Concrete patio construction in Atherton CA - a patio that drains away from your house
Old patio cracked, sinking or holding water? We plan a new slab around your trees and drainage so it sits flat and sheds water.
What does it take to build a concrete patio in Atherton?
Concrete patio construction in Atherton, CA is pouring a new outdoor slab on ground we've dug out, packed and sloped, so you get a flat place to sit or eat outside that sheds water away from your house.
Most calls start with an old slab that's cracked, sunk at one corner or holding water after a rain, or a patch of yard you'd finally like to use. The job is clearing and packing the ground, setting forms, pouring, finishing and letting it cure. If you want a pattern or color, look at stamped concrete, and the path out to it is usually a concrete sidewalk.
The price mostly follows the patio's size, how much digging and base work the spot needs, whether the slab gets steel inside it, and any stamping or color. The schedule turns on the weather, whether a permit is involved and the wait while the concrete cures. I'll put your own figure in a written estimate after I walk the yard.
What goes into a concrete patio
Most of what decides how a patio holds up happens before the concrete truck shows up, so these are the things we work through with you first.
The base comes first
We strip roots and grass from the subgrade, the soil under the slab, because they rot and leave gaps, then pack it firm. If money's tight, trim the finish first.
Slope and runoff
We slope it away from the house. Single-family projects adding or replacing 2,500 to 10,000 square feet of hard surface need a runoff measure under San Mateo County guidance, like draining onto plants.
Thickness and steel
Home patio slabs usually run 4 to 6 inches thick. Rebar, steel bars set inside the concrete, keeps the pieces tight together if a crack opens up.
Joints and a broom finish
Control joints, shallow saw cuts across the slab, give cracks a straight line to follow instead of wandering. A broom finish, a brushed texture, keeps the surface from getting slick when wet.
Questions about patios in Atherton
How much does a concrete patio cost in the Bay Area?
A concrete patio with materials and labor in the Bay Area usually costs about $8 to $14 per square foot. That's a regional figure drawn from San Francisco and Bay Area guides, not Atherton quotes, and it leaves out staining or stamping. I'll give you a written number for your yard once I've walked it.
How long does a new concrete patio need before I can use it?
You can usually walk on a new slab within 48 hours, but concrete takes 28 to 30 days to fully cure, which is the slow hardening it keeps doing after the pour. To be safe, plan on about a week before you set anything heavy on it, like a loaded planter or a grill.
Do I need a permit for a concrete patio in Atherton?
The Town of Atherton's Building Department is the office to ask, since it issues permits for building and altering structures and inspects the work those permits cover. We check that for your patio before we quote, and if it needs one, we handle the application and meet the inspector on site.
Do large trees or oaks on my lot affect a patio in Atherton?
Yes, a heritage tree near the spot can change where your patio goes, because Atherton requires a permit before anyone disturbs one or does prohibited work in its tree protection zone, the protected ground around it. A native oak anywhere on your lot, or a tree in the tree preservation area, counts once its trunk reaches 48 inches around, about 15 inches across, measured 48 inches above natural grade. Atherton's tree rules list what's off limits, so I look at your trees before we settle on the spot.
Can someone without a license pour my patio in California?
Only on a very small job. California lets an unlicensed person do minor work under its $1,000 limit, and only when the job needs no permit and they don't employ anyone on it. A patio that needs a permit or a crew falls outside that, so it calls for a licensed contractor.
What causes a new concrete patio to crack?
Concrete shrinks as it dries, so some cracking is normal, but the cracks you don't want usually come from a base that settles or a pour on a hot day. Early surface cracks start when the fresh top dries faster than water can rise to it, so on hot days we plan the pour to keep the surface from drying out too fast. The control joints we cut give whatever's left a line to follow.
Why Atherton homeowners call Premier Atherton Concrete for patios
I still answer the phone and walk each patio myself, and I'll give you the straight version on cracks and cure time before we pour, not after.
I come out myself
I walk your yard, ask about trees and where the water runs, and write up the estimate.
Our own crew pours it
The crew that preps your base and pours your slab is ours, not one hired for the day.
Running jobs since 2021
I learned on other crews before starting this business in 2021, so I know what goes wrong under a patio.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask about either when I come out.
Backed by our satisfaction guarantee
When you're ready to plan yours, call (650) 516-3703 or send the form to get started.
Plan your patio around the trees first
Call (650) 516-3703 with the patio's rough size and a note on any big trees or oaks nearby, so I can check Atherton's tree rules before I come out.
What happens after you call about a patio in Atherton?
Every patio starts with me in your yard, because where the trees stand and where the water runs decide the plan before any digging.
Call or send the form
Call (650) 516-3703 or send the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come look.
I walk the site
I look over the spot, ask about trees, vehicles and where the water goes, and work out where the patio should sit.
Your written estimate
After the walk, I write up the estimate so you can look it over and ask questions before you decide anything.
Prep, pour and walkthrough
We sort out any permits, prep the ground, form and pour, then walk the finished patio with you and go over its care.