Concrete Patio Construction in San Rafael CA - a flat slab that sheds water
Cracked, sinking or puddling patio? We build a new one on a packed base, with joints cut and water running away from your house.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What does building a concrete patio in San Rafael involve?
Concrete patio construction in San Rafael means we dig out and pack a base, then form, pour and finish a new slab beside your house, so you get a flat outdoor floor with good grip that sheds water away from the walls.
Most calls start with an old patio that's cracked, sunk at one corner or holding a puddle against the house, usually because it was poured on raked dirt with nothing packed underneath. The price moves with the size, how much old concrete and dirt have to come out, how close the truck can get, the reinforcement and the finish. The schedule turns on any permit, the weather and curing, the wait while the concrete gains strength before you use it. My written estimate lays out each step, so you see your own figure before anything gets dug.
How we handle concrete patio construction
I start by talking through fiber, mesh or rebar with you, since the right choice depends on the ground and what the patio has to carry. Then our crew breaks out any old slab, digs down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab will actually sit on, and packs a gravel base so it doesn't settle with the dirt later. We set forms so the surface falls away from the house, pour in the morning before the heat can leave a weak, dusty top, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack instead of a random one. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather you skip a fancier finish than skimp on the base, because nobody sees the base on day one and it's the part that decides whether the slab stays flat.
Some yards need more than one slab. If you want a pattern or color pressed into the surface, that's our stamped concrete services, and it's best decided before the pour because it changes how we finish. If the path from the driveway or side gate is cracked or tilting, we can pour a new concrete sidewalk at the same time, so the two meet flush and the water runs the same way.
Broom finish for most patios
We steer most people here, because the fine ridges dragged across the wet surface give shoes and bare feet something to grip, even after the hose or a rain. Grip matters more than shine on a patio, and it's the plainest look, so it suits most houses.
Smooth or decorative finish
A troweled smooth surface or a stamped pattern suits a covered patio or one where looks come first. Smooth concrete can turn slick when it's wet, dusty, sealed or growing algae, so I only suggest it where that won't catch someone out.
If the old slab tips toward the house or water sits against the foundation after rain, call (628) 234-2042 instead of waiting for the next big storm.
What happens after you call us about a patio?
Here's how a patio job runs with us, from your first call to the day you can set a chair on it. I'm the one who comes out, and I'm there when we pour.
Call or send us a message
Call (628) 234-2042 or use the contact form, tell us roughly what you have in mind, and we set a time for me to come out.
I measure and price it
I come out myself, measure, and ask what the patio has to carry and what goes on top of it. You get a written estimate that lays out each step, from the dig to the finish, so you can see where the money goes.
We pour, finish and clean up
Before the pour we settle any permit, the layout and where the water goes, and I'm on site with our crew from setting forms to the final finish. Once the joints are cut we clean up and tell you when it's safe to walk on and when the furniture can go back.
Get a written estimate for your new patio
Send the form and we reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The on-site estimate is free and written out step by step, with no pressure to book.
(628) 234-2042What to know about concrete patio construction in San Rafael
Whether a patio at your address needs a permit isn't something I'll guess at, so I check with the office that covers it before we start, and when one is needed we handle the application and the inspections. In San Rafael, the city takes new permit applications and books every inspection through its online system, OpenGov, so that's where we file and schedule. The state's concrete contractor license covers forming, pouring and finishing flat work like a patio, so check that whoever you hire holds one. California also sets special rules for home improvement contracts, to head off misunderstandings between you and the contractor. We're licensed and insured.
Around here we often find older patios poured right on dirt with a tilt back toward the house, and backyards we can only reach through a narrow side gate. We plan the dig and the pour around that access, and we see the same thing on jobs in San Anselmo and Mill Valley.
Concrete patio questions from San Rafael homeowners
How much does a concrete patio cost near San Rafael?
A residential concrete patio, installed, usually costs about $8 to $13 per square foot in San Francisco, the closest area the cost figures cover. That's the going rate in the market, not our price. Your own number comes from the written estimate, which breaks out each part of the job.
What causes a new concrete patio to crack?
Concrete shrinks as it dries and the ground shifts under it, so some cracking is normal on any slab, and an industry slab guide says that holds even with good design and proper construction. A crack by itself doesn't mean the work was bad. What we control is the base, the reinforcement and the control joints, so the cracks that do form mostly land where we planned them.
What is the best way to reinforce a concrete patio, fiber, mesh or rebar?
On stable soil, one concrete guide says fiber alone is enough for a patio, while high-swell clay calls for a soil report and an engineered slab. Rebar is the steel that carries pulling force and holds cracks tight once they form, and the same guide calls for it on driveways and garage floors. If you're offered wire mesh, ask how it'll be held at mid-depth, because sheets laid on the ground and hooked up during the pour rarely end up there.
Can a handyman pour a small concrete patio in San Rafael?
Only if the whole job is under $1,000, needs no permit and the person has no employees, under California's rule for unlicensed minor work. Past that, the work needs a licensed contractor, even when the price is under $1,000.
Should I seal my new concrete patio?
Sealer is a finishing choice, not a fix, because it won't correct bad drainage, active cracking, trapped moisture, poor prep or weak concrete. It can also change how slick the patio gets, especially a glossy sealer, one put on too heavy, or one that's wet or dusty. If you want it, we talk through a product that keeps the grip of the broom finish.
Do I need footings for a pergola or roof over a concrete patio?
Yes, a roof or pergola over the patio needs separate footings for its posts, so mention it when you first ask for a quote. That way we plan the footings with the slab instead of cutting into a new patio later.
Concrete work that often goes with a patio
If you want the patio to look like stone or brick without laying individual pavers, stamped concrete gives you that pattern pressed right into the pour.
A new patio is a good time to replace the cracked or tilted walk beside it, so both slabs meet at the same height and shed water together.
Get your new patio measured and priced
Our phones are open seven days a week, so call (628) 234-2042 or send the form with the rough size and the finish you're leaning toward, and I'll come out ready to measure.