Tired of plain gray concrete? We pour decorative slabs with the joints planned into the pattern and a texture that grips underfoot when wet.
Decorative concrete in Gilroy is a slab finished to look like more than plain gray. Color, stamped patterns, stains or overlays are used alone or together on patios, walkways and other flat surfaces around your house.
Most people who call have a patio or walkway they're tired of looking at. The first thing we sort out is how the area gets used, because an outdoor slab has to slope so water runs off and needs a texture that grips when it's wet. Indoors, a stained finish is usually part of concrete floor installation, and a matching color can carry over to concrete retaining walls in the yard.
The price moves with the size of the area, the base work and how involved the finish is. The schedule turns on that same prep and on curing, the wait while new concrete gains strength before you use it. We're licensed and insured, and the state licensing board counts forming, pouring and finishing flatwork, the flat slabs like patios and walks, as a concrete contractor's work.
Call (408) 427-8265 or fill out the form with the rough size of the area and the look you're after. We'll set a time for me to come out.
I come out myself, measure the area and look at what's under and around it, including where water runs now. The estimate is written line by line, so you can see what's in it and what isn't before you decide anything.
Before the pour we go over the pattern, the color, where each joint falls and how the slab will drain. Settling those on paper costs far less than fixing them in concrete.
Our own crew pours and finishes to the plan we agreed on, and I'm on site for the layout and the pour. We cure and protect the new surface before we hand it over to you.
Every slab needs control joints, the planned cuts that give concrete a place to crack, because it will try to crack somewhere. On a decorative job I plan those lines as part of the design. Sawed joints show less than tooled grooves, and when a stamped pattern's grout lines run roughly straight, a joint can sometimes sit right in one. A random stone pattern makes joints harder to hide, so that can steer which pattern you pick.
Under the finish, the base, what the slab sits on, gets dug out and packed rather than raked level, because concrete cracks where the ground under it moves unevenly. Steel or wire mesh inside the slab won't stop cracking, but the right amount keeps a stray crack tight so it barely shows.
What decorative concrete can include:
If your slab is sound but dull, a stain or an overlay can change its look without tearing it out. If it's cracked through, sunk or holding water, the trouble is underneath, and a new surface on top won't fix it. One contractor's guide notes that patches in poured concrete stay visible because aged concrete can't really be matched. On a decorative slab, I usually steer people toward replacing the section rather than patching it.
Labor is the big swing, since a stamped and colored pattern takes more hands and more steps than a stain. Removing an old slab and fixing a poor base add their own lines, and upkeep belongs in the cost too, because sealed finishes get resealed over the years. If the budget's tight, keep the money in the base and simplify the finish. A plain pattern on packed ground outlasts a fancy one on dirt that settles.
I started Premium Gilroy Concrete in 2017 after years on commercial slabs and footings. That's where I learned that the base, the forms and the layout decide how a slab holds up. On a decorative job the finish covers all three on day one, so I check them myself before anything goes on top.
Our crew keeps your lawn, beds and siding protected during the pour and leaves the site clean. You'll know what each line of the estimate pays for and why, and I'd rather answer your questions before the truck shows up than after. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Have the rough size of the area and a photo of a look you like handy, and we can talk through finish choices on the first call.
Tell us the rough size of the area and the look you want. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, and there's no pressure to book.
It can, because even with planned joints, some random cracking may still show up. The joints take most of it, which is why I treat their lines as part of the design and get the base and reinforcement right underneath.
One contractor's guide puts it at every 2 to 3 years for a stamped and colored surface. That look gives the strongest result, so it's worth planning for the resealing, and a simpler finish asks less of you if you'd rather skip it.
Pick a finish with some texture and make sure the slab slopes so water runs off, because an outdoor slab needs both to stay safe underfoot. A broom finish, fine ridges dragged across the surface for grip, is one option, and I'll show you how each finish you're considering does when wet before you choose.
Only under the state's minor work exemption, which is now $1,000. It applies only to work that needs no permit, done by someone who employs no one on the project. Anything beyond that calls for a licensed contractor.
There's no fair number until the area is measured, because size, base work, any old slab coming out and the finish you pick all move it. I write the estimate line by line after the visit so you can see where the money goes, and you can call (408) 427-8265 to set it up.
One contractor's guide says a new pour needs 7 days before normal use. Plan to keep furniture, grills and heavy foot traffic off it that week, and we'll tell you when it's ready.
We're based in Gilroy and take work in many cities nearby, including Morgan Hill and Hollister. Pick your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.
