Frequently Asked Questions

Homeowners usually pay for concrete installed by the square foot rather than by the yard, because labor, base work and finishing make up a large part of the price. HomeGuide puts installed slabs at about $6 to $12 per square foot nationally and notes one cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches thick. Ready-mix prices change with the supplier and the size of the load, so we price your job as a finished installed number.

Get two or three written, itemized quotes and compare what each one includes: tear-out, base, thickness, reinforcement, joints, finish and sealing. Ask how the contractor handles rain on pour day and how long you need to stay off the new slab. Ask for license details and check them with the state or county. A quote that is far below the others usually leaves something out.

It depends on the job and the local rules. Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses construction contractors in several categories, and it notes that registered contractors can only work in the places they registered, while certified contractors can work statewide. Counties and cities can add their own requirements. Ask any contractor for license information and confirm it before you sign.

HomeGuide says a well-built concrete driveway lasts about 30 years with basic care, and 40 or more with premium materials and steady maintenance. With the city's median home built around 1992, many original driveways are now at that age. Good drainage, sealing and quick crack repair help a driveway last longer.

The drier months from about November through April are the easiest to schedule. Concrete can be poured in summer, but Wikipedia's climate table shows June through October each bring between about 6.8 and 8.7 inches of rain, so we pour early and keep covers ready.

In many Pembroke Pines communities, yes. Associations often control driveway width, color, finish and patio size. We give you the details your board needs and schedule the work once you have approval.

HomeGuide's resurfacing guide treats cracks narrower than 1/4 inch and light surface wear as repairable, and recommends replacement for large cracks, crumbling, spalling or structural problems. We look at the whole slab and tell you which side of that line it is on.

HomeGuide's national range for a standard two-car driveway of 24 by 24 feet is about $3,500 to $8,600. Removing the old driveway adds roughly $2 to $6 per square foot. We give you a written total after measuring.

HomeGuide says to wait at least 7 days for cars and the full 28 to 30 day cure for heavy vehicles. Foot traffic is usually fine after 24 to 48 hours.

Pouring new concrete on top of a failing slab carries the old cracks and settling into the new surface and raises the height at the garage and street. We almost always remove the old driveway first.

Driveway work, especially at the street or in the swale, often needs one. We check the rules for your address and your HOA and tell you what is required before we schedule.

Sealing helps resist oil stains, mildew and water. HomeGuide lists sealing at $1 to $3 per square foot. We tell you when the slab has cured enough to seal.

HomeGuide's national range for a plain 16 by 16 foot patio is about $1,000 to $3,100, and $1,600 to $4,800 for 20 by 20 feet. Stamped or stained finishes cost more.

Usually, yes, as long as the enclosure footing and the new slab are planned together. We look at how the enclosure is attached before we quote.

Choose a broom or exposed aggregate finish instead of a smooth trowel finish, and keep mildew in check with sealing and regular rinsing.

Not exactly. New concrete starts lighter and weathers over time. A stain or resurfacing can help blend old and new sections.

HomeGuide's national figures run from $8 to $13 per square foot for basic stamped work up to $26 or more for high-end designs. For a 12 by 12 foot patio, the guide lists about $1,150 to $2,750.

Every 2 to 3 years, according to HomeGuide. With the sun and rain here, it pays to stick to that.

A smooth pattern under a glossy sealer gets slick when wet. Textured patterns and a fine grit mixed into the sealer give much better footing, and we use both on walks and pool areas.

HomeGuide lists 7 to 10 days. You can usually walk on it sooner, and we give you specific dates for furniture and sealing.

Yes. Stamped borders, a band at the street or a stamped walkway off a broom-finished driveway are common and cost less than stamping the whole surface.

Light-colored concrete with a textured coating stays cooler than dark or smooth surfaces. HomeGuide notes that cool-deck coatings help lower surface temperatures and are non-slip.

If the slab is level and mostly sound, yes. HomeGuide puts resurfacing at $3 to $12 per square foot. Deep cracks, broken sections or major settling call for replacement.

Usually not during demolition and the pour. We tell you how long to stay off the deck and when the area is safe.

The deck and pool beam move differently. Without a flexible joint between them, or when that joint fails, cracks form along the coping. Resealing the joint is often part of the repair.

HomeGuide describes shed foundations as about 4 inches thick. Heavy workshops or sheds holding equipment may need more, along with thickened edges.

HomeGuide's national range is about $600 to $1,200. Small jobs can carry a minimum charge, so it is worth adding other small pads to the same visit.

HomeGuide says one cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches thick.

Yes. We pour to the size and location your generator installer specifies, so the gas, electrical and clearance work lines up.

HomeGuide treats cracks under 1/4 inch and minor flaking as repairable, and large cracks, crumbling, spalling or structural problems as reasons to replace. We look at the whole slab before recommending either.

HomeGuide says mudjacking lasts about 5 to 7 years with good drainage, and polyjacking often lasts longer. Fixing the water problem that caused the settling matters most.

Roof runoff from downspouts often washes soil out from under the slab there. Leveling plus moving or extending the downspout usually solves it.

Not exactly at first. New concrete and repair material are lighter in color, and they blend in somewhat over time. Resurfacing the whole area gives a uniform look.

Often, yes, by cutting out and repouring the raised section or grinding down the edge. Tree and root work on public or HOA property may need permission first, so we check before starting.