Frequently Asked Questions

It is the flatwork around a home: driveways, patios, private walks, public sidewalk squares, entry steps and landings, garage and shed floors, and repairs to any of them. The job covers breaking out old concrete, grading, base, forms, reinforcement, placing, finishing, jointing, curing and sealing.

For a plain 20' x 20' two-car driveway, HomeGuide's national figures come to roughly $2,400 to $6,000, which works out to $6 to $10 per square foot. Taking out an existing driveway adds $2 to $6 per square foot in the same guide. Your actual price comes in writing after we see the site.

The usual window is late spring into early fall. Cold-weather pours are possible with heated water, accelerating admixtures and insulated blankets, but new outdoor concrete holds up best when it has cured well before it meets freezing water and salt, so we aim to wrap up exterior work ahead of hard freezes.

Moisture works into the surface, freezes, swells and lifts off thin flakes. Salt makes the cycle worse. Mixes without enough entrained air, or surfaces finished with extra water, suffer most. An air-entrained mix, careful finishing, a full cure and a sealer all reduce it.

That depends on the municipality and on which part of the property the work touches. Curb cuts, aprons and public sidewalks usually sit in right of way controlled by the city, town or village. We look up the requirements for your address before we book the job.

Per HomeGuide's leveling guide, lifting suits slabs that have sunk but are still sound, while cracks over 1/4 inch wide, heavy spalling or badly deteriorated concrete point toward replacement. We judge the whole slab, then tell you which route fits.

HomeGuide lists 30 to 40 years for concrete driveways and 30 to 50 years for patios that are built and maintained properly. In a climate like ours, the base, drainage, mix and sealing decide where in that range a slab ends up.

HomeGuide sets 4 inches as the floor for passenger cars and 5 to 6 inches for heavier vehicles, with 6- to 8-inch edges. Where tires turn, at the apron and along the edges, we often go thicker.

We default to rebar on chairs because it stays at mid-depth and keeps cracks from opening. Mesh does little unless it ends up inside the concrete rather than trodden down into the base.

Rarely. An overlay on a failing slab tends to crack along the old cracks, and raising the surface creates problems at the garage door and the street. HomeGuide lists removal at $2 to $6 per square foot, and it is usually money well spent.

Work in the right of way, like the street apron or the public sidewalk crossing, often needs one from the city, town or village. We look up what applies at your address before scheduling.

Foot traffic is fine after a day or two; keep cars off for roughly a week, and heavy trucks longer. You get the dates for your specific pour.

HomeGuide gives 4 inches as standard and 6 inches, with extra reinforcement, under hot tubs and outdoor kitchens.

Both have a place. Concrete is a single surface that is easy to shovel and clean, with no gaps for weeds. Pavers can be pulled up and relaid if they move. We pour concrete and can walk you through the trade-offs for your yard.

HomeGuide estimates 30 to 50 years for a well-installed concrete patio that gets regular upkeep.

Often not directly on narrow city lots. We can wheel concrete in or use a pump, which affects the price, so we look at access during the estimate.

Any slab can. Joints hidden in the pattern lines, a solid base and reinforcement keep cracks where we plan them and keep them tight.

Every few years in most cases, and more often where de-icers or heavy traffic wear it down. A fresh coat also brings the color back.

We recommend against rock salt and chemical de-icers on stamped surfaces. Sand gives traction, and a plastic blade avoids scratching the sealer.

It can work, but driveways take salt, tires and plows. Many owners stamp only a border or the apron and leave the center broomed. We talk through the trade-off with you.

That is set by your city, town or village, and each has its own rules for repairs and snow clearing. We find out what applies at your address before pricing the work.

Yes. We cut back to clean joints, remove the bad squares and pour new ones that match the width and joint pattern of the existing walk.

Small chips and a few cracks can be patched. Steps that are tilted, pulling away from the house or crumbling all over are safer replaced.

Usually the next day for light foot traffic. Keep bikes, carts and cars off longer. We give you the timing for your job.

At least 4 inches, and thicker with thickened edges and reinforcement for vehicles and heavy equipment. HomeGuide prices 4-inch slabs at $6 to $8 and 6-inch slabs at $8 to $10 per square foot.

Often for a garage, sometimes for a shed, depending on size and the municipality. We check with your local building department.

Yes. The old floor is broken out and removed, the base is rebuilt, and the new slab is poured inside the building, usually working through the overhead door.

Sealing helps resist salt, oil and water, which matters in a climate where cars drip brine all winter.

Many can be cleaned out and sealed to keep water from getting in. A crack wider than 1/4 inch, or one with a raised side, usually signals a deeper problem where replacement may serve you better.

Both raise settled slabs. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 a square foot against $8 to $25 for polyjacking. Foam needs smaller holes and weighs less; slurry is cheaper. We recommend whichever suits your slab.

Light scaling on sound concrete can sometimes be resurfaced. When it covers most of the slab or goes deep, replacing the section usually lasts longer.

We match the finish and the joint layout, though new concrete starts out lighter than old and evens out over time.

HomeGuide's guide says professional leveling typically holds 5 to 10 years or more, and longer still when the drainage issue behind the settling gets fixed.