Decorative concrete in Lomita CA - a finish you picked on a slab that holds up

Stamped concrete in the Los Angeles area usually runs about $15 to $30 per square foot, according to one cost guide, and that's the going market rate, not our price. Where your job lands depends on the size, the pattern, how many colors you want, whether old concrete comes out first and how much base work the ground needs. Your written estimate spells those out so you can see what you're paying for.

Yes, if the slab is sound, we can lay a cement-based overlay over it or stain it, so you get a new look without tearing it out. Stamping presses the pattern into fresh concrete, so a pressed pattern usually means a new pour. If your slab is sinking or badly cracked, I'll tell you, because a new surface on a failing slab won't last.

Pick the stain type first, because acid stains only come in rust, browns, blues and greens, while water-based stains come in far more colors, according to one trade source. The same source says green and blue acid stains turn black outdoors, since the copper in them reacts to moisture, which leaves acid stain to the rust and brown shades outside. If you want a gray, a blue or something else, a water-based stain is usually the better pick.

When hardscape work goes through planning approval with the City of Lomita's planning office, you then work with the Los Angeles County Building and Safety Division for the permits and inspections. Work that reaches into the city's right of way, the public strip along the street, needs its own permit from Lomita Public Works. I go over the permit side of your job at the estimate, tell you which office is involved and who handles each step, and walk you through any part that falls to you as the owner.

Decorative concrete cracks and flakes like any concrete when steps get skipped during the build or the upkeep. A good mix, well-placed joints and careful installation head off a lot of it, which is why the install matters as much as the color. One Los Angeles guide says stamped concrete here needs protecting from sun and wear, with resealing every two to three years, so plan that into what the surface costs you to own.

Yes, for most jobs, since the state's C-8 concrete contractor license covers anyone who forms, pours, places, finishes and installs concrete, including flat work like patios, walks and driveways. The only break is minor work under $1,000 that needs no permit, done by someone who has no employees. We're fully licensed and insured, and it's fair to ask anyone bidding your job the same question.