Frequently Asked Questions

Get two or three written bids and read past the total. Check that each states slab thickness, base preparation, reinforcement, joint layout, finish and who handles permits and HOA approval. Ask how the bidder will keep storm water from running under the new slab. A contractor who can explain why your old concrete failed is more likely to avoid repeating it.

It depends on the job. Wellington's Permit & Plat Checklist requires an engineering permit to connect to public right-of-way or drainage, including a driveway connection to a Village road, and a public works permit for a connection to an Acme Improvement District facility. We confirm what your address and project need and build it into the schedule.

HomeGuide's national guide lists standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 a square foot installed, and $2,400 to $6,000 for a 400-square-foot two-car drive. Removing an old driveway adds $2 to $6 a square foot. Local prices vary, so the measured, written quote is your number.

Most often the base lost support. Water from the roof or lawn runs along the slab and carries sand out from underneath, or the fill was never compacted well. A panel that is still in one piece can often be lifted; one broken into several pieces usually needs replacing along with the base under it.

Yes. We schedule early starts, watch the radar and keep covers on hand in case a storm arrives before the surface has set. Rain on concrete that has already set is not a problem; rain during finishing is, so timing matters more than the month.

Many Wellington communities have an HOA that reviews driveway widths, colors and finishes. Rules differ by community, so check your documents or ask your management company. We can provide a written scope, the finish and a color sample for the application.

Walking is usually fine after a day or two. HomeGuide says to wait at least 7 days for cars and the full 28 to 30 day cure for heavy vehicles. We give you dates for your slab.

Both are common in Wellington. Concrete is one continuous slab with no joints for weeds or ants, and it can be stamped or colored. Pavers can be lifted and reset one at a time. Price both for the same area and compare the base work each includes.

HomeGuide's guide gives 30 to 40 years for a well-built, maintained concrete driveway. In Wellington, the base, the drainage around it and regular sealing decide where in that range it lands.

HomeGuide puts the minimum at 4 inches for cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs and heavy vehicles, with thicker edges. We add depth where a trailer or truck parks and at the apron.

If the work connects to Village right-of-way, Wellington's checklist calls for a General Site Work engineering permit; a connection to an Acme facility needs a public works permit. We confirm the requirements for your address, including any HOA approval.

We rarely recommend it. An overlay on a cracked, sunken driveway inherits the same problems and raises the surface at the garage. If the old slab is sound and level, resurfacing is a lighter option we can price.

HomeGuide says at least 7 days for cars and the full 28 to 30 day cure for heavy vehicles. We give you exact dates.

If the slab is sound and level, yes. HomeGuide lists pool deck overlays at $3 to $6 a square foot for basic and $6 to $12 for decorative finishes. Broken or badly settled decks should be replaced, because cracks come back through a topping.

Broom, spray texture and exposed aggregate all grip well when wet. Stamped decks need a slip-resistant additive in the sealer. Smooth troweled concrete is a poor choice around a pool.

The soil next to the pool shell is backfill, and if it was not compacted well it settles over time. That pulls the deck down at the coping and sends cracks outward. Lifting or replacement both start with fixing the support.

Often it can, with the water protected from debris. On a full remodel the pool contractor may want it drained. We plan that with you and the pool contractor.

HomeGuide's patio guide says a properly installed concrete patio lasts 30 to 50 years with regular maintenance. Here, drainage and keeping the base from washing out matter most.

Most residential patios are 4 inches thick. HomeGuide recommends 6 inches with added reinforcement for hot tubs or outdoor kitchens.

Yes. We dowel the new section into the old slab and match the height at the joint. The color will differ at first unless the whole area gets a new finish.

Many Wellington HOAs review additions that change the lot or its appearance. Check your community rules; we can provide a scope and finish sample for the application.

All concrete cracks somewhere. Stamped slabs get control joints like plain ones, and we cut them along pattern lines so the cracks follow the design.

Sealed stamped concrete is slicker when wet than a broom finish. A textured pattern plus a slip-resistant additive in the sealer makes a real difference on pool decks and steps.

Every few years on most surfaces, sooner in full sun or heavy traffic. Color that looks flat, or water soaking in instead of beading, means it is due.

Stamped concrete is one slab with no sand joints to wash out or weed. Pavers can be lifted and reset one at a time. Price both for the same space and compare the base work each includes.

HomeGuide's slab guide says most two-car garage floors are reinforced concrete 4 to 6 inches thick. We add depth where heavy vehicles park.

A heavy broom or grooved texture that gives hooves grip, with a pitch to a drain or the outside. Smooth troweled concrete gets slick when wet and is a poor choice for horses.

HomeGuide says shed slabs are usually about 4 inches thick and do not typically need reinforcement. For large sheds or soft ground we often add mesh.

Framing can often start within days, but concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks. HomeGuide's slab guide puts full cure at 28 to 48 days. We give you timing for your project.

HomeGuide's leveling guide says professionally leveled concrete lasts 5 to 10 years or more, with mudjacking typically 5 to 7. Fixing the water that washed out the base is what makes it last.

If the cracks are hairline and the slab is level, yes. HomeGuide lists driveway resurfacing at $3 to $5 a square foot. Wide, offset cracks usually mean the base has failed, and those sections should be replaced.

New concrete and toppings start lighter than weathered concrete and blend over time. Resurfacing the whole slab gives an even color if that matters to you or your HOA.

Foam is lighter, needs smaller holes and often lasts longer, but costs more: HomeGuide lists $8 to $25 a square foot versus $4 to $9 for mudjacking. We recommend one based on the slab and the soil under it.