Look up the licence, insist on a written scope and pay no more up front than state law allows. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) regulates the trade in California, and its rules work in your favor when you use them.
How do I find a good concrete contractor?
To find a good concrete contractor, verify first and compare second. Enter the business name or licence number at cslb.ca.gov. Then ask for addresses of jobs two or more summers old and drive past them, because heat and sun show up weak work quickly. Collect two or three written bids on one scope. Pay attention to who measures, who asks about slope and runoff, and who explains joints and curing without being asked.
Does a concrete contractor need to be licensed and insured in California?
Yes. A state licence is required for work valued at $1,000 or more, and also for smaller jobs that need a building permit or use hired workers. The $1,000 exemption began on January 1, 2025; it was $500 before. Concrete falls under the C-8 Concrete classification. Licensees must keep a contractor's bond on file, and those with employees must carry workers' compensation; both appear on the public licence record. General liability insurance is a separate policy, so request the certificate. Ask every bidder, us included, for the licence number and check it yourself.
What should I ask a concrete contractor before hiring?
- Which CSLB licence number will be on the contract, and in whose name?
- What thickness, and what is under it?
- What steel, at what spacing, and how is it supported?
- What PSI mix is being ordered?
- Where are the joints and when will they be made?
- What is the plan for heat and wind on pour day?
- Who applies for the permit and who files the DigAlert ticket?
- Are demolition, disposal and cleanup included?
- What does the written warranty say?
- Who runs the crew on the day?
What should a written estimate include?
A written estimate ought to list area, thickness, base, reinforcement, mix strength, finish, color, joint plan, demolition and disposal, permits, cleanup, a start window, the payment schedule and warranty terms. The CSLB says a written contract is required for all home improvement projects over $500, and it should identify the contractor, the business address and the licence number.
How much deposit is normal?
California sets the ceiling. According to the CSLB, the down payment on a home improvement contract cannot be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. Later payments must track progress and cannot exceed the value of the work performed. Anyone requesting a bigger deposit is requesting something unlawful.
A contractor wants 50 percent up front, in cash, with no contract. Should I agree?
No. Asking for 50 percent is many times the legal maximum of $1,000 or 10 percent. Skipping the contract breaks the written-contract rule for jobs over $500. Cash without paperwork removes your proof of the deal and the payment. Decline, however attractive the number.
What are the red flags?
- No licence number offered, or a number that belongs to a different name.
- Oversized deposit, cash only, or a today-only price.
- Thickness, base and steel left unstated.
- A bid far under the rest.
- Cheap concrete 'left over from a job nearby'.
- Silence about joints, curing, heat and drainage.
- A request that you take out the permit as owner-builder.
- A door-to-door offer after a windstorm or flood.
What warranty should I expect?
Expect it on paper, stating what is covered and for how long. Typical concrete warranties cover workmanship faults such as settlement from a poorly prepared base, surface scaling and omitted joints. Typical exclusions are hairline shrinkage cracks, shade differences, root damage, earthquake movement and overloading. Every contractor writes these differently. Ask any bidder, including us, to attach the warranty terms to the quote.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped answering. What next?
Send a dated letter or email with a firm deadline and save a copy. If the contractor has still stopped answering, complain to the CSLB at cslb.ca.gov or on 800-321-CSLB (2752); complaints are accepted up to four years after the act. Report it there as well if you discover there is no licence. Small claims court can be used to recover the deposit. Card payments may be disputed through the issuer.
How can I tell they have done stamped work before?
Go and see some. A crew that has done stamped work before can send you to completed jobs and can show the mats and release colors they own. Choose examples that have been through at least one full summer so you can judge fading and sealer wear. Find out who does the stamping and confirm that person will be on your pour, since the timing window in hot weather is short.
What if the crew hits a hidden water line?
They stop, shut the water off and get the line repaired. Payment depends on whose line it was. Utility-owned lines are marked through DigAlert, and damage to a correctly marked line is on the excavator. Irrigation pipe, pool lines and old private services are never marked, so they are invisible to everyone. List every buried line you know about, and have the contract state how unmarked private lines are handled.
Is a written estimate binding if they run into something unexpected?
An estimate becomes binding when it is signed as a contract, and then only for the scope written in it. Should the crew uncover something hidden, such as a buried slab, boulders, an abandoned septic tank or loose fill, the price can change only by a written change order you sign before that work proceeds. Refuse surprise extras added to the final invoice.
How do I file a complaint about a contractor in California?
Use the Contractors State License Board: online at cslb.ca.gov, by post, or by requesting a form on 800-321-CSLB (2752). It can investigate, issue citations and act against a licence, and it runs arbitration that is mandatory where alleged damages are $25,000 or less. By its own statement, CSLB involvement does not guarantee restitution.
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.