Concrete Companyin West Hollywood, CA
A concrete company in West Hollywood works under a yard rule first: no more than 50 percent of required setbacks and yards may be non-permeable. Driveways and sidewalks are exempt on the state model list, retaining walls only up to 4 feet, and with 81.4 percent of homes in apartment buildings, owners and associations usually sign the work.
Much of West Hollywood's concrete is as old as its apartment courts. Census Bureau estimates for 2020 to 2024 count 26,079 homes on 1.89 square miles, with 6,146 (23.6 percent) built before 1950 and 20,952 (80.3 percent) before 1980. Only 2,428 homes (9.3 percent) are single-family detached, 81.4 percent sit in buildings of five or more units and 80.2 percent of occupied homes are rented. So concrete work here is mostly owner, association and landlord work on driveways, entry walks and courtyard paving, and a house with its own back patio is the smaller share.
MDG Builders, CSLB #1040337, is a general contractor in Tarzana. We write the scope, check it against the Building & Safety Division and the Municipal Code, and hire a licensed concrete subcontractor to form, pour and finish. Our tools could not open weho.org or eCode360, so the code citations below come from the GoCodebook mirror and the permit-page details from a third-party copy, and each needs confirming with the City. Finishes are on the concrete page, and the West Hollywood overview lists our other trades.
What West Hollywood's Building & Safety Division and Municipal Code say about concrete work
Where concrete permits come from in West Hollywood: City of West Hollywood Community Development Department, Building & Safety Division.
- Municipal Code 19.20.190(D) limits non-permeable surfaces to no more than 50 percent of all required setbacks and yards, so a new concrete patio, walkway or driveway pad in a required yard must be balanced with porous paving or landscaping.
- The state exempt list (R105.2, excerpted by Albany) exempts sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade and retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing unless they support a surcharge; the City's reproduced list shows the retaining wall exemption at 4 feet of earth but has no sidewalk or driveway item (Albany's note about encroachment permits for sidewalk work is Albany's own policy), so ask West Hollywood Building & Safety and Public Works about driveway approaches in the public right-of-way.
- CSLB defines the C-8 Concrete classification as forming, pouring, placing, finishing and installing specified mass, pavement, flat and other concrete work, and placing and setting screeds for pavements or flatwork; it excludes contractors whose sole business is plaster coatings or placing reinforcing steel.
Who orders concrete work in a city of apartment buildings, and who must approve it?
The building owner does, or the association that governs the building. With 18,374 of 22,920 occupied homes rented and 21,220 homes in buildings of five or more units, the person who walks on a cracked entry path is rarely the person who can order a new one. A tenant needs the landlord's written consent, and an association's board answers a member's request under Civil Code section 4765, which sets out how a decision is delivered and reconsidered.
Shared walks add a second question. The state model exemption for sidewalks and driveways excludes any that are part of an accessible route, and a walk to several unit doors may be one. Ask Building & Safety whether the path you want to replace counts, because that answer decides whether the job is exempt.
Owners of a single-family lot have the simpler path, and the sections below apply to both.
Can you pour a patio, walkway or slab in West Hollywood without a permit?
Not safely assumed. The state model list in section R105.2 of the 2025 California Building and Residential Codes exempts sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, and says nothing about a ground-level patio slab. The City's own exempt list, as reproduced on a third-party permit guide last verified in April 2026, has no sidewalk or driveway item either, and the guide warns that exempt work can still need Planning approval.
Zoning travels with every permit. Municipal Code 13.04.050 and 13.20.050 require an application to show zoning compliance, so a pour that passes the building rules can still fail Title 19. An application also lapses if no permit is issued within 18 months of filing, with up to two 180 day extensions (13.04.035 and 13.20.055).
Our advice is to send Building & Safety the slab size, its thickness and its distance from each property line, and to ask in writing whether a permit or Planning review applies.
- How big is the slab, and how far is it from each property line?
- Is any part of it more than 30 inches above grade?
- Does it sit on an accessible route or in a required yard?
How much of a West Hollywood yard can be covered with concrete?
Half of the required setbacks and yards, at most. Municipal Code 19.20.190(D) limits non-permeable surfaces to 50 percent of all required setbacks and yards, and counts porous paving and landscaping as permeable. A new patio, walk or driveway pad in a required yard has to be balanced against what is already paved, so ask the designer to total the existing hardscape before drawing the new one.
