 Having a list of questions and a little prior knowledge will expedite the process of hiring a contractor or expert of any kind. If you’re planning a concrete driveway project, before you start calling around for quotes, plan out your questions to ask. Have an idea on criteria you feel the concrete contractor must meet beforehand to help prepare you for filtering through the information or sales pitches they offer you about their services. Check out the list of questions and criteria below to guide you in preparing for speaking to concrete contractors. Be Prepared And Confident Having the proper knowledge beforehand will make it easier to assess the level of competence or experience of the concrete driveway contractors. Have Options And Narrow The Field Compare the responses you get to your questions as you go through your list of candidates and narrow your choices. Speaking to several candidates will likely give you an even better grasp of the criteria you should be looking for, which makes for a more educated final round of phone calls with any additional questions for your top picks. Have Scheduling Options Concrete driveway contractors with the most experience and success may have busy schedules. So if they’re unavailable for the dates you want, consider being flexible and ask about alternate timelines before crossing them off your list. And definitely be suspicious of contractors with completely open availability and little to no upcoming projects. Factor In Drying Time For Your Deadline Keep in mind that whatever deadline you set for work to be complete, you still won’t have access to your driveway for at least one week. Many concrete driveway contractors recommend 2-4 weeks of drying time to ensure the strength and longevity of the driveway. Planning to host an important event at your home? Needing delivery of heavy appliances? Factor your plans into the project deadline by adding several weeks to the projected completion date. Find Out What Permitting Will Be Necessary Asking about permits that you will need is a great way to self-educate with the advice of professionals as you prepare to have your concrete driveway built. It’s also an excellent way to gauge the contractor’s experience. If he is unaware of the permitting process or expects to you to shoulder that responsibility, it may indicate inexperience or a lack of quality service. Be Prepared To Turn Down Upsells Adding finishing touches such as stamping or scoring patterns into your concrete driveway or having it stained can give concrete a decorative flair and increase the curb appeal of your property. However, these upsells may not be within your budget, so be prepared to ask for prices ahead of time and refuse extra services if funds are tight. Get Technical Cost Quotes A home visit from contractors as you collect quotes can give you a better sense of specifics if you don’t already know them. Gathering several opinions on what materials and specifications you will need can also help you narrow your choices. Have Written Contracts Make sure a written contract is a standard procedure for the contractor and ask about what typically goes into his contracts. Ask What Is Included In The Contract Contracts should be specific, technical and include cost and schedule to ensure a quality guarantee and clear expectations. This guide for helping decide between going DIY on concrete driveway projects or hiring a contractor points out that you should establish what thickness of pavement you desire and will need to be clear on the compaction of the subgrade and base before signing a contract. And this guide to concrete driveway construction basics can help you build more knowledge about specifics. Ask Questions To Test The Contractor's Knowledge And Skill Narrow your list by assessing how comfortable contractors are answering technical questions. An article from Angie’s List on hiring concrete driveway contractors recommends asking a potential contractor how they’ll ensure the prevention of the driveway cracking. Their response should mention joints for flexing and the amount of water used in their concrete mix. You can also ask them to explain the process they’ll go through before pouring the concrete (during which they should compact the soil and add a base material as a top layer) and how long the total project will take.
