Commercial Concrete Contractor Los Angeles

Commercial property owners! Do you have a licensed concrete contractor? 

Now, you may be thinking – I have a general contractor, why would I need a licensed concrete contractor? Isn’t that just an extraneous expense? 

Short answer, no. While general contractors are fabulous at seeing the “big picture” of any construction project, when it comes to the nitty gritty of concrete, you really want to hire that rarest of contractors – the licensed concrete contractor.

Sure, concrete may look easy to install on YouTube, but there is a science to it (and many regulations to be followed to get a city permit). When it comes to concrete projects bigger than a quick 5x5 slab, you want to hire a licensed concrete contractor.

What Types of businesses need a concrete contractor

Do you own a business? Then you need a concrete contractor.

Take a look around your property and inventory all the concrete around it. Walkways, driveways, sidewalks, curbs, ramps, retaining walls, maybe even your floors and planter boxes. You name it, you can probably find concrete involved in some way.

Any kind of business or entity that involves the public will likely need a concrete contractor just to help meet ADA requirements. We’re talking:

• Restaurants
• Shops
• Private Schools
• Gyms
• Doctors’ Offices
• Hotels
• Daycare Centers

The most obvious ADA guideline you’ll likely need a concrete contractor for is the entrance to your business. Got a parking lot that leads to a walkway? You need a curb ramp. Want to replace your sidewalk and you’re on an intersection? Again, you’re going to need a curb ramp. If your business needs any type of ramp, it will have to be ADA compliant and a licensed concrete contractor has the knowledge and experience to do that kind of work. 

Did you know that if you install a new ramp or fix your old ramp, you now need to include a “detectable warning device” on the slope of the ramp? Believe me, you’ve seen these. These are the yellow slabs with round domes on top. Called truncated domes, they’re designed to provide a tactile indication that the ramp is ending, so pedestrians with disabilities don’t end up in a dangerous situation. A licensed concrete contractor not only knows how to install one of these, but will do it up to code to pass inspections. 

Want to replace that trip hazard sidewalk in front of your business? Hire a licensed concrete contractor. They can get it done and completed up to code in about a week. Concrete contractors also know that the city of Los Angeles is increasingly requiring businesses to replace their old drainage pipes with new Curb-o-Let drains. 

What about commercial properties and factories that don’t cater to the general public? Why should they hire a licensed concrete contractor? A licensed concrete contractor understands the type of stress that heavy duty equipment can put on concrete – whether that be concrete slabs, factory flooring, or driveways. A licensed concrete contractor possesses the skills and knowledge to ensure that the correct type of concrete is installed in the correct manner to avoid costly cracks and crumbling concrete. 

Type of concrete services commercial buildings need

When you come right down to it, commercial buildings need all types of concrete services, including: 

• Concrete stairs
• Concrete ramps
• Concrete loading docks
• Concrete ADA-compliant walkways and ramps
• Driveway aprons heavy duty machinery vehicles
• Sidewalks 
• Concrete floors
• Concrete slabs
• Retaining walls
• Curb-o-Let drain pipe installation
• Concrete repair and replacement 
• Concrete saw cutting

Most of these services seem pretty self-explanatory, but saw cutting? Oh yes. Do you have a drain or a pipe encased in your concrete? If you want to get to it to make repairs, you are going to have to call a licensed concrete contractor to open up that slab. 

Why should I hire a licensed concrete contractor instead of a general contractor in Los Angeles?

Let’s say you needed new glasses. Would you go to your primary care physician to get a new prescription? Of course not. You’d go to an optometrist – you’d go to the doctor that specializes in your eyes.

It’s the same with construction. Sure, you can go to a general contractor, but who will have the specialized knowledge to ensure that your concrete lasts longer than a year or two? Licensed concrete contractors have studied the theories and methodologies of working with concrete. 

A general contractor won’t be able to answer concrete specific questions. Let's perform a test. Ask your general contractor to answer the following questions related to everyday concrete projects (patios, driveways, sidewalks, slabs, steps, walkways)

1. What PSI (pounds per square inch) should I use on my concrete project? 
2. Why do you always water  the soil one day before pouring the concrete?  
3. What are concrete expansion joints? Why are there grooves on my fresh concrete? 
4. Why did my concrete crack? Was it because of erosion, roots, rust, no joints, why? 
5. What is roadbase and why is it important to add 3”-4” of roadbase to all concrete projects?  
6. Should I use rebar, wiremesh, or micro synthetic fibers on my concrete? 
7. What are the pros and cons of using iron rebar, vs New Pink Fiberglass Rebar? 
8. Why should I water my freshly poured concrete for the next five days–one day after it has been poured? Why water my concrete before 9 am and after 9 pm? 
9. What chemicals are used to slow the concrete hardening time during a hot day? 
10. What chemicals are used to accelerate the concrete hardening time during raining weather?   

As you can see. Only a licensed concrete contract is able to answer those questions. Only a licensed concrete contractor will know how to handle concrete in any type of weather and soil. If you hire a general contractor, chances are pretty good that they don’t know how the varieties of weather or soil affect the curing of concrete. This means you’re not getting the best for your money. Statistics show that 80% of homeowners hire general contractors to perform their concrete work. This means they are not getting the best for their money. Don’t become that person. Get the best for your hard earned cash. 

Give us a call today for your free estimate.