Trees can matter as well. Ordinance 23-26, adopted January 22, 2024, added canopy tree rules: new development and projects needing a discretionary permit must plant canopy trees at a ratio set by yard area, existing mature canopy trees are to be preserved and relocating one needs a zone clearance or other permit. If a mature tree stands beside the planned pour, tell the contractor before the forms go in.
Front yard paving details in 19.36.320(C), driveway and curb cut rules and the tree removal permit were not read, so ask Planning about each.
How tall can a retaining wall be in West Hollywood, and does the hillside change it?
Four feet of retained earth is the line to remember for a permit. The City's reproduced exempt list covers retaining walls holding 4 feet of earth or less unless they carry a surcharge, while the state list says 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing. The same City list shows fences and walls not over 6 feet, against 7 feet in the state text, so ask Building & Safety which figure applies.
Zoning sets its own heights. Under 19.20.150, retaining walls up to 42 inches are exempt from setbacks, walls from 42 inches to 6 feet may sit in a setback only if the exposed face looks into the parcel, and walls over 6 feet or facing outward follow the primary building setbacks. Municipal Code 19.20.050 limits a solid front-setback fence or wall to 42 inches, and retaining walls up to 6 feet are allowed in setbacks if they fit the site.
On the hillside, a geologist may enter the picture. A significant part of the Norma Triangle lies in the Hollywood Earthquake Fault Zone per Wikipedia, and Building Code 13.04.070 lets the Building Official require a geologist's investigation before a permit issues; confirm any lot with the City. CSLB's C-29 masonry class covers block walls, so a block wall and a poured slab may go to different subcontractors.
Who handles driveway aprons, sidewalks and curbs in West Hollywood?
The City does, once the concrete leaves the lot. We found no sidewalk or driveway item on the reproduced Building & Safety exempt list, and the Albany guide we used for the state text mentions encroachment permits only as Albany's own policy. So ask both Building & Safety and Public Works who issues what for a driveway approach, a curb or a sidewalk panel in the public right of way.
We did not find a West Hollywood rule on who pays to fix a lifted sidewalk panel in front of a building, and we did not read the City's code enforcement process for one. Ask before hiring anyone, since the answer may differ for an owner, an association and a tenant.
Older streets raise the stakes. With about 24 percent of homes built before 1950, many aprons and walks are original or patched, and a mismatched repair shows.
When can concrete be poured in West Hollywood, and why do old walks crack?
Monday through Friday, for anything outdoors. Municipal Code 9.08.050, as summarized on GoCodebook, allows construction weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., limits Saturdays to interior work and bars Sundays and the listed holidays, with some exceptions. An exterior pour that runs late or needs a Saturday finish is a scheduling problem, so ask when the crew plans to strike off, trowel and cure.
Washout needs a plan. Sections 13.04.040 and 13.20.040 require an approved construction debris control plan before permitted work starts, and a dyked or excavated work area for trades that use water. Ask where the truck rinses out and where slurry goes, because the sections we read do not say.
Weather is milder than inland. NOAA's UCLA station normals, a nearby estimate, show 14.53 of 17.73 inches of rain from December through March and an average of 10.4 days a year above 90 F. We found no West Hollywood soil study, so a crack in an old walk cannot be blamed on a cause from here; ask the crew to say whether roots, drainage, base or age is the likely culprit.
What does concrete work cost in West Hollywood, and what license should a concrete company hold?
We found no West Hollywood price study, so the anchor is Angi's 2026 Los Angeles pages, which cite customer surveys and professional data. Angi shows a patio at $4 to $13 per square foot with a $5,248 average, a 20 by 20 foot slab at $1,600 to $5,200, stamped work at $15 to $30 and a driveway at $8 to $20, averaging $7,270. We plan plain flatwork of 300 square feet or more at $8 to $14 and treat decorative finishes and driveways with grading as lower in confidence; small jobs run higher per foot.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the May 2025 mean wage for cement masons in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area at $33.67 an hour, which is pay and not a billing rate. Demolition, haul-off, base, rebar, washout and any fees belong on separate lines, and so does moving material through a building's courtyard or garage.
CSLB's C-8 class covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing concrete, and leaves out contractors whose only business is placing reinforcing steel. The small-job exemption under $1,000 requires no hired workers and no permit, so a permitted pour needs a licensed contractor. Our license check guide shows how to verify one.
