Garage floor concrete in Downey CA - a level floor built on a solid, packed base

An installed reinforced concrete slab in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $8 to $15 per square foot, going by one local cost guide. A pad without rebar, the steel that ties a slab together, runs slightly less, and staining or stamping for a decorative concrete floor is priced on top. My estimate spells out what's included.

Downey's Building counter issues them, and permits are generally required for any new construction, alterations or repairs. A licensed contractor can pull one, or an owner-builder living in the single-family home, but condos, townhomes, duplexes and apartments need a licensed contractor. We check which office covers your address, pull any permit needed and book the inspections.

New concrete is usually walkable within 48 hours, and one Los Angeles cost guide suggests waiting a week before heavier loads like your car. It keeps curing, slowly gaining strength, for about a month before it's fully cured, so that first week is the one to plan around.

Usually, yes, because California's license exemption for small jobs stops at $1,000 and only covers work that needs no permit, done by someone who employs no one. A garage floor that needs a permit or a hired crew falls outside it, and the state licensing board lists forming, pouring and finishing flat concrete under its concrete contractor classification.

We take extra steps on hot, windy days to protect the fresh slab, because heat and dry air hurt concrete more as the wind picks up. A national concrete group says that trouble can come any time but mostly in summer, and a ready-mix trade group advises starting the cure as soon as concrete is placed.