Concrete Contractor in Monrovia - Driveways and Walks Built on Solid Ground
Custom Duarte Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Duarte, pouring driveways, walkways, patios, steps and retaining walls for houses in Monrovia. We're known for careful prep, because what's under a slab decides how it holds up.
- Service area
- Monrovia, CA
- Call
- (626) 416-2143
Older homes and foothill lots in Monrovia
Monrovia is right next door to Duarte, so it's a short drive for our crew. Much of the city is older single-family houses, and their original driveways, front walks and porch steps have usually been patched, lifted by roots and patched again. Up toward the foothills the lots tilt, so a driveway or patio there often needs steps or a short wall to handle the grade.
We do the same work over in Arcadia and Sierra Madre, and further out in Citrus. When I look at a cracked, sunken slab in Monrovia, I'm usually looking at a subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on, that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, so that's what we fix first.
Our services in Monrovia, CA
Many older Monrovia driveways have cracked and sunk because the base under them was never properly packed. We tear out the old slab, dig to firm ground, pack new base and pour fresh.
Front steps on older houses and sloped lots tend to chip at the edges and pull away from the porch. We build new concrete steps on packed ground with steel tying them together.
Front walks get lifted by tree roots and settle along old seams, so people trip on their own path. We pour new walks with control joints, grooves cut on purpose so cracks land where we choose.
Foothill yards often slope enough that dirt keeps creeping onto the driveway or patio below. We build retaining walls on solid footings with drainage behind them, so water has somewhere to go besides the wall.
Backyard patios on older lots often tilt toward the house, so rain sits against the wall instead of running off. We check where the water goes before we form anything, then pour it to fall away.
Owners of older Craftsman and Spanish-style houses usually want new concrete that doesn't look like a parking lot. We tint, texture, score or stamp the surface so it suits the house it's sitting next to.
Every service we offer
Concrete driveway building
Concrete patio construction
Stamped concrete services
Concrete sidewalk building
Garage floor concrete
Decorative concrete
Concrete retaining walls
Concrete floor installation
Concrete pool decks
Concrete steps construction
Slab foundation building
Foundation installation
Concrete parking lot building
Concrete footings
Foundation raising
Concrete cutting
What happens when you call us about a Monrovia job
Call or send a message
Call (626) 416-2143 or use the form and tell me what the slab is doing. I still answer the phone myself, which surprises people more than it should.
I come out and look
I walk the driveway or yard with you, check where the water runs and what the old slab sits on, and ask a lot of questions. Then I write up the estimate, so you can see what's driving the price before you decide anything.
We check with the city
Before anything goes on the calendar, we find out what your job needs from the City of Monrovia and tell you who's handling each piece. That check and the crew's calendar set the start date more than anything else.
Prep, pour and final walk
Our crew digs out, packs the base, forms, pours and finishes, and I'm on site checking the work as it goes. When it's done I walk it with you and tell you when it's ready for feet and when it's ready for the car.
Monrovia concrete questions
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway in Monrovia?
The city's permit list leaves driveways and sidewalks off the permit requirement only when they're no more than 30 inches above grade, aren't over a basement and aren't part of an accessible route. Any work in the city's right-of-way, which usually includes the apron at the curb, needs an encroachment permit that's good for 90 days, and homeowners can apply for a no-fee one, good for 14 days, if a dumpster for the old concrete sits on the street. We check your address against all of it before we schedule.
Does a concrete contractor need a state license in California?
Yes, in most cases. The Contractors State License Board requires a license when a project needs a building permit, uses employees or comes to $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and a home improvement contractor has to be licensed before giving you a bid. The city also says every business working in or for Monrovia needs a city business license, and we're fully licensed and insured.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Monrovia?
The price comes down to size, what has to come out first and how much base work the ground needs once the old slab is up. Haul-away, a sloped lot that needs steps or a short wall, steel inside the slab and a stamped or colored finish instead of a broom finish, the gritty texture that keeps it from getting slick, all add to it. If the budget's tight, I'd cut the finish before the base, because you can redo a surface but you can't fix the ground later without a jackhammer.
How long does a new driveway need before I can drive on it?
Longer than most people would like, because concrete keeps gaining strength for days after it looks dry. That wait is called curing, and a car on the slab too early can crack it. You can walk on it well before you can drive on it, and I give you both dates after the pour, since the mix and that week's weather change them.
Can I remove an oak tree to make room for a driveway in Monrovia?
Not on your own say-so if it's a protected oak. Removing a protected oak on private property needs approval from the city's Planning Division, its Development Review Committee or both. We can often route a driveway or walk around a tree instead, so mention any oaks when I come out.
How do I replace concrete at a historic house in Monrovia?
Start by finding out whether your house is one of the properties the city has found historically significant. The Planning Division is the office that handles historic landmarks and Certificates of Appropriateness, so if your house is on that list, we ask what the job needs from them before we schedule anything. On the concrete side, we work on color and texture so the new slab looks like it belongs to an older house.
A free on-site estimate for your Monrovia concrete job
We reply within 1 business day, and the call back comes from me. I'll set a time to see the job at your Monrovia house and write up a free estimate on site. It's obligation-free and backed by our satisfaction guarantee, so you can take it, compare it or file it.
- Call
- (626) 416-2143
- Location
- Duarte, CA 91010
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Get your Monrovia concrete job on the calendar
Call (626) 416-2143 or use the form, and we'll tell you what the city needs before anything gets torn out.