Concrete patio construction in Solana Beach CA - a patio with the look and grip you want
Cracked, sinking or slick patio? We pack a solid base and pour a new slab with a finish that suits how you use it.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What goes into building a new concrete patio in Solana Beach?
Concrete patio construction in Solana Beach means we break out what's there, dig out and pack a firm base, form and pour the slab, and finish the surface, so you get a flat, solid patio with a finish picked for how you'll use it.
Most people who call about a patio have an old slab that's cracked or sunk, or a patch of dirt and loose pavers they're tired of, and they want something flat enough to set a table on. The price moves with the patio's size, how much old concrete comes out, how easy it is to get into your backyard and the finish you pick, since a plain broom finish costs less than a deep stamped concrete pattern. The schedule turns on permits and the coastal review here, the weather and the curing time before you can use it. The written estimate I leave you spells out what's included, and when a permit is needed we pull it.
How can you tell your patio needs replacing?
Cracks running across it
Long cracks across an old patio usually mean the base under it moved, or the control joints were cut late or never cut at all. Left alone, the edges chip and the pieces start to shift, so a crack you could live with turns into a trip edge.
One corner sinking
A corner or side that's dropped usually means the base was raked smooth instead of dug out and packed, so it settled along with the dirt. It tends to keep going, and patching the top won't stop what's happening underneath.
Slick after the hose
A surface that turns slippery when it's wet is often a glossy sealer sitting on top of the concrete. Someone usually finds out the hard way, so it's worth sorting before summer brings bare feet and wet towels.
How we handle concrete patio construction
I start by asking how you'll use the patio, then help you weigh the look you want against how it grips when wet, since a glossy sealed finish can get slick while a broom or aggregate finish holds its grip on its own. On the job, we break out any old concrete, dig down past the loose dirt and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, so it doesn't settle later. We set forms, pour early in the day so the top doesn't dry weak and dusty in the heat, finish the surface and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack. Then comes curing, the few days the concrete needs to harden before it takes weight, and that's the one step we ask you not to rush. If the budget gets tight, I'll tell you to save on the finish before the base, because you can redo a surface later but a bad base means tearing the patio out.
A patio rarely stands on its own, so we often pour a concrete sidewalk along the side of the house to tie it to the driveway or gate. If you'd like the look of stone or slate, our stamped concrete services cover the patterns and colors.
Broom finish
Light lines dragged across the wet concrete with a stiff broom give your feet something to grip. It suits everyday patios, play areas and spots near the hose, and it's usually the simplest finish to price.
Exposed aggregate
We wash away the top skin of cement so the small stones in the mix show through. It suits people who want more texture and a natural look without a coating to keep up.
Stamped pattern
We press a stone, slate or brick pattern and color into the surface. It suits a covered or dining area where looks come first, and we'll talk through grip and upkeep before you choose it.
Get a written estimate for your new patio
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out, measure the yard and leave a free written estimate that shows what's included, with no pressure to book.
(619) 724-4874- Based in
- Solana Beach, CA 92075
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
What happens after you call about a patio in Solana Beach?
Here's how a patio job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send the form
Tell us roughly how big the patio is and how you plan to use it, and add a few photos of the yard if you have them. We get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
Walk the yard together
I measure, look at what's there now and explain your finish choices standing right there. You get a written estimate that lists what's included, so you know where the money goes before you decide.
Permits first, then the pour
If you go ahead, we line up any permits, and here that means the coastal review covered below comes before the city issues one. Then our own crew digs out, packs the base, pours and finishes the slab.
Final walk-through with you
We walk the finished patio with you before we leave and go over how long to keep furniture and grills off while it cures. That's the time to ask anything, so bring your questions.
Why Solana Beach homeowners call Riverbend Solana Beach Concrete for patios
I measure and write your estimate
I come out myself to look at the yard, take measurements and write the estimate in plain words, line by line. You can see what you're paying for and judge the work against it.
