Frequently Asked Questions

Get two or three written quotes and compare what they include, not just the total. Each one should state slab thickness, base depth, air-entrained concrete, reinforcement, joint layout and who handles the city permit. Ask the contractor to explain why your old concrete failed; someone who can answer that is less likely to repeat the mistake.

Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs lists concrete as one of the trades covered by its maintenance and alteration contractor license, and the trades a contractor is qualified for are printed on the license. For public sidewalk work in Flint, the city's permit form says replacing more than three squares requires a licensed sidewalk contractor. Ask any contractor to show the license that covers the work you are hiring them for.

HomeGuide's national price guide lists delivered ready-mix at $119 to $147 per cubic yard, with short loads under 10 yards running about $172 a yard after fees. It gives no Michigan-specific figures. For a finished driveway or patio, the per-square-foot price matters more, because labor, base stone and removal make up most of the cost.

With most Flint homes built before 1960, ask how the crew will handle tree roots, an old slab of unknown thickness and a stoop that has pulled away from the house. Ask whether soft soil will be dug out and replaced with compacted stone, and whether that is priced on its own line. Vague answers about the base are a warning sign.

HomeGuide's driveway guide lists standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 a square foot installed nationally, or $2,400 to $6,000 for a 20 by 20 foot two-car drive. Removing an old driveway adds $2 to $6 a square foot. Your measured, written quote is the actual price.

Under Section 42-47 of the city code, the Director of Transportation can repair an unsafe sidewalk or approach and charge the cost to the owner or occupant. Owners can replace up to three squares themselves; more than three requires a licensed sidewalk contractor, and the work needs a permit from the Street Maintenance Division at (810) 766-7343.

That flaking is called scaling. Water in the top layer freezes and expands, and salt adds more freeze-thaw cycles and keeps the surface wet. Older Flint concrete often has no entrained air, so it scales faster. Light scaling on a sound slab can be resurfaced; deep scaling across most of the surface usually means replacement.

Yes, as long as the concrete does not freeze before it gains strength. That takes a stretch of nights above freezing and sometimes insulated blankets over the slab. Once the ground is frozen, waiting for spring is usually the better choice.

HomeGuide's guide says a concrete driveway can last up to 30 years with basic maintenance and 40 or more with quality materials, installation and care. In Flint, the base, air content of the mix, sealing and your choice of de-icer decide where in that range it ends up.

At least 4 inches for cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy vehicles, per HomeGuide, with thicker edges. We add depth at the approach, where plows and turning tires put the most load on the slab.

We rarely recommend it. New concrete over a cracked, settled driveway picks up the same cracks and settling, and it raises the surface at the garage door and the street. Removing the old slab and rebuilding the base is the dependable route.

Work that reaches the public sidewalk, approach or curb is permitted through the Street Maintenance Division at (810) 766-7343. Requirements for the private part of the driveway vary by city and township, so we confirm what your address needs before scheduling.

HomeGuide says to wait at least 7 days for cars and about 30 days for heavy vehicles. We give you specific dates based on your pour and the weather that week.

HomeGuide gives 30 to 50 years for plain, stained and stamped concrete patios with regular maintenance. A drained base and air-entrained mix make the biggest difference in a Michigan climate.

HomeGuide says 4 inches is standard for a residential patio, and 6 inches with extra reinforcement for hot tubs or outdoor kitchens.

Only if the old slab is sound, level and drains the right way, which is rare for an original Flint patio. In most cases we remove it so we can fix the base and slope.

Late spring through early fall, when nights stay above freezing. Booking in winter or early spring gets you on the schedule before the busy season.

Yes, when it has a drained base, air-entrained concrete and a maintained sealer. The pattern itself is durable; most problems come from skipping resealing or using harsh de-icers.

Sealed stamped concrete can be slick when wet or icy. We can add a slip-resistant additive to the sealer, and we recommend textured patterns for steps and entries.

Every few years in most cases, and sooner on entries and walks that get de-icer. When water stops beading on the surface, it is time.

Small cracks can be sealed and tinted to blend in, but matching color and pattern on a replaced section is difficult. That is why the base and joint layout get so much attention at the start.

The city's permit form, citing Ordinance 42-48, says a property owner may replace up to three squares. More than three requires a licensed sidewalk contractor. Either way, call the Street Maintenance Division at (810) 766-7343 about the permit.

Under Section 42-47 of the Flint code, when the Director of Transportation repairs an unsafe sidewalk or approach, the cost is charged to the owner, agent or occupant and can be assessed against the property.

HomeGuide says most concrete walks are 4 to 6 inches thick. We go thicker where the walk crosses a driveway and takes vehicle loads.

Sometimes. If the steps are in one piece and structurally sound, mudjacking or foam lifting can bring them back up. If they are cracked through or pulling away from the house, replacement is the better fix.

Usually, yes. If the walls sit on their own footings or curb, we break out the old floor and pour a new one inside them. Rotted sill plates or leaning walls need attention first.

HomeGuide says 4 to 6 inches for a two-car garage floor. We use the thicker end for trucks and heavier loads.

New garages generally require a building permit, and rules vary by city and township around Flint. We confirm the requirements for your address before work starts.

HomeGuide's slab guide says a slab is ready for driving in about 1 to 2 weeks and fully cured in 28 to 48 days. We give you a date based on your slab and the weather.

HomeGuide's leveling guide puts leveling at $3 to $12 per square foot versus $6 to $15 for replacement, so leveling is usually cheaper when the slab is structurally sound. Badly cracked or crumbling slabs are better replaced.

HomeGuide says mudjacking typically lasts 5 to 7 years with good drainage, and professionally leveled concrete in general lasts 5 to 10 years or more. Foam tends to last longest.

If the scaling is shallow and the slab is solid, resurfacing can restore the surface. If scaling is deep across most of the slab or the concrete is crumbling, replacement is the better choice.

Yes. Sealed cracks keep water from getting under the slab and freezing, which is what turns small cracks into big ones over a Flint winter.