Concrete photos from West Hollywood and nearby communities
Walks, driveways, forms and finished patios from West Hollywood and neighboring areas, shown at the stages that matter. Tap any photo to enlarge it.
What concrete costs around West Hollywood
Dollar figures here are Los Angeles planning ranges from our concrete page, not a West Hollywood bid, and a proposal should list demolition, base, washout and any City fees on their own lines. For the same address, see flooring in West Hollywood and decks in West Hollywood. Nearby comparisons: concrete in Culver City, concrete in Santa Monica, concrete in Los Angeles and concrete in Glendale. Our subcontractor guide explains how the crew is booked.
| What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Patio, walkway or slab, broom finish, 300 sq ft or more | $8 to $14 per square foot |
| Decorative: stained, stamped or exposed aggregate | $15 to $30 per square foot |
| Driveway replacement, with demolition of the old slab | $9 to $20 per square foot |
| 20 by 20 foot plain patio (400 sq ft) | About $3,200 to $5,600 |
| 20 by 20 foot decorative patio (400 sq ft) | About $6,000 to $12,000 |
| Small jobs under 300 sq ft | Usually above the per-foot range |
| Retaining walls | Set by the written proposal |
Other work we manage in West Hollywood
West Hollywood concrete questions, answered
Can I pour a concrete patio without a permit in West Hollywood?
We cannot confirm that from a City source. The state model list exempts sidewalks and driveways, not a ground-level patio, and every permit application must show zoning compliance. Send Building & Safety the slab size and its distance to each property line, and ask whether a permit or Planning review applies before you order a pour.
How much should a 20x20 concrete patio cost in West Hollywood?
Angi's 2026 Los Angeles page gives $1,600 to $5,200 for a 20 by 20 foot patio, which is 400 square feet, with $4 to $13 per square foot as its general range. We found no West Hollywood study. Demolition, base preparation, access and decorative finishes move the number, so a site visit sets the price.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in West Hollywood?
Expect $8 to $20 per square foot on Angi's 2026 Los Angeles page, which averages $7,270 and spans $3,067 to $16,472. Tearing out the old slab, grading and any approach in the public right of way change the total. Ask the City who issues the approach permit before you accept a quote.
Can I expand my driveway without a permit in West Hollywood?
We cannot say yes. The state list exempts driveways up to 30 inches above grade, but the City's reproduced list has no driveway item and we did not read its front yard paving or curb cut rules. The 50 percent permeable limit on required yards also applies, so ask Planning and Building & Safety first.
What is the maximum height of a retaining wall without a permit in West Hollywood?
The City's reproduced exempt list covers walls holding 4 feet of earth or less, unless they support a surcharge, and the state list measures 4 feet from the bottom of the footing. Zoning adds its own limits, such as 42 inches for a solid wall in a front setback. Confirm the figure before you dig.
How much of my yard can be concrete in West Hollywood?
No more than 50 percent of all required setbacks and yards may be non-permeable, under Municipal Code 19.20.190(D). Porous paving and landscaping count as permeable. A new patio, walk or driveway pad has to be balanced against the paving already there, so total the existing hardscape before drawing the new slab.
Is 4 inches of concrete thick enough for a driveway in West Hollywood?
Four inches is the usual thickness for patios and walks, and many crews go thicker where vehicles drive, but we found no West Hollywood rule that sets a thickness. The base, joint layout and reinforcement matter as much as depth, so ask the crew to describe each in the proposal.
How much does stamped concrete cost in West Hollywood?
Angi's 2026 Los Angeles page puts stamped patios at $15 to $30 per square foot with a $5,948 average, which multiplies to $6,000 to $12,000 for 400 square feet. That is arithmetic on a Los Angeles range, not a West Hollywood bid, and we rate decorative work lower in confidence than plain flatwork.
What license does a concrete company need in West Hollywood?
Concrete work falls under CSLB's C-8 class, and block walls under C-29. A job that needs a permit must go to a licensed contractor even under $1,000. Look the license up on the CSLB site before accepting a quote, and ask who will do each part of the work if more than one subcontractor is involved.
Send the building, the area and what is there now
Tell us what you want poured, the rough size, whether you own the lot or the building is run by an association and what is on the ground today, such as a cracked entry walk or a bare side yard. The permit and yard-limit questions come with us to the first visit.