Frequently Asked Questions

Get two or three written bids and compare what they include, not just the total. Each should state slab thickness, base depth, air-entrained concrete, reinforcement, joint layout and who pulls the permit. Ask the bidder why your current slab failed. Someone who can point to drainage, clay or a thin base is more likely to build the new one so it lasts.

Ask each one the same questions: how deep the stone base will be, whether the mix is air-entrained, where the joints go and when you can drive on it. Ask whether removal and hauling are included and whether the permit is in the price. Vague answers on the base are a warning sign, because that is where most Taylor slabs fail.

Usually, yes. The City of Taylor's permits page lists concrete or asphalt work, patios, driveways and approaches, and public sidewalks and service walks among the jobs that need a permit, and recommends calling the Building Department at 734-287-6550 before starting. We confirm the permit for your job and include it in the schedule.

HomeGuide's national cost guide lists standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 a square foot installed and $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. Local prices vary, so the written quote after we measure is the real number.

Water is usually the cause. Runoff from the roof and drive collects at the low point by the garage, soaks the clay under the slab, and washes out or softens the base. The slab then drops and holds a puddle, which makes it worse. A new base, a proper pitch and downspouts pointed away from the drive stop the cycle.

That is scaling. Water in the top layer freezes and expands, and rock salt increases the number of freeze-thaw cycles and keeps the surface wet. Older slabs poured without entrained air are the most vulnerable. Light scaling on a sound slab can be resurfaced; deep scaling over most of the surface usually means replacement.

Yes, as long as the concrete does not freeze before it gains strength. We need nights above freezing in the forecast and may cover the slab with insulated blankets. Once the ground freezes, waiting for spring is usually the better choice.

Light foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two. HomeGuide recommends at least 7 days before driving on a new driveway and about 30 days before heavy vehicles. We give you dates in writing based on your slab and the weather that week.

HomeGuide's cost table lists 30 to 40 years for a well-built, maintained concrete driveway. On Taylor's clay soils, the base, drainage and regular sealing decide where in that range a driveway ends up.

HomeGuide recommends at least 4 inches for cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy use, with thicker edges. We add depth at the approach and wherever a heavier vehicle parks.

We rarely recommend it. New concrete over a cracked, sunken slab inherits its problems and raises the surface at the garage and the street. Removing the old drive and rebuilding the base is the reliable route.

The city's permits page lists driveway and approach work and concrete work among jobs that need a permit. The zoning review fee is waived when existing concrete is removed and replaced. We take care of the permit.

Usually, yes. We dowel the new section into the existing slab or replace the whole drive, depending on its condition, and confirm the layout with the city as part of the permit.

HomeGuide's patio guide gives 30 to 50 years for plain, stained or stamped concrete patios with regular maintenance. Drainage and resealing matter most in a freeze-thaw climate.

HomeGuide lists 4 inches as the minimum for a standard residential patio and 6 inches with extra reinforcement under hot tubs or outdoor kitchens. Both sit on a compacted stone base.

The City of Taylor's permits page lists patios among the work that requires a permit. We confirm it with the Building Department and include it in the schedule.

Yes. Pouring them together means one base, one drainage plan and matching finishes, and it usually costs less than doing them separately.

Any concrete slab will crack somewhere as it shrinks and moves. We cut control joints along pattern lines so those cracks land where the design hides them.

A sealed pattern has less grip than broom-finished concrete when wet. Choosing a textured pattern and mixing anti-slip grit into the sealer makes a real difference on steps and walkways.

Most patios need it every two to three years, high-traffic paths sooner. When water soaks in and darkens the surface instead of beading, it is time.

Only if it is level and structurally sound, using a bonded overlay. HomeGuide lists single-pattern overlays at $7 to $15 a square foot. A sunken or cracked slab should be replaced.

It depends on what you value. Stamped concrete is one piece with no joints to weed or units to shift; pavers can be lifted and reset individually. We are happy to price the stamped option so you can compare it against a paver bid.

The City of Taylor lists public sidewalk and service walk work among jobs that need a permit. We confirm the requirement with the Building Department and file it for you.

HomeGuide's steps guide puts typical step repair at $300 to $800 for cracks and 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 goes into more detail.

HomeGuide says most concrete walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick. Any section that crosses a driveway should match the driveway's thickness.

Usually, yes. We remove the old slab in sections and pour a new floor while the walls stay up, checking the bearing points as we go. A garage with rotted sill plates or failing walls may need repairs first.

HomeGuide's slab guide says two-car garage floors are typically 4 to 6 inches of reinforced concrete. We go thicker where heavy trucks or equipment will sit.

The City of Taylor lists sheds and concrete work among projects that need a permit. We confirm the details for your lot with the Building Department.

HomeGuide lists 1 to 2 weeks before driving on a new slab and 28 to 48 days for a full cure. We give you specific dates based on the mix and weather.

Usually. HomeGuide puts concrete leveling at $3 to $12 a square foot on average against $6 to $15 for replacement. It only works when the slab is still in one piece.

HomeGuide gives 5 to 7 years for mudjacking with proper drainage maintenance and 5 to 10 years or more for professionally leveled concrete overall. Stopping the water that caused the sinking is what stretches that number.

If the slab is level and solid and the damage is near the surface, resurfacing can work. Deep crumbling, wide cracks or a slab that has moved usually means replacement.

Yes. We cut the failed panel out along its joints, rebuild the base, and pour a new one doweled to the panels around it. It will be lighter in color at first.