Questions to Ask a Concrete Contractor Before Hiring

Do not use one national insurance limit, license rule, or bonding threshold as a universal pass-fail test. The appropriate requirements depend on the jurisdiction, project, contract, property, and risk. Ask your insurer, licensing authority, permit office, or qualified adviser when the answer affects legal or financial protection.

• What dimensions, elevations, slopes, transitions, edges, penetrations, and limits are included?
• What will be removed, hauled, retained, protected, or restored?
• How will soil and existing support be evaluated, prepared, and accepted?
• Is an aggregate or stabilized layer included, and what material, compacted depth, purpose, and acceptance method are specified?
• How will surface and subsurface water be directed to an acceptable outlet?
• What thickness basis, reinforcement where specified, concrete requirements, exposure provisions, and testing apply?
• What joint layout, method, depth, timing, and cutting responsibility are included?
• What finish standard, sample, curing method, weather protection, and use restrictions apply?
• Who obtains permits, locates utilities, schedules inspections, and supplies required documents?
• Which items are allowances, owner responsibilities, alternates, or exclusions?

The correct base, slab, mixture, and joint details are project-specific. A contractor should explain the basis for the proposed system rather than reciting one standard depth or strength for every property.

• Is the price fixed, estimated, unit-priced, or dependent on allowances?
• Which taxes, delivery charges, minimums, permits, testing, disposal, access, cleanup, and restoration are included?
• What site conditions could change the price, and how will they be documented?
• What payment events correspond to completed, observable work?
• Do state or local rules limit deposits, require notices, or provide cancellation rights?
• Who may approve a change, and must price and schedule effects be signed before the changed work begins?
• What documentation, lien releases where appropriate, inspection approvals, and closeout items are required before final payment?

Do not pay the entire contract amount upfront. Deposit and progress-payment rules vary, so check the applicable law instead of relying on a universal percentage. Keep every payment, allowance, and change tied to the written agreement.

• What are the estimated start, placement, jointing, curing, inspection, and completion windows?
• Which weather or site conditions can delay work?
• Who is the day-to-day contact and who can make project decisions?
• How will delays, rejected materials, concealed conditions, damage, and complaints be documented?
• What access, parking, water, power, storage, pets, landscaping, and neighbor coordination does the owner provide?

Communication speed by itself does not prove quality. Look for accurate records, clear responsibility, and timely notice when the project changes.

• What workmanship and product terms are included, for how long, and who provides each one?
• What cracking, color variation, settlement, drainage, deicer use, maintenance, or owner action is excluded?
• How is a claim submitted, inspected, accepted, denied, or corrected?
• What written curing, use, cleaning, product, and maintenance instructions will be delivered?
• Which permits, inspection records, delivery tickets, test results, product information, photographs, and releases belong in closeout?

There is no universal workmanship term or sealing schedule for every concrete project. Compare the written coverage, exclusions, remedy, and maintenance conditions instead of warranty length alone.