Concrete for the places you live, drive and work in Fort Dodge, IA

It can still get a hairline crack, but a packed base and well-placed joints make it far less likely to break up like an old, sinking driveway. We dig out and pack the base instead of raking dirt level, and we cut the control joints on time so cracks land where we chose. When I come out, I'll look at why your old one failed.

Usually, yes, because we set the patio to fall away from the house so rain runs toward the yard instead. Before we build forms, we check where water runs across your lot now, since a slab that tips toward the house sends water straight to the foundation. If the ground around it sits low, that's something I can only judge on site, so I'll walk it with you at the estimate.

For walks, steps and anywhere people hurry, I'd pick a broom finish for the grip. Stamped concrete suits a patio where looks matter more, and it usually costs more and needs resealing now and then to keep its color. I'll go over both at the estimate so you can decide with the price of each in front of you.

Mostly you just need to clear the way. Move cars, planters and anything stored along the side of the house, and tell us about sprinkler lines or anything buried you know of, because the truck and our crew need a clear path to the forms. If the truck can't reach the spot, we'll work out at the estimate how we'll get the concrete there.

Not when the conditions would hurt the slab. I'll tell you plainly when a job should wait for better pouring weather, even if that means a later start, because concrete poured in the wrong conditions, like midday heat, can end up with a weak, dusty top later on. We'd rather move the date than rush a pour.

You can walk on it well before you can drive on it, and I'll give you the days for both on pour day, because they depend on the mix and that week's weather. The concrete is still curing and gaining strength in that time, so keep cars, trailers and heavy loads off. Driving on it early is one of the easiest ways to crack a new slab.

It depends on where the concrete goes, so before we start we work out with the City of Fort Dodge which office handles your project. Digging in the public right of way, the city's strip along the street, for a sidewalk or the end of a driveway needs a permit from the city's Engineering Department, and driveway questions go there too. If a permit is needed, we take care of the application or help you with yours.

Most do. The state requires construction contractors who earn at least $2,000 a year from construction to register with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. The city also has general contractors register each year for $50.00, with a $10,000 surety bond to the city and proof of state registration, so it's fair to ask anyone you're comparing about both.