Twelve Questions Worth Asking Any Concrete Contractor
Including us. If a contractor cannot answer these specifically, you have learned something useful.
These are the questions that separate a quote for a slab from a quote for a project. Ask them of everyone you are considering.
What should I ask a concrete contractor before hiring?
Ask for base depth and compaction method, slab thickness and reinforcement, where control joints are going, what the drainage assessment found, whether the quote is written and itemized, which permits apply and who pulls them, how unexpected findings are handled, cure windows for foot and vehicle traffic, and what maintenance the recommended finish will need. Vague answers on base and drainage are the clearest warning signs.
1. What base depth are you specifying, and how is it compacted?
A specific number is the right answer. Vagueness here is the single biggest predictor of a slab that will not age well, because base is invisible in the finished product and therefore the easiest place to save money.
- The base and drainage questions separate a quote for a slab from a quote for a project.
- A specific number for base depth is the right answer. Vagueness is the strongest predictor of a slab that will not age well.
- If nobody looked at drainage, nobody looked at the main cause of concrete failure in this climate.
- Ask what maintenance the recommended finish needs. If the answer is none, ask again.
- A contractor who guarantees a pour date regardless of weather is telling you they will pour in conditions they should not.
2. How thick is the slab and what reinforcement is in it?
It should be specified for what the surface will actually carry, and it should be in writing.
3. Where are the control joints going?
There should be a plan, and it should be one you can see before the pour rather than discover after.
4. What did you find when you looked at drainage?
If nobody looked at drainage, nobody looked at the main cause of concrete failure in this climate.
5. Is this quote written and itemized?
A number on its own cannot be compared, held to, or checked against what was actually done.
6. What permits apply at my address, and who is pulling them?
Requirements vary across the metro. Ambiguity here becomes a problem mid-project.
7. What happens if you find something unexpected underneath?
On replacement work, something occasionally turns up. How change is handled should be defined before demolition, not negotiated during it.
| Question | A good answer sounds like | A concerning answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Base depth and compaction? | A specific depth, material and method | We always do it right |
| Slab thickness and reinforcement? | Specified for your use, in writing | Standard thickness |
| Control joint plan? | Shown to you before the pour | We cut them where they need to go |
| Drainage findings? | Specific observations about your property | Should be fine |
| Permits? | What applies at your address and who pulls it | You probably do not need one |
| Schedule? | A plan that acknowledges weather | A guaranteed date regardless |
| Finish maintenance? | An honest resealing interval | It is maintenance free |
8. How will you protect my lawn, landscaping, and existing concrete?
Especially relevant on tight lots and on replacement work with heavy equipment and haul-off.
9. What is the cure window before foot traffic and before vehicles?
Two different numbers, and both should be given to you clearly.
10. What does maintenance look like for the finish you are recommending?
If the answer to this is nothing, ask again. Every finish asks something, and the stamped and colored options ask the most.
11. What does the schedule look like, and what moves it?
Weather should be in the answer. A contractor who guarantees a pour date regardless of conditions is telling you they will pour in conditions they should not.
12. What happens at the end?
There should be a final walkthrough before final payment, so concerns get addressed on site.
Frequently asked questions
Should I always get three quotes?
Getting more than one is sensible. Getting three that you cannot compare because none is itemized is not much better than getting one. The value is in comparing specifications, not just prices.
Is the cheapest quote ever the right choice?
It can be, if it specifies the same base, thickness, reinforcement and drainage work as the others. If it is materially cheaper and cannot answer those questions, you have found where the money was saved.
What should I look for in reviews?
Comments about communication and about how problems were handled tell you more than comments about the finished look. Every contractor has a good day. What matters is the bad one.
Should a contractor be licensed and insured?
Ask directly, and ask to see it rather than taking a yes. It is a reasonable question and nobody legitimate is offended by it.
What if a contractor will not put it in writing?
Then you have your answer, and it did not cost you anything to find out.
Every project starts with a site visit and a written, itemized scope of work sized by square footage. Base depth, compaction, slab thickness, reinforcement, joint layout, drainage work and permits each appear as their own line. No verbal ballparks, and no number quoted before anyone has seen the property.
Site visit first. Then a number you can hold us to.
We do not quote concrete over the phone, because a number given before anyone has seen the site is a number that changes.
You send the details
The form or a phone call, whichever you prefer. A team member follows up the same day.
We come look at it
Measurements, photos, drainage and grading assessment, and a conversation about finish options.
You get it in writing
A written, itemized scope of work sized by square footage. What is included, what is not, and what it costs.
Have a project in mind?
Tell us about the project and we will follow up to schedule a site visit. Every quote is written and itemized before any work begins.
Ready for a written, itemized quote?
Send the project details and we will follow up to schedule a site visit. No verbal ballparks, no pressure.