Dry evenings make a fire feature well used in San Jose. We pour the pad, the pit base and seat walls, and set sleeves for a gas line. Local burn rules and HOA rules are checked for your address first.
Dry, mild evenings make a fire feature one of the most used parts of a San Jose yard. We pour the pad and build the concrete parts: the pit ring or bowl base, seat walls, and the surrounding slab. A fire pit can be a simple round pad with a built ring, a rectangular cast-in-place trough for a gas burner, or part of a larger patio with a curved seat wall.
Rules matter more than design here. The Bay Area air district restricts wood burning on days when it calls a Spare the Air alert, and wildfire risk is real along the foothills in the dry season. For those reasons most new fire features in the valley are natural gas or propane. A gas line needs a permit and a licensed installer. We set sleeves and block-outs in the concrete so the gas line and burner can be fitted cleanly.
Concrete near flame needs the right build. The inside of a wood pit is lined with fire brick or a steel insert, because ordinary concrete can spall when it is heated hard. The pad drains so winter rain does not fill the pit. We keep the feature clear of fences, eaves and overhanging trees, and we check your HOA rules and the city's requirements for your address before we start.
Concrete fire pits in San Jose: common questions
Do I need a permit for a fire pit in San Jose?
A gas line to a fire feature needs a permit. Rules for the pit itself, its distance from structures and property lines, and wood burning vary, so we check with the City and the fire department for your address. We do not guess on this.
Wood or gas?
Gas is cleaner, can be used on Spare the Air days when wood burning is restricted, and throws no sparks. Wood gives the classic fire but brings smoke, ash and more restrictions. Most of our customers choose gas.
Can a fire pit sit on my existing patio?
A gas unit with its own base often can. A built-in masonry or concrete pit is heavy and hot, so we check the slab's thickness and condition and usually isolate the pit from the patio surface.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We visit and measure.
- Written quote: Clear pricing with finish options.
- Prep & forms: We excavate, grade, compact the base and set forms and reinforcement.
- Pour, finish & cure: We pour, finish, cut control joints and tell you when you can use it.