Frequently Asked Questions

Installed prices are what matter to a homeowner. HomeGuide's national guides list standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 a square foot and plain patios at $4 to $12, with stamped work running higher. Removal, grading, thickness and finish all move the total, so the measured written quote is the real number for your job.

Most residential concrete work is priced by the job or by the square foot, not by the hour, because the concrete, base, forms and crew all go into one number. Ask for an itemized written price so you can see what each part costs. Small repairs often carry a minimum charge; HomeGuide lists $300 to $700 as a common minimum for leveling.

Yes, with planning. We pour at first light, keep the pour to a size the crew can finish quickly, dampen the base so it does not draw water from the mix, and apply curing compound as soon as the surface is finished. Afternoon pours in July and August are what lead to weak, crazed surfaces.

In Tempe the usual causes are soil movement under the slab, water getting underneath, joints that were cut too far apart, and tree roots. Clay soils swell when wet and shrink as they dry, which shows up as cracks and lifted panels. We look at the pattern of the cracking before recommending a repair or a replacement.

If the work touches the curb, the driveway approach or the public sidewalk, Tempe lists it under the Paving (PV) permit for right-of-way work. Work set back on your own lot follows different rules. We confirm what applies to your address before we schedule.

Usually, yes, as long as the irrigation still works. Tempe asks flood-irrigated customers to keep their berms up, keep valves accessible and keep the pipes under driveways and walkways clear. We lay out new concrete so it leaves those in place and sheds water rather than holding it against the slab.

If the slab is sound but has settled or worn, leveling or resurfacing can cost much less. HomeGuide notes that cracks wider than about a quarter inch often point to deeper problems that will show through an overlay. Crumbling, deep spalling or panels that keep moving usually mean replacement.

HomeGuide says to wait at least seven days for cars and the full 28 to 30 days for heavy vehicles. We give you the dates for your slab in writing, based on the mix and the weather that week.

HomeGuide says a properly installed driveway lasts up to 30 years with basic maintenance and can pass 40 with good materials and care. The base, the joint layout and how well water is kept from under the slab decide where yours lands.

HomeGuide puts the minimum at 4 inches for standard vehicles and 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy traffic, with 6 to 8 inches at the edges. We go thicker where a trailer or work truck parks.

We rarely recommend it. New concrete over a cracked, settled slab tends to crack in the same places and raises the surface at the garage door. If the old slab is sound, resurfacing is the better way to change its look.

Work on the approach, curb or public sidewalk falls under Tempe's Paving (PV) permit for the right-of-way. We confirm the permit for your address and build it into the schedule.

HomeGuide says at least 7 days for cars and about 30 days for heavy vehicles. We give you the dates in writing.

HomeGuide says at least 4 inches for most residential patios and 6 inches with added reinforcement under a hot tub or outdoor kitchen. We match the thickness to what will sit on it.

Yes, if the old slab is in decent shape. We dowel the new concrete to it or separate the two with a joint. If the old slab has sunk or broken up, replacing it at the same time usually gives a better result.

Lighter colors and textured surfaces are more comfortable in direct sun than dark or smooth ones. Near a pool, a cool-deck style coating is the usual choice for bare feet.

HomeGuide gives 30 to 50 years for a concrete patio with regular maintenance. Good drainage and a well-compacted base matter most in Tempe's clay soils.

Usually because the soil under it moved. Arizona clay swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, and a pool deck is wet more often than almost any other slab. Missing or widely spaced joints and water getting under the edge make it worse.

If the concrete is sound and mostly level, yes. HomeGuide lists basic pool deck overlays at $3 to $6 a square foot. If sections have lifted or cracks are wider than about a quarter inch, those areas should be repaired or replaced first.

Light-colored, textured surfaces. Fixr notes that dark materials absorb heat and get very hot, while cool-deck coatings and heat-reflective finishes stay more comfortable.

It is usually the best time. The coping and tile are already being redone, the yard is already torn up, and a new deck can be sloped and jointed correctly from the start.

It can be if it is sealed with a glossy coat and no grit. We use textured patterns and add a slip-resistant additive to the sealer around pools and on slopes.

Color does soften over time in strong sun, especially if the sealer wears off. Integral color, lighter tones and resealing every 2 to 3 years keep it looking even.

If the slab is sound and mostly level, a stamped overlay can go over it. HomeGuide lists single-pattern overlays at $7 to $15 a square foot. A cracked or settled slab should be repaired or replaced first.

All concrete can crack. Planned joints placed along pattern lines give it a place to do so where it blends in, and a good base limits movement.

HomeGuide recommends 5 to 6 inches for RVs and heavy vehicles, with thicker edges. We add reinforcement and a well-compacted base.

Longer and wider than the RV, so the tongue jack and leveling jacks sit on concrete and you have room to open doors and slide-outs. We measure your rig and the side yard before setting the size.

If the curb, approach or public sidewalk changes, Tempe lists that under its Paving (PV) permit. A shed or workshop on the slab may need a building permit too. We confirm what your address needs.

HomeGuide says slabs can take light vehicles after 1 to 2 weeks and fully cure in 28 to 48 days. For a heavy RV we suggest waiting toward the longer end.

Repair usually costs less when the slab is sound. HomeGuide lists leveling at $3 to $12 a square foot against $6 to $15 for replacement. A slab that is crumbling or keeps moving is better replaced.

HomeGuide says 8 to 15 years before repairs are needed. It lasts longest on concrete that is not moving underneath.

Often, yes. If the deck is mostly level and the cracks are small, we repair the cracks and apply a new textured surface. Lifted or broken sections are replaced first.

If the slab keeps moving, yes. That is why we look at drainage and soil movement first. Flexible fillers handle normal heat expansion, but they cannot stop a slab that is still settling.