Frequently Asked Questions

It is a catch-all term for what a concrete contractor does. On a house it usually means flatwork: driveways, patios, walks, steps, and garage or shed floors. It also covers decorative work such as stamping and coloring, and repairs like crack sealing, raising sunken slabs and full tear-out and replacement. Some firms add foundations, walls or commercial paving. Our focus is residential flatwork and its repair.

It is a nickname for low-cost substitutes for a poured slab, most often compacted crushed rock or recycled concrete, and now and then dirt mixed with bagged cement. They are cheaper on day one, but you do not get a smooth, sealed surface that carries weight, and in a freeze-thaw climate they rut, wash out and get tracked into the house. Under a shed or a spare parking spot that can be a fair short-term choice. For a driveway or patio you plan to keep, air-entrained concrete on a proper base lasts far longer.

In HomeGuide's national driveway guide, a 20 by 20 foot two-car driveway runs $2,400 to $6,000 and a 24 by 24 foot one runs $3,500 to $8,600. Tearing out an old driveway adds about $2 to $6 per square foot. Access, thickness and grading change the local price, so we quote after we measure.

In northeast Iowa most exterior pours happen between spring thaw and late fall, while the ground is unfrozen and nights stay warm enough for the slab to cure. A late-fall pour can work with insulated blankets and the right mix, but concrete never goes onto frozen ground. We schedule around the forecast.

Hairline cracks and a slab that dropped in one piece can often be sealed or raised. Replacement makes more sense when the surface has scaled badly, the slab has broken into many pieces, it tips toward the house, or the ground under it has washed away. Since nearly half of Waterloo's homes predate 1960, much of the old concrete in town is past the point where patching pays. We will tell you which case you are in.

In Waterloo, the Building Department says private driveways, walks and patios need no building permit, while public sidewalks and driveway approaches in the right-of-way need a permit from City Engineering. Other Cedar Valley towns set their own rules. We check the requirements for your address before scheduling.

HomeGuide's driveway guide gives 24 to 48 hours before foot traffic, at least 7 days before light vehicles, and about 30 days for a full cure before heavy vehicles. We also wait out that month before sealing. Cold weather slows curing, so fall pours may need longer.

HomeGuide's driveway guide says a concrete driveway can last up to 30 years with basic care and 40 or more with good materials, professional installation and steady upkeep. Here, the base, the entrained air, the joints and how you treat it in winter make most of the difference.

An overlay usually inherits the cracks and sinking of the slab underneath, and the added height causes trouble at the garage door and the street. In most cases the right move is to remove the old drive and rebuild the base.

Both keep cracks from opening wide. A rebar grid is stiffer and better under heavy loads. Mesh is fine for lighter use if it is held up in the slab rather than left on the ground. We suggest one based on what you park.

Heavy salting adds to freeze-thaw damage, and de-icers with ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate eat into concrete directly. Use as little de-icer as you can, use sand for grip, and keep the surface sealed, especially the first winter.

HomeGuide's two-car examples are 20 and 24 feet wide. We size yours to the garage door, your vehicles and the lot, and to any approach width rule your city has.

Four inches is the usual thickness for a patio that carries people and furniture. Under a hot tub, outdoor kitchen or heavy planters we go thicker and add reinforcement. We match thickness to the load.

Concrete costs less for a plain finish, is one solid surface and has no joints for weeds. Pavers can be lifted and reset if they settle. Stamped concrete gives a paver look on a single slab. We can walk you through the trade-offs for your yard.

Yes, if the ground is not frozen and the forecast allows the slab to cure. We use blankets and plan around cold nights. Concrete is never placed on frozen ground.

Sweep it, clean grease and leaf stains early, keep de-icing salt off it, and reseal every few years. Check that downspouts still drain away from the slab.

Fixr's comparison shows basic stamped concrete costing less than pavers, while mid-range and high-end stamped designs cost more. Stamped concrete has fewer joints for weeds; pavers can be lifted and reset if the ground moves.

All concrete can crack. Control joints, a good base and air-entrained concrete keep cracks in planned places, and we try to hide joints in the pattern's grout lines.

Most stamped surfaces need resealing every few years, sooner on areas with heavy traffic or sun. Fresh sealer brings the color back and keeps water and salt out.

Sealer can make it slick when wet. We add an anti-slip grit to the sealer on walks, steps and pool areas.

Stamping is done on fresh concrete. An existing slab in good shape can sometimes get a stamped overlay, but cracked or sunken slabs should be replaced first.

In Waterloo it is the abutting property owner, under Ordinance 5622; the city pays for corners, alleys and other public property. Other Cedar Valley towns set their own rules, and we look them up for your address.

Yes. We cut out the damaged squares, fix the base and pour new ones that meet the existing walk. New concrete will be lighter in color at first.

Precast steps that have settled as one unit can sometimes be lifted and reset on a new base. HomeGuide lists precast steps at $100 to $350 per step and poured steps at $200 to $500. Cracked or crumbling steps should be replaced.

HomeGuide prices sidewalks using a 4-foot width, which lets two people pass. Public sidewalks must match what the city sets. Private walks can be sized to suit the house.

HomeGuide says most two-car garage floors are 4 to 6 inches thick. Shops with heavy equipment or a vehicle lift need more. The building plans and permit set the minimum.

It depends on the town and the size of the shed. Small sheds are often exempt, larger ones are not. We check the rules for your address before we pour.

Often, yes. If the walls and their footings are sound, we break out the old floor, rebuild the base and pour a new slab inside the walls.

For garages, shops and any slab that will be coated or enclosed, a vapor barrier under the slab is a good idea. It cuts ground moisture coming up through the floor.

Both raise sunken slabs. Mudjacking costs less per square foot. Foam uses smaller holes, weighs less and cures quickly, but HomeGuide lists it at roughly double the price. The right choice depends on the slab and the soil.

A thin overlay can cover light scaling on a sound slab. If the slab is cracked, sunken or scaling badly, an overlay will not hold and replacement is the better spend.

Repeating cracks usually point to water under the slab, a weak base or missing control joints. Sealing a crack without fixing the cause only buys time.

New concrete is lighter at first and blends in over time. Where matching matters, replacing a whole panel or section looks better than a patch.

Seal cracks and joints in late summer or fall before freeze-thaw season. Leveling and replacement are done when the ground is not frozen.