Frequently Asked Questions

Get two or three written quotes for the same scope and compare the details, not just the total. Each quote should state slab thickness, base depth, reinforcement, the mix (air-entrained for outdoor work), joint layout, finish and who handles permits. Ask how the contractor will deal with the public sidewalk if the job touches it, and whether your home is in a City Historic District. A contractor who can explain why your old concrete failed is a good sign.

Most residential concrete is priced by the square foot installed rather than by the hour. HomeGuide's national driveway guide lists standard concrete at $6 to $10 a square foot, with labor running $3 to $7 and materials $3 to $8 of that. Tear-out, grading, thickness and finish all add to it, so the measured written quote is the number that counts.

Plant prices change and vary by supplier, so call a local ready-mix plant for today's rate. As a national reference, HomeGuide's concrete price guide lists ready-mix at $119 to $147 per cubic yard delivered within 20 miles, with short loads under 10 yards adding about $53 a yard. One yard covers roughly 81 square feet at 4 inches thick, so most small residential jobs are short loads.

Yes. A single stoop, a few sidewalk panels, an AC pad or a short gangway path are normal jobs for us. HomeGuide notes small projects cost more per square foot, because delivery minimums, setup and haul-off are the same whether the slab is big or small, so we price those honestly on the quote.

In the City of St. Louis the owner is responsible, but the Street Department's 50-50 Sidewalk Program splits the cost with eligible owners, and the city pays 100 percent for slabs damaged by a City tree between the street and the sidewalk. Request an inspection through the Citizens' Service Bureau at (314) 622-4800. Rebuilding it yourself instead requires a sidewalk permit and is not reimbursed.

It depends on the work and where you live. Owner-paid sidewalk work in the city needs a Street Department sidewalk permit, and in a City Historic District the Cultural Resources Office reviews on-premise sidewalks and drives. For other work we confirm requirements with the city's Permit Section at (314) 622-3313 or with your suburb before scheduling.

That is scaling. Water in the top layer freezes and expands, and St. Louis winters swing across freezing again and again, so the surface breaks down a little each time. Salt and de-icers speed it up, and slabs poured without entrained air are the most at risk. Light scaling on a solid slab can be resurfaced; deep scaling across most of it usually means replacement.

HomeGuide's driveway guide says foot traffic is usually fine after 24 to 48 hours, cars after at least 7 days, and heavy vehicles should wait for the full cure of about 28 to 30 days. We give you dates for your slab based on the mix and the weather that week.

HomeGuide gives 30 to 40 years for a well-built, maintained concrete driveway. In St. Louis the base, the air content of the mix, regular sealing and the de-icer you use decide where a driveway lands in that range.

HomeGuide lists concrete at about $6 to $14 or more per square foot and asphalt at $5 to $12, with concrete lasting 30 to 40 years against 15 to 30 for asphalt. Concrete costs a bit more up front and less over its life for most homeowners.

We rarely recommend it. New concrete laid over a cracked or sunken slab picks up the same cracks and settling, and it raises the surface at the garage and the street. Removing the old drive and rebuilding the base is the dependable approach.

In the City of St. Louis, reconstructing the public sidewalk at your own expense needs a Street Department sidewalk permit, listed at $25 for residential property. We confirm any other city or suburban requirements for your address before scheduling.

HomeGuide says at least 7 days for cars and roughly 28 to 30 days for heavy vehicles. We write the dates down for you.

HomeGuide's patio guide says 30 to 50 years with regular maintenance. Good drainage and periodic sealing matter most in a freeze-thaw climate like ours.

Four inches on a compacted stone base is standard. HomeGuide recommends 6 inches with added reinforcement under heavy loads such as a hot tub or outdoor kitchen.

Yes. On city lots we often pour the patio and a walk to the garage or gate in the same job, so the levels and joints line up.

It depends on where you live and the size and location of the slab. In a City Historic District, the Cultural Resources Office reviews exterior work. We confirm requirements for your address before scheduling.

All concrete cracks somewhere. Stamped slabs get control joints like any other, and we place them along pattern lines so the cracks follow the design.

Sealed stamped concrete is slicker when wet than broom-finished concrete. A textured pattern and anti-slip grit in the sealer help on steps, walks and pool areas.

Every few years on most patios and more often on busy paths. When water stops beading or the color looks flat, it is time.

If it is solid and level, a stamped overlay may work. HomeGuide lists overlays at $7 to $15 a square foot for one pattern. A slab that has sunk or cracked through should be replaced.

In a City Historic District the Cultural Resources Office reviews exterior work, including on-premise walks and drives, against the district's standards. We check before choosing a pattern and color.

Owners are responsible for their sidewalks, but the 50-50 Sidewalk Program splits the cost with eligible owners, and the city pays 100 percent for slabs damaged by a City tree between the street and walk. Request an inspection through the Citizens' Service Bureau at (314) 622-4800.

The city says the wait can be long and depends on funds in your ward and the number of requests. If you need it done sooner, owner-paid work with a $25 residential sidewalk permit is an option, but it is not reimbursed.

HomeGuide lists step repair at $300 to $800 for cracks or small sections. Steps that have sunk, pulled away from the house or have uneven risers are usually better replaced.

Often, if the panels are in one piece. HomeGuide lists mudjacking a 100-square-foot sidewalk at $400 to $900. Our repair and leveling page has more detail.

HomeGuide's slab guide describes most two-car garage floors as reinforced concrete 4 to 6 inches thick. We add depth where trucks or heavy equipment park and under walls.

Usually. We break out the old floor, rebuild the base and pour inside the building. If the walls or sill plate are rotted, we point it out before work begins.

HomeGuide says shed slabs are usually about 4 inches thick without reinforcement. For larger sheds or soft soil we often add mesh to keep cracks tight.

HomeGuide's slab guide says foot traffic after 1 to 2 days, driving after 1 to 2 weeks, and full cure in 28 to 48 days. We give you dates for your slab.

Both lift slabs. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 a square foot and polyjacking at $8 to $25, with foam often lasting longest and needing smaller holes. Mudjacking is the lower-cost choice for many walks and patios.

HomeGuide says 5 to 10 years or more depending on method and soil, with mudjacking typically 5 to 7. Fixing the drainage that caused the sinking makes the biggest difference.

If the slab is level and solid, resurfacing can give it a new surface; HomeGuide says it typically lasts 8 to 15 years. Deep scaling over most of the slab, or wide cracks, usually means replacement.

HomeGuide points to cracks wider than 1/4 inch, heavy spalling and severe deterioration as signs replacement is the better choice. Replacement runs about $6 to $15 a square foot in its guide.