it is done right first.
Concrete sidewalk building
We replace front walks and side paths that have lifted into a trip hazard, cutting joints so a future crack runs in a straight line instead of across your path.
Garage floor concrete
A cracked or oil-soaked floor in an older detached garage can be broken out and repoured level, with a slight fall toward the door so water runs out.
Decorative concrete
Decorative concrete means color, exposed stone or a custom edge instead of a plain broom finish, the combed texture that gives grip. It suits entries and patios.
Concrete retaining walls
Where a yard steps down or soil pushes against a fence line, a concrete retaining wall holds it back, built on footings and steel sized for the load.
Concrete floor installation
For a new room, a workshop or a back building, we pour interior floors flat and level so your flooring goes down without shimming or grinding high spots.
Concrete pool decks
Around a pool the deck needs grip underfoot and a slope that carries splash water to the drains, so we plan the finish and the fall together.
Concrete steps construction
Front and back steps that have cracked or pulled away from the house get torn out and reformed with even risers, so nobody misjudges a step.
Slab foundation building
A slab foundation for an addition or a back unit gets the steel, thickness and footings the plans call for, poured on ground we've dug out and compacted.
Foundation installation
We build foundations for new structures and additions to the drawings, setting forms, footings and rebar, the steel that holds concrete together when it's pulled or shaken.
Concrete parking lot building
For small business lots and shared parking around El Monte, we pour concrete that takes daily traffic, with a heavier section and drainage planned before the first truck arrives.
Concrete footings
Footings carry the weight of walls, posts and patio covers, so we dig them to the depth on the plans and check the trench before any concrete goes in.
Foundation raising
When part of a house or slab has dropped and doors start sticking, foundation raising brings it back up, and we look at what made it sink before we quote.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut concrete for new doorways, utility trenches and clean removal edges, so the slab that stays doesn't crack where a jackhammer would have shattered it.
Get a free written quote for your El Monte concrete job
Send the form or call, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your El Monte property, walk the job, measure and give you a written quote that spells out what's included. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to book.
(213) 338-1030How El Monte permits and pricing shape your job
For most concrete work in El Monte, the city's Building and Safety counter is the main contact for plan review, permits and inspections, and its staff tell you which other departments your project needs. Work on public property, like the sidewalk out front, goes through Public Works as well. Review and inspections set the pace, so the pour date follows the paperwork, not the other way around.
When the city issues a permit for work on public property, it asks the contractor for proof of a valid contractor license, a City of El Monte business license, and liability and workers' comp insurance naming the city. Ask anyone you're thinking of hiring to show you the first two. We're fully licensed and insured. We check with the right office for your address before we set a date, and when your job needs a permit, we take care of it and the inspections.
What moves the price is mostly what's under the slab and how we get to it. Breaking out old concrete, digging out soft ground, a thicker slab or more steel, a tight side yard the truck can't reach and a decorative finish all add cost. The weather and curing, the wait while concrete hardens before you use it, move the schedule. We weigh the same things in Norwalk and the other cities we work in.
Why we spend our time under the slab
Most of a slab's life is decided before any concrete shows up. When a budget gets tight, the base is the first thing people want to cut, because nobody sees it on day one. I won't cut it. A nice finish on a poorly packed base usually cracks and sinks like the old one, so we dig out, compact and set the drainage first. I'd rather lose a job by quoting it right than win it by skipping steps.
I've been doing this since 2013, and I still come out and write every quote myself. Our crew lead runs the job on site with our own crew, so the people pouring your driveway are people we work with all the time. Flatwork, the driveways, patios and walks that sit on the ground, is what we're known for, along with foundations built the way the plans call for them.
We're fully licensed and insured, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. We answer Monday through Sunday, 7 AM to 11 PM, so you can reach us after work or on a weekend. If you'd like me to look at your El Monte property, call (213) 338-1030 or send the contact form.
What El Monte's ground and climate mean for concrete
The city's building design criteria and what we find on these lots both shape how a slab, wall or footing gets built here. These four come up the most on El Monte jobs.
Seismic Category D for most lots
The city's design criteria put El Monte in Seismic Design Category D, or D2 under the residential code, which sets how foundations, footings and walls are reinforced against shaking. For a driveway or a patio it changes little. For a slab foundation, a retaining wall or footings under an addition, it drives the steel and the details on the plans, and we build to those plans.
A soils report can change it
The same criteria say a soils report done for your specific property can set a different category. If you already have one from an addition or a back unit, keep it handy, because the engineer's findings for your lot take the place of the general ones. On foundation and wall work, we build from whatever report and plans your project has.
Climate Zone 9 heat
The city lists El Monte as Climate Zone 9, and in practice that means warm, dry days through a long summer. Concrete poured in midday heat loses water too fast and ends up with a weak, dusty top that chips later. When it's hot we pour early in the day and keep the slab damp while it cures, so it hardens the way it should.
Water on flat lots
A lot of yards here sit fairly flat, so water doesn't pick a direction on its own. A slab poured dead level, or tipped toward the house, sends rain to the foundation or leaves it standing in puddles. Before we set forms, we check where the water runs off your lot and give the slab enough fall to carry it away from the house.
Questions El Monte homeowners ask about concrete
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in El Monte?
Your price comes from a site visit, because most of the cost is in what's under the surface and how much of the old slab has to go. The cheapest bid usually skips base work, and that's the part that decides whether the new driveway sinks. I measure on site and give you a written quote that spells out what's included.
How long until I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
Not until the slab has cured enough to carry a car, which takes noticeably longer than walking on it. Concrete keeps gaining strength for days after the pour, and the weather and the mix change the wait. I'll tell you what to expect for your slab before we schedule, so you can plan where to park.
Will my new concrete patio crack like the old one?
Concrete can still crack, but a slab on a packed base with control joints holds up far better. Control joints are the straight grooves we cut so the slab cracks along a line we chose instead of wherever it wants. Cutting them on time and setting steel in the slab keeps any crack tight and out of sight.
Which building code applies to my concrete project in El Monte?
Projects submitted for a permit on or after January 1, 2026, have to be designed to the 2025 California Building Standards Code, which the city enforces with the county's amendments. If your application went in before that date, it can follow the older code as long as its plan check hasn't expired. After that, you start a new application under the new code.
Can I apply for a concrete permit online in El Monte?
No, the city's online portal only takes residential electrical panel upgrades and water heater change outs, so concrete applications go in person, and no appointment is needed. The city's permit applications page also lets you check whether your address falls in the city's jurisdiction. When your job needs a permit, we handle the filing.
Do I need a permit to replace the sidewalk in front of my house in El Monte?
Usually, yes, because the city says no work on public property can start without a permit first, and the sidewalk out front is usually public property. The fees for that Public Works permit vary with the kind of work and the staff time to review and inspect it. The city's permits page lists what it asks for.
How should I get my house ready before the concrete crew comes?
Move cars off the driveway, clear pots, furniture and anything stored along the side yard, and keep pets inside on pour day. Mark sprinkler heads and any lines you know about near the work. If a truck can't reach the back of the lot, tell me at the estimate so we can plan how the concrete gets there.
Call or message us about your El Monte job
Call (213) 338-1030 or use the form, and I'll show you on site what's causing the cracks or the pooling, so you know what you're fixing before you spend anything.