Concrete patio construction in San Bernardino CA - a slab that drains away from the house
Bare dirt out back, or an old slab cracked and tilting toward the house? We pour a patio planned to drain and last.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What goes into a new concrete patio in San Bernardino?
Concrete patio construction in San Bernardino means we dig out the yard, build a packed base and pour a slab that's planned to drain away from your house and cured well, so you end up with an outdoor floor that holds up. The pour is only part of it, because the first week after it goes to curing.
Maybe it's bare dirt out the back door, or an old slab that's sinking, chipping or sending water toward the wall. The price mostly comes down to how big the patio is, how much old concrete or dirt has to come out, how much base it needs, which finish you pick and whether something heavy like a hot tub will sit on it. The schedule turns on whether the city wants a permit first and on that week of curing before you set furniture out. We're based in San Bernardino and work across the cities around it, and I'll put your own figure in a written estimate after I see the yard, with what's included and what isn't.
How we build a concrete patio
We start by stripping the grass and topsoil, because that soft layer settles, then lay gravel on firm ground and pack it down so the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, stays put. When the patio meets the house, I plan the joint between them, the height against the siding and the fall away from the wall before anything gets poured, since that's where water trouble starts. We set the forms, place rebar where the slab needs steel to help hold it together, pour and finish the top, then cut control joints, straight lines that give the concrete a planned place to crack instead of a random one. Then we cure it properly that first week, because that's what keeps the surface from dusting. If the budget's tight, protect the base over a fancier finish, because nobody sees it on day one but it's what keeps the slab from sinking with the dirt.
A patio is often one piece of a bigger plan. If you want it to look like stone, brick or tile, that's our stamped concrete services, and if you need a path to reach the patio from the driveway or side gate, we can plan concrete sidewalk building right alongside it.
Broom finish for everyday use
A broom finish is a light texture dragged across the wet concrete so the patio isn't slick when the hose or sprinklers hit it. It suits most back patios, and it keeps more of the budget on the base underneath.
Stamped finish for a stone look
One maker describes stamped concrete as fresh concrete pressed with imprinting tools into low-maintenance patterns that look like stone, slate, wood, tile or brick, so you get that look in a poured slab. It suits a patio that's the main spot in the yard, and it costs more than a plain finish.
Concrete patio construction and permits in San Bernardino
The city's Building and Safety Division requires permits for all structural, electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning work, and the exceptions it lists name sidewalks and driveways but not patios. So that list doesn't settle your patio either way, and I check with the right office for your address before we schedule anything. If a permit's needed, we take care of it and set up the inspections. More complex projects send plans to the city for code review before a permit, and some need plans from a California registered architect or engineer, so if yours is one of those I'll tell you straight. If you'd rather ask the city yourself, its permit counter takes general questions Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8 to 5, Wednesday from 10 to 5 and Friday from 8 to 4.
What we see most around here is an older slab at the back door that's cracked or sunk and now tips water toward the house, usually because it went down on raked dirt with no packed base. We tear those out and start from the ground up, and we run into the same thing on jobs in Colton and Highland.
Why San Bernardino homeowners call San Bernardino Concrete Company for patios
I look at every patio myself
I come out to every job myself, and our own crew does the work, with me there for the pour and the steps that matter most. You're talking to the person who planned your patio, not someone hearing about it for the first time.
Licensed and insured, ask to see it
We're licensed and insured. The city only issues permits to contractors who hold the right state license for the work, so it's worth asking any contractor for proof, us included.
Years running crews before 2020
Before I started this business in 2020, I spent years as the right hand to another concrete contractor here, walking jobs and running the crew. That's where I learned the ground and the water under a patio decide how long it lasts, which is why I spend so much time on them.
The joint, the height and the slope at the house are easiest to get right before the forms go in, so reach out while you're still planning. Tell us about your patio or call (840) 222-9185.
Request a quoteGet a free written estimate for your concrete patio
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I'll come out, look at where the patio's going, ask how you'll use it and give you a free written estimate with no obligation, spelling out what's included and what isn't.
What happens when you call us about a patio in San Bernardino?
Call or send the form
Tell us roughly how big you want the patio, where it'll sit by the house and what's there now. We'll set a time for me to come out and see it.
I walk the yard with you
I check the ground, the slope and where the patio meets the house, and ask how you'll use it, whether that's a table, a grill or a hot tub. You get a written estimate that lists what's included and what isn't, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
We handle permits, then pour
If the job needs a permit, we take care of it and set up the inspections before the crew starts. Our own crew does the work with me there for the pour, and when it's done I go over the finished patio with you, including how to treat it that first week.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete patio cost in San Bernardino?
A concrete patio in nearby Riverside usually costs about $6 to $13 per square foot, and that's the going rate for the work in the area, not our price. A plain slab on easy ground sits toward the low end, while tearing out an old slab, extra base work, a stamped finish or a thicker slab push it up. I'll give you a written figure after I see your yard.
Can a concrete patio be poured right against my house?
Yes, one patio guide says a patio can sit against the house if it has an isolation joint, a strip that lets the slab and the house move separately, a top below any untreated siding and a slope away from the wall. We settle all three at the estimate, before anything's poured.
How long does a new concrete patio need to cure?
Plan on a full week. One patio guide says the first seven days of curing, under plastic, with water or with a curing compound, decide whether the surface lasts or ends up dusting and scaling. Keep that week in mind when you plan a party, and ask us which curing method we'll use on yours.
Do I need a licensed contractor to build a patio in San Bernardino?
You do unless the job is very small, because in California someone without a contractor's license can only take a job up to $1,000, and only when the work needs no permit and they have no employees. When you hire, ask for proof of the contractor's state license and a current city business license, which the city requires for a permit. Contractors with employees also have to show workers' compensation insurance at permit time.
How thick should a concrete patio be for a hot tub?
Thicker than the standard four inches a patio usually gets. Tell us about a hot tub or anything else heavy at the very start, because the thickness is set before the pour and can't be added afterward.
What causes a concrete patio to crack or sink?
A soft base is the usual cause, since a slab poured on dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed settles right along with the dirt. Cracks also wander when control joints get cut late or skipped, which is why I watch the base and the joints so closely on a patio.
Other work that goes with a new patio
Stamped concrete services
Want the patio to read as slate, brick or wood plank? We press the pattern into the fresh concrete, so the whole slab carries that look without laying separate stones or pavers.
Concrete sidewalk building
A new patio usually needs a way to reach it, and a poured walkway from the driveway, side gate or front door ties it in and keeps feet off wet grass.
San Bernardino, CA
Tell us about the patio you want
Call (840) 222-9185 or send the form with the size you're picturing, where it meets the house, any hot tub plans and the finish you like, and I'll come out ready to talk about your yard.