Our own crew, run by me
I started this business in 2020 after years on concrete crews around San Diego, and our own crew does the work while I run the jobs. The person who planned your patio is the one making the calls on pour day.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured. Ask about it when I come out, and I'll show you the paperwork before you sign anything.
Concrete washout kept contained
The city requires every construction site to keep concrete waste and wash water out of the runoff, so we rinse tools into a contained spot and haul the waste away. Your gutter and street stay clear of gray wash water.
When you're ready, send us your patio details or call (619) 724-4874, and have a rough size and the finish you're leaning toward in mind.
Patio permits, coastal review and digging in Solana Beach
The city's Community Development Department issues building permits, and its list of work that skips one names driveways and walkways no more than 30 inches above the ground but says nothing about concrete patios, so that list doesn't settle your patio either way. The city says the way to know is to ask its Building Division, which takes questions by phone and in person, and when a job needs a permit, we pull it and handle the inspections. All of Solana Beach sits in the Coastal Zone, so the California Coastal Commission reviews every building permit application before the permit is issued, and the commission handles that approval, not the city. That's why we plan the schedule around the review instead of promising a pour date, and if we're moving earth a building permit doesn't cover, the city also wants a grading permit before we dig.
An excavator's permit isn't valid until they contact DigAlert, by calling 811 or online, at least two full working days before digging, so we make that call before the crew shows up. Many of the patios we build here sit behind homes with tight side yards, so we work out how the concrete gets to the back well before pour day, the same way we plan jobs in Encinitas and Carlsbad.
Questions about concrete patios in Solana Beach
How much does a concrete patio cost in the San Diego area?
A residential concrete patio in the San Diego area usually costs about $5.50 to $11.50 per square foot installed. Stamped and decorative finishes push it up, and a plain broom finish on an easy-to-reach yard keeps it down. I'll write up a figure for your own patio after I measure it.
What is the best way to keep a concrete patio from getting slippery?
Pick a broom or exposed aggregate finish, because their grip comes from the concrete itself and stays about the same for the life of the slab. A standard acrylic sealer gives stamped concrete color and sun protection, but it leaves a plastic film that cuts grip sharply when it's wet.
Do I need a permit to build a concrete patio in Solana Beach?
Maybe, since the city's list of work that skips a permit doesn't name patios, so ask the Building Division about yours before you plan on going without one. If yours needs one, we take care of it, coastal review included, as covered above.
Who is allowed to build a concrete patio in California?
A contractor with a state concrete contractor license, which covers flatwork, the trade's word for flat concrete like patios, walks and driveways, from forming through finishing. Someone unlicensed can only take a job under the state's $1,000 limit, and only when the work needs no permit and they have no one working for them on it.
Does a stamped concrete patio need a thicker slab?
It does when the pattern is deep, because stone and slate patterns press into the surface and take away some of the slab's working thickness. A deep pattern calls for more thickness than a broom-finished slab, and the usual advice is to plan for it from the start, so we settle the pattern before the forms go in.
How often do you need to reseal a stamped concrete patio?
In busy or sunny spots, a stamped patio with an anti-slip additive in its sealer needs the sealer and additive put back on every 12 to 24 months to keep its grip. Broom and aggregate finishes skip that chore almost entirely, which is worth weighing if you'd rather not have a standing job every year or two.
Related services that often go with a patio
When the new patio needs a path to the driveway, gate or side yard, a matching walk keeps people off the lawn and gives wet feet steady footing.
If you'd like the patio to look like cut stone, slate or brick, a pressed pattern and color give that look while it's still one poured slab.
Service areas for concrete patios around Solana Beach
Riverbend Solana Beach Concrete is based in Solana Beach, California, and builds patios in many of the cities around it, up and down the coast and inland. The 12 cities below each have their own page, from Oceanside to Chula Vista, and we work in others nearby too.
Solana Beach, CA
Send us your patio size and photos
Photos of the yard and the way into it let me bring the right questions to the visit, so the estimate fits your site from the start.