Garage floor concrete in Mission Viejo CA - a solid slab you can park on
Cracked, oil-stained or sinking garage floor? We'll tell you whether it can be resurfaced or needs a new slab, then build it right.
Should you resurface your garage floor or replace it?
At Prestige Mission Viejo Concrete Company, garage floor concrete in Mission Viejo means one of two jobs. We either put a thin resurfacing layer over a sound old slab to give it a fresh look, or we tear out a worn floor and pour a new slab, usually with rebar or wire mesh inside, steel that holds the concrete together if it cracks.
Most folks call because the floor is cracked, sunk at one end, chipping or soaked with oil, and they want to know if a new top will fix it. What moves the price is the size of the garage, whether the old slab has to be broken out and hauled off, and how thick and well reinforced the new one needs to be. The schedule turns mostly on the tear-out and the curing, which is the wait while new concrete hardens before your car goes back on it, and your own figure comes from the estimate once I've seen the floor.
How we handle garage floor concrete
First I look hard at the old slab, because if it's settled or cracked through, those cracks can show right through a new top layer and you'd end up paying twice. If the slab is sound and we resurface, we get the oil and grease off first so the topping grabs instead of peeling. If it needs replacing, our crew breaks out the old floor, digs out and packs the subgrade, the dirt and gravel the slab sits on, and checks the slope so water runs out the door instead of toward the house. Then we set the steel, pour early in the day so the heat doesn't leave a weak, dusty top, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a place to crack where we chose instead of where it pleases. If the budget's tight, I'd spend it on the base before the finish, because nobody sees the base on day one, but it's what decides whether the floor stays flat.
Plenty of people want the garage to look as good as the rest of the house once it's done, and decorative concrete gives a new or resurfaced floor some color and texture instead of plain gray. If your garage or the driveway leading to it is cut into a hillside, as a lot of homes around here are, concrete retaining walls hold the dirt back so it isn't pushing on the slab or washing onto it.
Why Mission Viejo homeowners call us about their garage floors
I look at every floor myself
I come out to look at every job in person, and our crew does the work with me there on site. The person who decided whether to resurface or replace is the same one watching the pour.
Building flatwork here since 2017
I started this business in Mission Viejo in 2017 after learning the trade on a small crew, and slabs, driveways and walks are most of what we do. We work across south Orange County and the cities around it, so the houses and ground you're dealing with are familiar to us.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're licensed and insured. You're not the one carrying the risk while a crew is breaking up concrete in your garage.
Cutting slurry kept out of drains
The city requires construction work like cement mixing and cutting to keep pollutants out of the storm drains, so we contain the dust and slurry when we cut out an old floor. Your gutter stays clean, and you don't hear about it from the city later.
When you're ready to find out what your floor needs, send your garage size and a few photos of any cracks, sunken spots or oil stains through our contact form, call (949) 619-8245, or email hello@missionviejoconcretecompany.com.
Find out if your garage floor can be resurfaced or needs replacing
We'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to look at the floor myself and give you a free estimate on site, with no obligation to go ahead.
Garage floors and slabs up close
Questions before you book garage floor concrete
Is resurfacing cheaper than replacing my garage floor?
Usually, yes, because replacing means paying to break out and haul off the old slab on top of the cost of the new one. One resurfacer maker calls it an economical alternative to tearing out worn concrete, but it only pays off on a slab that's still sound, so I'm happy to price both when the floor is a close call.
How much does a new concrete garage floor cost in Orange County?
A concrete slab in Orange County usually costs about $7 to $14 per square foot, and that's the going rate in the area, not our quote. Garage floors sit toward the thicker end of a home slab because they carry cars, reinforced slabs cost somewhat more than plain pads, and tearing out an old floor adds its own cost. Your number comes from the estimate after I've measured.
How long does a new garage floor take before I can park on it?
Plan on about a week before you put the car or other heavy loads back on it, even though you can usually walk on a new slab within 48 hours. Concrete keeps curing for about 28 to 30 days, so it isn't at full strength until that first month is up.
Can an unlicensed worker pour my garage floor in California?
Not on most garage floors, because state law only lets an unlicensed person do minor work up to $1,000, and only when the job needs no permit and they have nobody working for them. A garage tear-out and pour is usually well past that, so ask any contractor for their license before they start.
What causes cracks to show through a resurfaced garage floor?
Cracks usually come through a resurfaced floor because the old slab underneath is still moving. A resurfacer maker notes this happens most where the slab has settled or doesn't have enough control joints, so a floor that's sunk or cracked clean through is usually better off with a new slab.
How do I get a permit for garage floor work in Mission Viejo?
Permits and inspections in Mission Viejo are submitted and scheduled online with the city, and if you pull your own permit you also file an owner builder notification. When a job needs a permit, we take care of the application, book the inspections and keep you posted, and you can ask the city's building services whether yours does.
Other work that goes with a garage floor
- Decorative concrete
If plain gray isn't what you want under the car, a stained, colored or coated finish can make a new or resurfaced garage floor look like part of the house.
- Concrete retaining walls
When your garage or driveway sits below a slope, a concrete wall holds the soil back so it stops pushing on the slab and washing mud across the floor.