In San Bernardino heat, concrete is the durable low-care surface, asphalt is cheaper to put down and pavers are the simplest to take up and relay. Below that comparison are the build details that matter on local ground.
The dollar ranges here are national figures that HomeGuide published for 2026. They are not quotes from us. Inland Empire labor rates, ready-mix prices and what we find on your lot push a real price higher or lower. Last checked October 2026.
Concrete or asphalt for a driveway?
Pick concrete for life span and low upkeep; pick asphalt for a lower first cost. Asphalt is $5 to $12 or more per square foot nationally, $2,000 to $4,800 for a 20x20, and plain concrete $6 to $10. Our summers regularly pass 100 degrees. Black asphalt absorbs that heat, softens, and scuffs under turning tires and trailer jacks, and it wants periodic seal coats. Concrete stays rigid and runs cooler because it is lighter in color.
Poured concrete or pavers?
Poured concrete is the cheaper plain surface, and pavers are the more repairable one. Nationally a paver patio is $10 to $17 per square foot installed, or $3,800 to $6,800 at 20x20; plain concrete patios are $4 to $12. Individual pavers can be pulled and reset after a root or a trench disturbs them, and they flex in an earthquake where a slab cracks. In sandy soil the paver base and edge restraint must be done properly or the field spreads.
How thick should a concrete driveway be?
Four inches is the usual thickness for cars and light pickups, over a compacted base. Use 5 to 6 inches where an RV, a boat trailer, a work truck or a dually will park. Each added inch buys a large gain in load capacity for a modest cost. Make sure the thickness is written on the quote.
Do I need rebar or wire mesh?
On a driveway we advise one of them. The job of rebar or wire mesh is to hold cracks closed and keep both sides level, since no steel prevents cracking. Bars tied in a grid and propped on chairs sit where they should, mid-slab. Mesh tends to get trodden to the bottom during the pour. In earthquake country, steel that keeps a slab in one piece is worth the money. Short garden walks on firm ground can do without.
What PSI concrete do I need?
Home flatwork is generally ordered between 2,500 and 4,000 PSI, which is the compressive strength reached at 28 days. Surfaces that carry vehicles belong toward the top of that band. Air-entrained mixes for freeze protection are a cold-climate item and matter little on the valley floor. Strength for footings and building slabs comes from the approved plans. Ask for the PSI on the quote and on the delivery ticket.
Is stamped concrete worth it?
Stamped concrete is worth it when you want a stone, slate or brick look without joints full of weeds, and you are willing to maintain it. National cost is $8 to $19 per square foot. Strong sun means regular resealing, gloss sealer needs grit to be safe when wet, and patches rarely match. Owners who want the least upkeep are better served by broomed gray concrete with a banded edge.
Should I seal my new concrete, and how often afterward?
Plain concrete can go unsealed; colored and stamped concrete should be sealed. Wait until the slab has cured, about a month for most sealers. The curing compound sprayed on pour day is not a sealer. As for how often: decorative surfaces here usually need a fresh coat every two to three years, sooner in full sun, and the sign is water soaking in instead of beading. National cost to clean and seal is $1 to $3 per square foot, or $575 to $1,700 for a 2-car driveway.
Broom finish or smooth, and what suits a steep driveway?
Outside, go with a broom finish, which leaves fine grooves for traction. Steel-troweled smooth concrete is for garages and interiors, where it is easy to sweep but slick when wet. Many foothill and hillside lots in Del Rosa, Verdemont, Reche Canyon and south Redlands have a steep driveway. For those, ask for a coarse broom pulled across the slope, or grooves, so tires and feet grip on the way up.
What does a hot tub pad need?
A hot tub pad has to be dead level and able to carry the tub full of water and people. Start with the manufacturer's filled weight and base specification. The usual answer is a thicker slab with steel over compacted base. Run electrical conduit before concrete is placed, and fall the surrounding surface away so overflow drains off.
What does a shop slab need for a vehicle lift or heavy equipment?
It needs whatever the lift manufacturer specifies in writing. A vehicle lift is anchored to the floor, and the manual gives minimum slab thickness, concrete strength and anchor distance from edges and joints. Machines and loaded shelving bear on small footprints. Describe everything that will stand on the slab before we price it so thickness, steel and joints suit it. A shop building also means footings, a permit and inspections.
Do I need gravel under a slab, and a vapor barrier?
Usually, yes to gravel under a slab. Compacted crushed rock spreads the load and gives a uniform bed. Much local ground is already sand and gravel, and where it is clean and firm, moistening and compacting the native soil can serve; loose fill, fine blow sand and soft spots get rock. A vapor barrier belongs under enclosed floors: a house, an addition, or a garage or shop that will get coatings or flooring. It blocks ground moisture. Driveways and open patios go without.
The pad must carry delivery trucks. What is different?
Plan a heavier build throughout. For a delivery truck, trash truck or loaded box van, the slab is thicker, the base deeper, the steel is rebar and the joints are placed so wheels do not track along an unsupported edge. Corners of a car-rated slab break off under that kind of axle load. Give us the heaviest vehicle and how many times a week it arrives.
My pool deck is worn out. Resurface, pavers, or new concrete?
Go with resurfacing when the pool deck is solid and simply tired; national cost is $3 to $6 per square foot. Go with pavers or a new pour when it has dropped, lifted or cracked through. Whatever you choose must grip when wet. It should also be pale and textured, because a dark deck in July here is too hot for bare feet.
The patio is poured up against the house. What belongs between the two?
An isolation joint belongs there. It is a compressible strip, commonly called an expansion joint, set between the patio and the foundation, steps, columns and other fixed concrete. The patio can then shift a little in heat or in an earthquake without bearing on the house. Seal the top to shed water, keep the slab below the weep screed and the door threshold, and fall it away from the wall.
For a real number, have the job measured. Estimates are free, done on site, and followed by a written quote. Call (909) 306-5897 or text a photo of the area.