Concrete floor installation in Downey CA - a flat slab built on a solid base

Some cracking is likely even on a well-built floor, since a national concrete guide says a fully crack-free floor isn't realistic. What we control is where it cracks. Control joints, saw cuts that give the slab a straight line to crack along, usually go in 4 to 12 hours after the pour, a contractor's guide says, depending on heat and the mix.

A vapor retarder goes under it, which is a moisture barrier, and a national concrete guide says it protects flooring and coatings most when it sits right against the slab. One barrier maker warns that even small holes can let much more moisture through and lead to flooring failures. So we check where it sits and look it over for tears before we pour.

Usually, yes. The Building counter at Downey City Hall issues permits, and it generally requires one for new construction, additions, alterations and repairs to an existing building. The city takes applications online through its Citizen Access portal, from a licensed contractor or an owner-builder living in a single-family home. If it does, we pull it as the licensed contractor and set up inspections.

Yes, for almost any floor job. The California Contractors State License Board licenses anyone who builds or alters a structure in the state, and a license is required when the job needs a building permit, uses employee labor or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A floor that needs a permit already meets the first test.

A concrete garage floor in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $8 to $15 per square foot. That's what the market runs, not our price, and indoor floors or jobs with old concrete to remove are priced on their own. I measure your space and write an estimate that spells out what's included for your floor.