Concrete Contractors in Chino Hills, CA

Chino Hills turned from open country into a city in a short span, and concrete contractors working here spend much of their time on slopes. Until the mid-1970s the land was mostly horse properties and dairies. Large-scale tract building started in the late 1980s and ran into the early 1990s, and when the city incorporated on December 1, 1991, roughly 42,000 people lived there. The 2020 census found 78,411 residents in 26,068 homes. A lot of that concrete is now 30-plus years old and rests on graded hillside pads.

Village layouts, hillside driveways

The city is a patchwork of named neighborhoods, among them Los Serranos, Butterfield Ranch, Rolling Ridge, Fairfield Ranch, Gordon Ranch, LaBand Village and Payne Ranch. Many homes sit above or below the street. Steep driveways are common, and so are the problems they bring: cracked panels where the slope changes, edges that break off where tires ride, and slick surfaces after the rare rain.

When we replace a sloped driveway, we:

• Re-check the transitions at the street and garage so cars do not scrape
• Use a deep broom finish across the slope for grip
• Place joints at grade changes, where cracks want to form anyway
• Thicken the edges where tires and turning loads concentrate

Earthquake country

In 2008 a magnitude 5.4 quake centered here, blamed on strain where the Chino and Whittier faults join, was felt as far away as San Diego and Las Vegas. No slab is earthquake-proof, but reinforcement helps concrete hold together when it does crack. On patios, pool decks and larger slabs here, we prefer rebar on chairs over wire mesh, so the steel actually ends up in the middle of the slab where it does its job.

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Settled pads and cracked patios

Graded hillside lots mix cut and fill ground. After three or four decades, some fill areas have settled a little, and patios or walkways on them show it with cracks that open wider on one side, or panels that tilt toward the house. Tilt toward the house is the one to fix first, because it sends water against the foundation. Depending on the damage, we either replace the affected sections with a corrected slope or remove the whole slab, re-compact the base and pour new.

Pool decks, patios and the view

With 71.6% of homes owner-occupied and plenty of view lots, backyard upgrades are a big part of our Chino Hills work. Stamped patios in stone patterns suit the hillside setting, and pool decks get a textured, lighter finish to stay cooler. Average highs here reach about 89 degrees in July and August. We pour in the cooler part of the day and keep fresh concrete damp or sealed with curing compound.

Fire and wind

Brush fires are part of life here; the Freeway Complex Fire and the Canyon Fire both reached the city, pushed by wind through dry, thick vegetation. Concrete does not burn, and many owners near open space ask about replacing wood decks or mulch beds next to the house with concrete patios and walks. A noncombustible strip around the home is a practical upgrade, and we can pour it in plain or stamped finishes.

If your neighborhood has HOA rules for driveways and front yards, we provide a written scope and finish samples for your HOA submission and check city permit needs before we start.