Concrete is incredibly durable, but it’s also a headache to fix if something goes wrong. To avoid dealing with sinking slabs or deep cracks down the road, you need a crew that knows exactly how to prep the ground. This guide will show you how to choose a concrete contractor who gets it right the first time.
Concrete projects involve heavy equipment, precise timing, and careful site preparation that must happen in the right order. A qualified professional or team controls the entire project lifecycle:
They’ll safely tear out old concrete, excavate the dirt, and properly grade the soil. This should include building the necessary wooden forms and ensuring the ground slopes away from your foundation to ensure rainwater drains properly.
Pouring concrete is a race against the clock. The crew must place and level the wet mix quickly before it sets. Once poured, they apply the correct finish for the space, such as a slightly rough finish to keep your driveway from being slippery in the rain, or a perfectly smooth surface for an indoor garage floor.
If you want an upgraded look, they should offer aesthetic options. This includes stamping patterns into the wet surface to mimic expensive stone or brick, or applying custom color stains to make a plain patio stand out.
A full-service contractor can also handle concrete cutting, crack repair, sealant application, and resurfacing. If your scope is mostly to fix a few localized cracks or lift a sunken walkway, you may want to look specifically for concrete repair or slab jacking services instead of a full replacement.
The contractor should remove forms, haul away debris, protect surrounding landscaping, and walk the site with you so you know how to protect the slab while it cures before final payment is released.
A fresh driveway or patio might look great on day one, but poor workmanship will quickly reveal itself after a heavy rainstorm. To make sure you’re hiring a legitimate business, verify these details before handing over a deposit.
Concrete licensing rules vary by location. Some states require a highly specific specialty license (which includes trade exams, surety bonding, and two to four years of experience), while others require only standard municipal registration.
Confirm the contractor’s license is active and in good standing, and check for any disciplinary history if your state provides it. Ask for their license number and exact business name.
To find it, search “[Your state] contractor license lookup” and stick to the official state site, often a .gov page.
Permit rules vary by city and by project. Work in the public right-of-way or anything affecting a driveway approach often needs separate approval, while some simple patio projects may not.
When permits are required, your contractor should know the process, schedule any required inspections, and be clear about who is listed as the responsible party. Be cautious if a contractor pushes you to pull the permit in your own name, because that can shift responsibility back to you.
Confirm the contractor carries current general liability insurance and (if they have employees) workers’ compensation. This matters because concrete work involves heavy machinery and massive delivery trucks. If equipment damages your property or a worker gets hurt on site, you don’t want those costs or claims landing on you.
How to verify:
Concrete is only as stable as the ground beneath it. If a contractor doesn’t properly compact the base or use enough steel reinforcement, the slab will eventually buckle or sink, no matter how good the surface looks.
To ensure they have the right expertise, ask to see a few recent projects that match your scope. Instead of just looking at the finished surface, ask for photos of the site preparation and have the contractor walk you through the process, specifically excavation and building a gravel base.
Credentials won’t replace a solid track record, but they signal that a contractor follows recognized standards and invests in industry training.
Reviews matter because they show how a concrete crew treats your property. They can give you clues about whether the contractor respects your lawn and handles the messy cleanup.
Where to check:
Once you’ve scanned reviews, ask the contractor for two or three recent local references from the past year. Ask the contractor to check with those customers first, so they expect your call or text.
When you reach out, ask whether the concrete developed cracks within the first few months and if the finished surface pools water instead of draining it.
For plain residential concrete, a fair planning range is often about $6 to $12 per square foot installed, though simple patios can land lower and decorative work can climb much higher.
Driveways commonly run around $6 to $15 per square foot because they’re built for vehicle loads. Contractors usually quote installed work by the square foot, even though the ready-mix itself is sold by the cubic yard.
Site prep, access, thickness, forming, reinforcement, finish, and cleanup can move the price just as much as the concrete itself.
Concrete is sold by the cubic yard. Contractors convert the slab’s length, width, and depth into cubic yards, then usually round up and add a modest allowance (often around 5% to 10% on straightforward flatwork) to cover spillage, uneven subgrade, and minor field variation.
Labor often represents a significant portion of the total cost, especially when excavation and grading are required. This covers excavation, hauling away debris, and compacting a gravel subbase. If your site requires extensive grading to address drainage issues or involves removing large tree roots, expect your labor costs to be on the higher end of the scale.
Reinforcement isn’t one-size-fits-all. Depending on the job, the quote may include wire mesh, rebar, fiber reinforcement, or a combination.
A broom finish is the budget baseline for exterior flatwork. Decorative upgrades like stamping, borders, stains, or custom color can push total installed costs well above plain concrete, often into the low teens and sometimes much higher.
Local rules can shape a concrete job more than homeowners expect. Zoning can limit how close new concrete sits to property lines or the street, and recorded utility or drainage easements can further restrict where it can go. Work in the public right-of-way often needs separate approval.
Some municipalities also cap lot coverage or impervious surface, which can affect how much new concrete you can add without extra drainage planning.
If inspections are required, there may be a final sign-off, but you and the contractor should still confirm that the finished slope sheds water correctly.
Most concrete contractors know how to pour a long-lasting slab, and they aren’t out there to scam you. However, there are the rare few that give the others a bad name. Here’s what’s to look out for:
At best, these red flags indicate that the contractor does not have your full attention. It’s probably best not to trust them with your concrete project.
Renovate is your shortcut to finding a concrete pro. Tell us about your project and your timeline, and we’ll use those details to try to connect you with a local concrete contractor.
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You can usually walk on new concrete after 24 hours, but wait at least 7 to 10 days before driving a standard car on it. Full structural strength takes about 28 days, so keep heavy trucks or dumpsters off the surface for the first month to avoid permanent damage.
The average cost of a basic installed concrete slab is about $5 to $12 per square foot. A 20-by-20-foot concrete slab covers 400 square feet, bringing the total to about $2,000 to $4,800. You may pay more if the project requires thicker concrete, reinforcement, excavation, grading, or a decorative finish.
Late spring and early fall are usually the easiest times to pour. In very hot, dry, or windy weather, concrete can lose surface moisture and stiffen too quickly, which raises the risk of cracking and finishing problems. In cold weather, freezing can damage fresh concrete before it gains enough strength. If you’re pouring in summer, ask whether the mix or admixtures need to be adjusted to slow the set and protect the finish.
Small surface cracks or one isolated settled section can often be repaired. But wider cracks, vertical displacement, recurring movement, or crumbling edges are signs that the problem may go deeper than the surface and may justify replacement or a more structural repair.
Usually, yes. Especially for exterior concrete in climates with freeze-thaw cycles or deicing salts. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all rule. Sealers help limit water and chemical absorption, and the recoat schedule depends on the product. Some film-forming sealers may need attention every few years, while penetrating sealers can last much longer.
