Questions to Ask Your Concrete Contractor

It is imperative to hire the right concrete contractor when it comes to the installation process and handling of a project. Concrete contractors lay the foundation of the project that begins from the pouring of concrete that will either become your new patio, sidewalk, or home. Choosing the right concrete contractor with the best experience will help bring your vision to life without any headaches.

Important Facts to Know About Concrete

For anyone looking forward to starting up a concrete based project, it is essential for them to hire a concrete contractor who understands the niches of working with the material.

  • Concrete is essentially an amalgamation of water, portland cement, and other aggregates.
  • Once concrete is poured, the hardening process has begun. It is now a race to smooth, trowel, and finish the project before the concrete sets.
  • Due to the changing of weather conditions, concrete cracks are inevitable, but adding stress joints can help to direct cracks and avoid destroying your concrete slab.
  • Pouring concrete is a labor intensive process, so it is crucial for the contractor to be equipped with the right tools and materials to get the job done efficiently..
  • It is best to pour concrete in temperate weather conditions, but if you need to pour in the middle of winter or height of summer, your concrete contractor should understand how to work within these conditions.
  • Concrete has a low tensile strength. It means that it is quite brittle in comparison to other materials like asphalt and can easily break under tension.

Questions to Ask the Contractor

Concrete is not an easy substance to work with. It is only after years of experience, proper certification, and acquiring of knowledge and skills that a person can pull off a task of leading a crew to successfully pour a large concrete slab.

Before finalizing the right team of concrete professionals and contractors to work with, it is important to ask them a few questions that are essential to the project and plan you want to accomplish. Some of the important questions to ask the contractors are:

  1. Ask them about the certificates they hold and their licenses
  2. What is their previous experience in this line of work. It is important to know about their skill sets and how much time and effort they are willing to put into the project. Asking for previous client’s references and past project photos is always a way to understand their expertise.
  3. Check if the styling options, the ideas, the working methodologies, and the schedule of the contractor matches your project.
  4. Discuss the time required to complete the project, quote of expenses, and ideas to economize the project before finalizing on the contractor.
  5. The client should be comfortable asking the contractor about how much information they have on the subject of concrete. The contractor should be skilled enough to know about the maintenance, restoration, and overall process of working with concrete.

Conclusion

Whether you building an addition to your home or a new patio, the concrete pour will be the most important task to check off your list. A highly qualified and experienced concrete contractor will help you knock this out of the park with out a headache.

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2 comments

Charlotte Fleet

Charlotte Fleet

My dad needs to hire a concrete contractor. I appreciate you suggesting to ask potential contractors about their licenses. I will make sure my dad inquires about licensing before he hires any contractors. https://www.kniferiver.com/all-locations/west-hawaii-concrete-kamuela

Taylor Hansen

Taylor Hansen

It’s good to know that you should ask the contractor about their styling options and their schedule. I need to hire out a concrete contractor since I need more concrete around the new mall that I’m building with my crew. I’ll have to ask these questions to potential contractors to see which one is the best for our job. http://saccardo.com.au/our-projects/

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