ServicesConcrete Courtyards
Concrete Courtyards in Laguna Hills
A courtyard is boxed in on most sides, so water and access are the hard parts. We plan the slope and drains first, get the concrete in without wrecking your entry, and leave you a space you can actually use every day.
A floor for the room without a roof
A courtyard is different from an open patio. Walls, the house, and sometimes a gate wrap around it. When it rains, the water has nowhere to run off on its own. If the slab is not pitched to a drain, it ponds against the walls and the house.
We build courtyards the way we would want one built at our own place. That means planning where every drop goes, protecting the walls and doors you already have, and keeping you in the loop before anything gets torn out.
This is a good call when an old courtyard is cracked and heaved, when dirt and gravel keep tracking inside, or when you want to turn an unused entry space into somewhere to sit. Many homes around Laguna Hills have Spanish and Mediterranean style entries, and a courtyard poured with the right finish fits right in.
What the work covers
Drainage layout
We set the slope so water moves away from the house and toward area drains or a channel drain. Drain lines are tied in to carry water out of the enclosed space, not just to a low corner.
Tear-out and haul-off
Old concrete, pavers, or gravel come out and leave the property. In a closed courtyard that often means breaking it small and carrying it out by hand or wheelbarrow.
Base and reinforcement
We grade and compact a base, then place rebar or wire so the slab holds together. South County clay soils swell and shrink, and a good base helps the slab ride that out.
Isolation joints at walls
Where the slab meets a wall, a step, or a column, we put in a joint so the concrete can move without pushing on the structure. Control joints are laid out so cracks follow straight lines you planned for.
Finish of your choice
Broom, smooth trowel, salt, exposed aggregate, or a pattern from our stamped concrete work. We can leave openings for planters, a fountain, or a tree.
Cleanup
Forms come out, overspray gets washed off walls and windows, and the path through your home is swept and cleared.
Signs your courtyard needs new concrete
Water sits after it rains
Puddles that hang around for a day or more mean the slope is wrong or the drain is clogged or missing. Standing water near a door or wall can find its way inside.
Slabs have lifted or sunk
One section higher than the next is a trip hazard. It usually points to soil movement or a weak base underneath.
Wide cracks that keep growing
Hairline cracks are normal in concrete. Cracks you can fit a coin in, or ones that open up season after season, tell you the slab has given up.
Dirt, gravel, or tired pavers
Loose fill gets tracked into the house and weeds come up through it. Pavers that rock underfoot have lost their base.
Roots pushing through
A tree in or near the courtyard can lift the slab. We look at whether to leave the tree room, cut a root barrier, or move the opening.
How a courtyard job runs
- 1
Walk the space with you
We come out, measure, and look at the walls, doors, and existing drains. We ask how you use the space and where water goes now. Then you get a written estimate broken out line by line.
- 2
Plan access and protect the house
If the only way in is through a gate or the front door, we cover floors and door frames and talk with you about the route. Some jobs use a concrete pump with a hose run over the wall so trucks and wheelbarrows stay out of your home.
- 3
Demo, base, and drains
Old material comes out, the ground is graded and compacted, and drain lines and forms go in. We check the slope before any concrete shows up.
- 4
Pour and finish
The concrete is placed, leveled, and finished the way you picked. Joints are cut or tooled in the same day.
- 5
Cure and walk-through
Stay off it on foot for a day or two and keep furniture off for about a week. We come back to pull forms, clean up, and walk the courtyard with you.
What moves the price
Every courtyard is a little different, so we price each one after seeing it. The square footage matters, but in an enclosed space, access and drainage often move the number more. Your written estimate shows each piece so you can see where the money goes.
- Access
- A wide gate a wheelbarrow can roll through costs less than a job that needs a pump or hand-carrying through the house.
- Drainage work
- Adding area drains, a channel drain, or a new line out to the street or yard adds labor and material. Reusing a drain that still works keeps it down.
- What comes out first
- Removing thick old concrete is more work than pulling gravel. Hauling it out of a closed space by hand takes longer.
- Finish and details
- A broom finish is the simplest. Stamped patterns, color, exposed aggregate, and cutouts for planters or a fountain add time.
Courtyard questions we hear
Something not covered here? (949) 386-2816
Do you need to come through my house?
Sometimes, if the courtyard has no side gate. When we do, floors and door frames get covered and we keep the path short. On many jobs we run a pump hose over the wall instead so the heavy work stays outside.
Where will the rainwater go?
Into drains we set in the low points of the slab, then out through a pipe to a spot that can take it. We plan this before the pour and show you the layout. We never just slope it toward a wall and hope.
Can you pour around my fountain or planters?
Yes. We form around existing features or leave openings for new ones. We will tell you on the walk-through if something needs to move to get the drainage right.
How long until we can use the courtyard?
Most courtyards are a few days of work from tear-out to pour. You can walk on it in a day or two. Give it about a week before setting heavy pots or furniture back.
Will the new concrete crack?
All concrete can crack a little. We place joints so any cracks land in straight lines where they are hard to see, and we isolate the slab from walls so it can move without damage.
Ready to plan your courtyard
Tell us about the space, the way in, and what bugs you about it now. We will set a time to come look and talk through the options.