78 Comments
12/2/2020 03:06:16 am
You made a good point when you shared that it is important to ask the potential contractor some questions to test their knowledge and expertise in the area. My parents are planning to remodel their house soon and they are looking for a reliable contractor to help build their dream house that they have been designing a few years ago. I will suggest to them hiring the one that is experienced and reliable to do the work. 9/14/2021 06:06:37 am
If you’re a fan of decorative concrete such as stained concrete, exposed aggregate pebble pea concrete, driveway or patio pavers, and more, you can consult with us and we'll recommend a beautiful solution to brighten up any outdoor space. 1/4/2021 03:43:37 am
I appreciate that this post advised us to choose a concrete contractor that can offer the best prices as well as offering the best technical skill sets. My parents are planning to have their home renovated. I will definitely recommend my parents to hire experts to do their concrete work. 2/15/2021 10:38:44 am
It really helped when you said it's important to compare several contractors before choosing one. My wife and I want to do some renovations to our home, and we want to start with our backyard. We want to build a fountain, benches, and flowerbeds in our back garden. That's why we need to find a concrete contractor to help us out. We appreciate your tips on how to find the perfect expert for our renovation project. 2/23/2021 03:02:19 pm
My mom and dad want to have their driveway repaved and they need to hire a concrete contractor for the job. I like how you said that inquiring about the permits needed for the job is a great way to find out the contractors' experience. I will be sure to have my parents find out about any potential contractor's permits and qualifications before they decide to hire them. 3/30/2021 06:28:04 am
Excellent writing! We can take away a lot of important information from this article. Keep sharing great posts. 3/30/2021 01:20:03 pm
I'll be sure to narrow my choices but to be open to options when looking for a contractor. I need someone who will make my project perfect. They need to be able to fix up my patio and make the whole things look great. 3/30/2021 01:20:31 pm
I'm glad that you mentioned the importance of determining what permits will be needed for your project. My brother wants to install a concrete patio. Maybe he should find a concrete contractor that knows what steps need to be taken in order to properly install a patio. 4/1/2021 03:35:19 am
Good point. I was going to add that while you need to be careful when hiring a concrete contractor, you should also be willing to listen to the contractor. They likely have a fair bit of experience and can help direct your project toward success 4/1/2021 09:49:47 am
The facts that have been discussed here are really important. Thank you so much for sharing a great post. 4/26/2021 01:54:01 pm
I never took into account finding out what permits are necessary for preparing a concrete driveway. Part of my driveway is still dirt, so I think it would be great to have it paved. Thanks for the great tips for hiring a concrete conractor. 4/28/2021 03:21:07 pm
My sister has been thinking about getting some concrete for her driveway in order to be safer. She would really like to get the paving done by a professional to get it done sooner. I liked what you said about how she should plan for an extra week beyond what it takes to make it because it needs to dry. 5/5/2021 05:15:02 pm
It was really helpful when you said to ask about permits. My husband and I need to find a concrete contractor that can help us with site development in a couple of weeks, and we want to make sure that we can find the right one to hire. We'll make sure to keep these tips in mind as we search for a concrete contractor. 5/9/2021 01:04:51 pm
It is important to decide first what kind of project did you hire the contractor for? Then need to talk to multiple contractors before you make your choice to compare quotes and get the best price. 6/6/2021 08:08:21 pm
I just read your article on tips for hiring a concrete contractor and it's amazing. It really opened my eyes to the process that I've never thought about before! Thank you very much for this article, I never knew how long it would take to completely dry the road. I already had this problem, and after 1.5 weeks I started use the road, and after a while I had problems. It seemed that the job was not done right. Nobody told me that I need to wait any longer. 6/23/2021 11:32:50 pm
I do believe it is important to hire experienced contractors. It makes sense as they have the skills. I will remember to look at their skills. Thanks for pointing out that we should also have the knowledge beforehand to make it easier to find the best concert contractor in town. I will follow your advice now that I need their services to get concrete pumping work done. It's to have a constructed driveway since my car keeps getting stuck in the mud when it rains in our area. 10/13/2021 07:01:36 am
Thanks for posting such an awesome article. I really like your tone and definitely agree with the advice you gave in it (I'm a contractor myself). 10/14/2021 05:01:42 pm
I like your paving tips. My road has potholes. I'll have to have them filled in. 10/19/2021 07:46:50 am
I want to get some concrete floors installed, but I'm not sure how to put it together properly. It makes sense that I might want to get a professional to help me out with this. I'll be sure to find one that specializes in concrete. 10/20/2021 04:48:30 am
Running a small business is hard enough. Running one with no knowledge of how to hire a concrete contractor is even more difficult. It can be daunting and time consuming to try and figure out the best way to select the right contractor for your project. 11/17/2021 10:25:17 am
