Whether you’ve noticed cracks in your foundation, need a brand-new driveway poured, or are looking to refresh the waterproofing on your patio, make sure you do your research before you get started!
Aside from the quality of the work, there are many factors that can make or break your project. Here’s how to start your search.
Concrete Installation and Repair in Texas
You can’t beat local expertise — especially for a project that needs to stand up to local weather conditions. Particularly in the Austin, TX area, we experience hot, dry weather with extended heatwaves. This can impact your concrete — unusually hot weather may cause rapid drying which leads to cracking, unevenness, and less structural integrity.
If you are choosing between a local contractor or a large company, ensure they understand the unique constraints of your specific environment and ask them how experienced they are in your area.
In addition, here’s what else to ask:
What to Know Before You Hire a Residential Concrete Repair Company
1. Are you licensed and insured?
This is the first question you should ask — and if the answer is no, strike them from your list. Licensing ensures basic qualifications are met — in short, this denotes competency. And insurance is key to protecting you from financial and legal risks.
2. Do you have examples of past projects?
This question also helps you suss out the qualifications of potential contractors. Do they have a portfolio that includes similar work with good results? That’s a good sign. While not every website includes extensive project photos, contractors should be able to discuss past projects that are similar to yours.
3. What’s included in the quote?
Be sure you know what the quote covers — for instance, does your project require demolition and removal of previous concrete? Make sure it’s included in the quote, and get written or email records to ensure you and the contractor are on the same page throughout your entire concrete project.
4. How long will the project take?
When beginning your search, be sure to ask how long the project will take and the steps in their process. This can help you understand the scope of your project, as well as the level of detail a concrete contractor provides. If three contractors say the project will take a week, but one says it will just be 48 hours, ask follow-up questions to understand why.
5. Is there potential for this type of project to cause damage to other areas?
Particularly when leveling a foundation, it’s wise to find out in advance if leaving one area could exacerbate or cause damage in another area as the foundation has settled over time. If you are seeing damage and distribution (cracks that spread away from the initial damage), call a professional to assess your whole structure.
We offer Deep Foamjection, which gets to the root of the problem and is a comprehensive solution, vs just repairing cracks as they appear. Learn more about our foundation leveling services here.
7. Do you offer a warranty?
For confidence and peace of mind, ask about the warranty options each contractor offers. A longer, more comprehensive warranty speaks volumes — it says that a contractor believes in their craftsmanship and stands behind their work.
9. How will you handle expansions and control joints?
In flatwork, adding expansion and control joints is important to prevent cracking and uneven areas as concrete contracts and expands with temperature and moisture changes. Ask your contractor how they plan ahead for this, and how Austin, Texas’s local weather affects their choices.
10. Does my project need rebar added to my concrete?
Rebar can increase the strength of concrete, and can be extremely useful where concrete must hold up to heavy traffic — like in a driveway. Find out if your project requires extra strength and how it affects the cost.
11. What is the permitting process like in Austin and surrounding areas?
Depending on your project, you may or may not need a permit. If you do, there’s many steps to go through — so you’ll want to know how involved you need to be. Luckily, for all of our work, we handle the application and permitting process, so you don’t have to stress.
12. Who will manage the project?
Again, finding this out ahead of time is important. For small projects that can be completed in a day or two, having one singular point of contact is nice, but not necessary. However, if your project is longer-term, you’ll want to work with someone who can streamline the process and provide clear, efficient communication. Ask this to find out if you’ll be hearing from someone on site, or if there will be an administrator that handles your communication.
13. What’s your lead time for starting the project?
Last but not least, find out what the lead time is! This tells you two things:
- If your schedule is compatible with the contractor’s and
- How popular their services are. A good contractor will be busy, so a few weeks or more shouldn’t scare you away. It means they do quality work and are in demand!
Next Steps for Hiring a Concrete Contractor in Austin, TX
Once you’ve started your research, plan to talk to a few companies to get a well-rounded perspective on your project. After doing that, you can plan to have site visits if necessary to get thorough and complete estimates.
Once you sign, your contractor will be in touch to lay out the process and how the job will proceed.
If you are in need of concrete service in Austin, TX, including foundation leveling, self-leveling concrete installation, restoration and repair, or waterproofing, get in touch with us here at Apex Concrete. We are local experts that service Austin, San Antonio, and other areas in Texas.
