Decorative concrete in El Cerrito CA - a finish on a slab that's sound underneath
Tired of a plain gray patio or a worn, chipped slab? We add color, texture and pattern on concrete that can carry it.
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Can my old concrete be made to look good, or does it need replacing?
Decorative concrete gives a slab color, texture or pattern, using stains, color mixed into the batch, stamping, exposed aggregate or polishing, usually finished with a sealer. In El Cerrito we do it two ways, either as an overlay, a thin bonded layer over the slab you already have, or as part of a new pour when the old slab can't hold it.
Most people call because a patio, walk or driveway has gone dull, stained or chipped, and they'd rather dress it up than look at gray much longer. What moves the price is whether we're covering your slab or replacing it, how big it is, how much prep the old surface needs, and the finish, since a stamped pattern in two or three colors takes more work than a single stain. The schedule turns on that same choice, plus curing, the days new concrete needs to gain strength before it's sealed and used, and a permit if the job needs one. I'll give you your own number on the spot when I come out.
How we do decorative concrete, starting under the surface
We look at the old slab before anything else. If it's cracked through or sinking, a nice coat on top won't save it, and I'll tell you so before you spend a dime on color. When it's sound, we clean and prep the surface so the overlay bonds, mix the material, lay on the color, stamp or texture, and seal it. When it isn't, we tear out, dig down to a firm subgrade, which is what the slab sits on, pack the base, set rebar, the steel that keeps a cracked slab from pulling apart, and pour new with the finish built in. We pour early so the midday heat doesn't leave you a weak, dusty top, and we cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell the slab where to crack, because concrete's going to crack and my job is to tell it where. If the budget gets tight, cut the fancy pattern before you cut the base, since nobody sees the base on day one but everybody sees it later when it was skipped.
Decorative work often runs into the next job over. A patio that steps down a slope may need one of our concrete retaining walls, finished to match, and a stained or polished floor indoors starts with concrete floor installation, poured with that finish in mind.
Decorative concrete in El Cerrito and what the city asks for
The city's rules don't settle whether a decorative job needs a permit, so we check before we price it. El Cerrito's Building Division issues building permits for new buildings and for existing structures being altered, repaired, enlarged or improved, and the city recommends you contact the Building Division before work starts to make certain. When a permit is needed, we pull it under our license and book the inspections. If your house sits in an area on the city's slide zone or seismic zone map, which marks parts of El Cerrito for extra study, the city's checklist has more on what that means, and it's worth knowing before we plan anything. Work that reaches the public sidewalk, curb or gutter gets an inspection before the pour and a final one after, and any bond, a deposit the city holds, comes back once the final passes.
Around here we mostly see older patios, front walks and steps that have worn thin or been pushed up by tree roots, and we see the same on jobs in Albany and Kensington. We're based in El Cerrito and work in the cities around it, so if you're not sure we cover yours, ask.
- Call (510) 973-2452
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
- El Cerrito, CA 94530
What happens when you call El Cerrito Concrete in El Cerrito?
Call or send the form
Tell us what the slab is, roughly how big it is and what you'd like it to look like, and send photos if you have them. We set a time for me to come out.
I look at your slab
I check whether the old concrete can take an overlay, ask what it has to carry, and talk through pattern, color and sealer with you. You get the estimate on the spot, with overlay or replacement settled, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
We handle permits and prep
When the job needs a permit, we take care of it and the inspections. Then our crew preps the old surface, or tears out and forms for a new pour.
We pour, finish and clean
We pour or lay the overlay, add the color and texture, and seal it once the concrete is ready for it. Then we leave the site clean and tell you when it's ready to walk on.
Why El Cerrito homeowners call El Cerrito Concrete for decorative work
I write every estimate myself
I come out to see the job and write the estimate, and once work starts our crew does it with me on site running it. The person who told you what your slab can take is the one watching it go down.
Trained pouring city sidewalks
I learned concrete on a city crew pouring sidewalk, curb and gutter, and started this business in 2023 to bring that same careful work to homeowners. It matters where your walk or driveway meets the street, because we finish that edge the way the city looks for.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. Under California's license classes, forming, pouring, placing and finishing flat concrete work is a concrete contractor's job, so it's fair to ask anyone you hire which license they hold.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job is the promise we make. It starts at the estimate, where you pick the pattern, color and sealer before we mix anything.
On a decorative job the finish only lasts as long as the slab under it, so tell us about yours and I'll come take a look.
Request an estimateGet a free estimate on your decorative concrete
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to look at the old slab, ask what it has to carry and price the finish you want. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (510) 973-2452
- Location
- El Cerrito, CA 94530
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
Questions about decorative concrete in El Cerrito
How much does stamped concrete cost in El Cerrito?
Across the bay in San Francisco, stamped concrete usually costs about $12 to $30 per square foot, which is what the work goes for in that market, not our price. Where your job lands depends on overlay or new slab, how much prep the old surface needs, and how many colors and patterns you pick. I'll give you your own number on the spot after I look.
Can I put a decorative overlay on my old concrete slab?
Yes, if the slab is in reasonably good condition. Large cracks, a lot of spalling, where the top flakes or chips away, or bad settling can mean it needs replacing instead, which is why a check of whether it's structurally sound comes first. That's the first thing I look at on the estimate.
How long does a stamped concrete overlay last?
Applied properly, a stamped overlay should last 10 to 20 years or more. Surface prep and proper mixing matter most, so ask any crew you're thinking of hiring how they prep the surface and mix the material, us included.
What is the best sealer for stamped concrete?
For most stamped concrete it's a topical sealer, the kind that forms a film on top, because it brings out the color, while most penetrating sealers soak in and add no color depth. Topical sealer put on too heavy or too early can spoil the look, and penetrating sealers generally need the concrete fully cured first, so timing matters as much as the product.
How often should I reseal stamped concrete?
Reseal when it stops shedding water and stains as well as it did, or the color loses its depth, not on a fixed calendar. Resealing more than it needs builds up on the surface, and that buildup is slow and expensive to strip off.
Who handles building permits in El Cerrito?
The city's Building Division issues building permits in El Cerrito, and it recommends checking with it before construction starts to make certain whether your job needs one. We make that check before we price the work, as covered above.
Other work that often goes with it
Concrete retaining walls
When a patio sits against a slope or a raised planter, a retaining wall holds the ground back, and it can carry the same color and finish.
Concrete floor installation
For a basement or addition, a new interior slab can be poured with stain or polish in mind, so the concrete itself becomes the finished floor.
Send us photos of your slab
A few photos, the rough size and your finish ideas let me show up already knowing what to look for, so call (510) 973-2452, use the form or write to info@concreteelcerrito.com.
Request an estimateCall (510) 973-2452