Decorative concrete in San Leandro CA - a new look on a slab that can hold it
Tired, stained or plain gray concrete? We'll tell you whether yours can take an overlay or needs new stamped concrete, then do it right.
Can my plain or worn concrete get a decorative finish?
Decorative concrete in San Leandro gives a patio, walkway or driveway a finished look with color, stain, a stamped pattern or a thin overlay. At Complete San Leandro Concrete, it starts with checking whether your existing slab is sound enough to carry that look.
Most people who call us are looking at a patio or walk that's gone dull, stained or just plain gray, and they want to know if it can be dressed up without breaking it out. The price mostly moves with the size of the area, whether we're covering your old slab or pouring new, how much cleaning and crack work the old surface needs first, and how involved the pattern and color get. The schedule turns on that same choice, and on whether the job needs a city permit before we start. Your written estimate lays out each option and what it means for your slab, so you're not guessing.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Decorative finishes, walls and floors
How we do decorative concrete
The first question on decorative work is whether your old slab is sound enough to cover, so I check it for movement and deep cracks before I suggest an overlay, which is a thin topping bonded over the concrete you already have. That check matters around here, because a city report says several San Leandro soils, Clear Lake clay in particular, swell and shrink as they get wet and dry out, and that movement can heave and crack the patios and walks sitting on top. If your slab passes, we clean it down to bare concrete and get off the oil, paint and old sealer, because anything left between the old surface and the new topping breaks the bond. The control joints, the cut lines that give a slab a planned place to crack, and any cracks that still move have to be carried up through the overlay, or they'll tear through the new finish. If your slab isn't sound, I'll tell you plainly that new concrete is the better spend, and we dig out, pack the base, pour and give it the color and pattern you picked.
Decorative work often sits next to other jobs. If your patio is cut into a slope, concrete retaining walls hold the ground back so it doesn't push on or wash out from under the new surface. If the look you want belongs indoors, concrete floor installation gives you a new slab that can take a stain or decorative finish from the start.
Why San Leandro homeowners call Complete San Leandro Concrete for decorative work
The estimator runs the pour
I started this business in 2023 after years forming and finishing slabs on a concrete crew, and I still come out to every job myself to write the estimate. I'm on site running the work with our crew, so the person who explained your options is the one making the finish.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee, and I'd rather tell you up front what concrete can't do than promise a finish your slab won't hold.
Permits checked for your address
Work that touches the sidewalk or street in San Leandro needs every contractor on it to have a state business license and a city business license on file, and we check early which city or county office covers your address. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and set up the inspections with you.
On decorative work, what's under the color matters more than the color, so the first thing to settle is your slab. Call (510) 766-7334 or send us a note through our contact page, and I'll come take a look.
Get a written estimate for your decorative concrete
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit. I'll look over your slab and give you a free written estimate, with no obligation.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What happens after you call about decorative concrete?
Call or send the form
You reach us at (510) 766-7334 or through the form, and we set up a time for me to come out. It helps to have the rough size of the area, a few photos of the old slab and notes on any cracks or movement.
Walk the site with me
I measure, look over the slab, and ask how you'll use the space. Your written estimate lays out each option, overlay or new concrete, finish and color, and what each one means for the price.
We prep, pour and finish
Once you choose, we look into permits, prep the ground, and I run the work and the finish with our crew. When it's done, I walk you through how to look after your new surface.
Decorative concrete questions in San Leandro
Can my existing concrete patio be resurfaced instead of replaced?
Yes, if the slab is structurally sound and the topping can bond to it. An overlay won't fix a slab that's heaving, settling or cracked through its full depth, it just covers the problem until it shows through again, which makes it an expensive mistake. In that case, tearing out and pouring new is usually the better use of your money.
How much does stamped concrete cost in the Bay Area?
Stamped concrete in San Francisco usually costs about $16 to $34 per square foot installed. That's what the market charges for stamped work across the bay, not our price. Stains, overlays and other finishes are priced on your slab's size and condition, so your written estimate gives you the figure for your job.
What is the best way to choose between stamped concrete and an overlay?
Let the slab you have decide. A stamped finish is pressed into colored concrete while it's being placed, after it's floated and troweled smooth, so it suits a new pour, while an overlay goes over an existing slab that's still sound. Decorative work also includes stains, and several of these can be combined on one surface.
Which San Leandro permits apply to concrete work near the street or when moving soil?
Work in the public right-of-way, like a driveway apron or sidewalk, needs the city's encroachment permit. A grading permit comes in when a job moves 50 cubic yards of soil or more, about six dump truck loads, digs a hole or trench 5 feet deep or more, or meets other conditions in the city code. Building permit applications go through the city's online permit portal.
Does my concrete contractor need a California license?
Yes, whenever the job needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The California Contractors State License Board licenses anyone who builds or alters structures in the state. Ask for the license before anyone starts on your slab.
How do I choose a sealer for decorative concrete?
Start with the look you want and the conditions on the day it goes on. One sealer maker's guide says its water-based sealers give a more natural look with little or no odor, but they're sensitive to temperature and moisture, so the day of application matters. I'll go over the sealer options for your finish when I write the estimate.
Work that often goes with decorative concrete
Concrete retaining walls
A sloped yard can push on or wash out a patio, and a concrete wall holds the grade so your decorative slab sits on steady ground.
Concrete floor installation
When the decorative look belongs inside, a new concrete floor gives a basement, shop or room a sound slab ready to stain or finish.