Arming yourself with a list of questions and a little prior knowledge goes a long way when hiring a driveway contractor.
If you’re planning a concrete driveway project, before you start calling around for quotes, plan out several questions to ask. It’s also a good idea to decide on criteria you feel the concrete contractor must meet beforehand.
Check out the list of questions and criteria below to guide you in speaking with concrete contractors.
1. Be prepared and confident
The more confident and knowledgeable you are, the easier it will be to assess the competence of the concrete driveway contractors.
2. Find several 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 give you a better grasp of the criteria to look for, making for a more educated final round of calls.
3. Have several 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 before crossing them off your list. And definitely be suspicious of contractors with completely open availability and little to no upcoming projects.
4. 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.
5. Ask what permitting will be necessary
Asking about permits that you’ll need is a great way to self-educate 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 it, it may indicate inexperience or a lack of quality service.
6. Be prepared to turn down upsells
Adding finishing touches such as staining, stamping, or scoring patterns into your concrete driveway or having can give it a decorative flair and increase your curb appeal. However, these upsells may not be within your budget, so ask for prices ahead of time and refuse extra services if funds are tight.
7. Just get cost quotes, get technical
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.
8. Make sure projects come with written contracts
Make sure a written contract is a standard procedure for the contractor and ask about what typically goes into his contracts.
9. 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 points out that you should establish what thickness of pavement you desire and that you’ll 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.
10. Ask questions to test the contractor’s knowledge and skill
Narrow your list by assessing how comfortable contractors are answering technical questions. We recommend 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.