I want to get some nice concrete paths installed. It makes sense that working with a contractor would be beneficial! I can see how they would know how to install them properly. 11/29/2021 08:49:49 pm
I like how you mentioned that it is important to ask questions to your potential contractor to gather more information. My uncle mentioned to me last night that he is hoping to find a reliable concrete pumping service for their desired home and asked me if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article and I'll be sure to tell him that he can consult a well-known concrete pumping service as they can answer all their inquiries. 12/7/2021 09:07:51 pm
I'm glad that you talked about having the proper knowledge beforehand will make it easier to assess the level of competence or experience of the concrete driveway contractors. I'll make sure to gather more information about the contractors before I hire services. Thank you for the information about concrete contractors. 12/8/2021 10:59:39 pm
It really helped when you said that the contracts must be written to ensure that the contractor is following the standard. I can imagine how a commercial concrete pumping service should definitely be able to provide this. It will ensure that the company will be able to have its establishment built in the right manner creating a quality structure for a long time. 12/9/2021 10:28:11 pm
Thanks for the information that you should ask the professional on what the needed permits you will need as this is the best way to self-educate yourself when you are preparing for your concrete driveway to be built. My uncle shared with me that he is planning to re-designed their car parking area beside their home, but we don't have any idea to execute good finishing. He is hoping to find a trusted concrete contractor to do the remodeling project that can provide good quality service. 12/22/2021 01:32:38 am
It is a good point to gauge the contractor’s experience by asking about the permitting process because if it turns out that they are unaware of the permits, it may indicate inexperience. Our house needs concrete kerbing to protect it from soil erosion. I'll take note of your tips so I can hire a perfect contractor to do the concrete kerbing in our home. 1/5/2022 03:01:35 pm
Concrete driveway contractors with the most experience and success may have busy schedules. 1/19/2022 07:04:36 am
I never knew that Prepare yourself for filtering through the information or sales pitches they present you about their services by having a list of criteria you believe the concrete contractor must satisfy. I never thought that it would be like this, I'll share this with my aunt. Thank you for the information about concrete contractors. 1/24/2022 10:56:08 pm
I love that you talked about the importance of asking questions to others to prevent making mistakes. My brother told me that he is hoping to find a reliable contractor that can repair their driveway because of cracks, he asked if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this very helpful article, I'll be sure to tell him that it will be much better if we consult a trusted concrete driveway service as they can answer all our concerns. 1/25/2022 01:00:23 pm
Thank you for explaining that you'll need to have two to four weeks of drying time to ensure the strength and durability of your driveway. This is really good to know because we're getting our driveway redone soon and we've been wondering how long it should cure. We'll be sure to keep this in mind and plan out everything so we can give it all the time it needs. 1/25/2022 04:40:36 pm
If you’re planning a concrete driveway project, before you start calling around for quotes, plan out several questions to ask. Thank you for taking the time to write a great post! 1/28/2022 02:02:11 pm
It’s also a good idea to decide on criteria you feel the concrete contractor must meet beforehand to help prepare you for filtering through the information or sales pitches they offer you about their services. 2/27/2022 03:02:11 pm
The strength and longevity of the driveway. Planning to host an important event at your home? Thank you for the beautiful post! 3/4/2022 09:37:17 pm
It really helped when you said that it is important to ask questions to gather information about the service that you want. My father remarked to me last night that a friend of his is searching for a concrete pumping service for an upcoming project and asked if I had any suggestions on what the best course of action would be. Because of this instructive article, I'll be sure to tell her that she can consult a well-known commercial concrete contractor, who can answer all of his questions. 3/11/2022 09:56:22 pm
I appreciate that you explained the importance of planning your schedule to prevent shortcomings for the service. My uncle mentioned to me last night that he is planning to have an aggregate non-slip poolside paving for my cousin to enjoy the summer with safety and asked if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article and I'll be sure to tell him that he can consult trusted concrete contractor services as they can answer all his inquiries and will surely provide durable and versatile concretes. 3/25/2022 04:35:33 pm
I like what you said about adding finishing touches to scoring patterns. I need to get an asphalt contractor to redo my driveway. It has a huge crack down the middle. 4/21/2022 04:02:47 pm
Your concrete driveway or having it stained can give concrete a decorative flair and increase the curb appeal of your property. Thank you for making this such an awesome post! 5/7/2022 04:09:05 pm
