Concrete that holds up to everyday use in Moreno Valley, CA

It depends on the size, whether old concrete has to be torn out and hauled off, how much base work the ground needs and whether the slab gets steel. A plain broom finish, the light texture swept in for grip, costs less than color or a stamped pattern. Your estimate lists each of those, so you can see where the money goes.

Yes, stamped concrete usually costs more than a plain finish, because it adds color, pattern mats and more hands working fast while the surface is still soft. Many owners put the pattern where people see it most and keep plainer concrete on side yards. If the budget's tight, I'd still spend on the base before the pattern.

You can usually walk on new concrete well before you can drive on it, and I'll give you the dates for your slab on pour day. That wait is curing, the time concrete needs to harden and gain strength, and driving on it early can crack or mark it. We'll tell you up front how long you'll be without the driveway so you can plan where to park.

Yes, in most cases, because California's Contractors State License Board requires a license whenever a job needs a building permit, uses extra workers or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A contractor working in Moreno Valley also needs a city business license, even one based outside the city. We're licensed and fully insured, and you're welcome to ask for proof before you sign.

Move cars, pots and furniture off the area, and keep pets and kids inside on pour day so nobody walks through wet concrete. If you have sprinkler lines or a dog run near the work, show us at the estimate so we can plan around them. We'll mark off the area after the pour so people know to stay off.

No honest contractor can promise concrete won't crack, but a packed base and control joints cut at the right time help keep cracks small and in straight lines. I'd rather tell you that before the pour than explain it after. What we do promise is "Your satisfaction, guaranteed."

Most driveways do better with steel inside, because rebar, the steel bars set in the slab, holds the pieces tight if it cracks and helps it carry weight. How much steel goes in depends on what the slab carries and how it's laid out, which is why I ask what you'll park on it. Your estimate lists the steel as its own line.

Some concrete work does, and the city's Building and Safety Division is the office that issues permits and the place to ask about your job. The city's permit guidance says every patio cover needs one, and so does a wall more than three feet tall measured from the top of its footing. When your job needs a permit, we file it and line up the inspections.