Have an idea on criteria you feel the concrete contractor must meet beforehand to help prepare you for filtering through the information or sales pitches they offer you about their services. Thank you, amazing post! 5/31/2022 11:13:47 am
I like the thing you said about adding last little details to scoring designs. I really want to get a <a href="https://progresspavingpa.com/">asphalt</a> worker for hire to re-try my carport. It has an immense break down the center. 6/18/2022 01:56:10 am
Wonderfully explained .. Almost covered everything in a single article.. Keep up the good work.. i really appreciate your efforts.. 7/4/2022 07:34:58 am
Great website. Plenty of helpful info here. I’m sending it to some pals and additionally sharing in delicious. And of course, thank you in your effort! 7/8/2022 02:09:06 pm
Enterprise resource planning is the integrated management of main business processes and it can help to run your entire business, including finance, HR, manufacturing, and more. 7/29/2022 08:22:28 pm
I will must share this blog and the information I found here really has no value in money but more than it. Thanks for this nice effort which you put here in the shape of this post. 8/28/2022 11:24:23 am
Thank you for the insightful article! Definitely going to share this to the people facing issues with their water heater 8/29/2022 07:57:37 am
Great blog! This is going to be helpful to the people that needs assistance choosing the right professional to do the hard work for them! 9/9/2022 04:11:48 pm
You will need is a great way to self-educate with the advice of professionals as you prepare to have your concrete driveway built. Thank you for sharing your great post! 10/18/2022 05:34:30 pm
I love what you said about the stamping patterns in the concrete. I have an intricate design that I want preserved. I'll have to hire a contractor who has experience with stamping patterns. 12/13/2022 01:10:46 pm
Adding finishing touches such as stamping or scoring patterns into your concrete driveway or having it stained can give concrete a decorative flair and increase the curb appeal of your property. I’m so thankful for your helpful post! 12/15/2022 12:48:50 am
Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the next one! 12/18/2022 10:28:40 pm
When you're looking to hire a contractor or expert of any kind, it's always helpful to have a list of questions ready to ask. This will help you narrow down your choices and find the best fit for the job. Additionally, having a little bit of prior knowledge about the subject matter will also help speed up the process. By doing your research ahead of time, you can be sure that you're making the best possible decision for your needs. 12/27/2022 01:19:31 pm
I want to have a concrete extension added to my driveway in January once the holidays end. It was helpful when you talked about how it is a good idea to speak to several candidates when you are trying to hire a concrete contractor. It seems like it would be a good idea to ask the candidates about why they think they would be a better option than their competitors. 12/28/2022 03:32:43 pm
This guide for helping decide between going Diy on concrete driveway projects or hiring a contractor points out that you should establish what thickness of pavement you desire and will need to be clear on the compaction, I truly appreciate your great post! 1/9/2023 01:50:04 pm
It's good to know that they need to have a written contract. My husband told me last night about how he needs to get ready mix concrete delivered at his construction site next week, so he wants to make sure he finds the right contractor to work with. I'll pass this information along to him so he can know how to find a good concrete contractor! 1/12/2023 05:34:58 am
I've been looking for a contractor to undertake concrete work at my house, but before I came here, I wasn't sure how to choose one. It's nice that you suggested carefully examining a possible contractor's qualifications and expertise in concrete construction to ensure they would perform the task well. This advice appears to be quite useful. This will be taken into account while I search for a concrete service provider. Thanks. 1/19/2023 12:26:03 pm
Thanks for sharing this post, it is very helpful article. 1/20/2023 09:09:29 pm
It helped when you said that implementing a proper scheduling could help provide a proper foundation process for your project. My uncle told me a couple of days ago that he was looking for a solution to repair the cracks and misalignments in their basement. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to consider. I'm thankful for this enlightening article. I'll tell him he can consult a well-known foundation contractor as they can provide more information about the repair process. 2/20/2023 09:35:46 am
Thanks for posting. Looking forward to the next one! 2/20/2023 01:05:41 pm
Thanks for posting. I just shared it on my FB and Instagram. 2/20/2023 02:35:16 pm
Smart! Thanks for sharing this with everyone. Share more pls! 3/6/2023 07:33:29 pm
Picking the right contractor is the most important part to each concrete service needed! Great article. 3/25/2023 09:56:29 am
Asking the right questions is key! Good article for people looking to hire out a concrete contractor. 3/26/2023 09:42:33 pm
I will definitely visit this site again because I learned a lot and got very helpful information from your blog. Thanks for sharing. 3/26/2023 09:46:12 pm
This is the third time I visited in this blog. keep posting such stuff. Thanks a lot for the information. 3/29/2023 02:22:57 am
Those tips are so helpful. Will definitely apply them when I need to hire a concrete contractor. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorThe author is an entrepreneur and freelance digital nomad based in Bangkok. Archives
August 2020
Categories |
RSS Feed