How Do I Find The Right Contractor To Install My Driveway?

A concrete driveway provides both curb appeal and longevity, but a skilled, experienced concrete contractor must have it built to stand the test of time. Homeowners will quickly discover a host of local driveway contractors looking to rebuild an existing concrete driveway or to start from scratch.

Below are four signs you’ve found a true professional to install your concrete driveway project.

Get a concrete driveway quote 

Most driveway contractors will give a simple quote over the phone, but the first phase of a concrete company before any project starts should be a detailed inspection of your house, the current driveway or the area that you want to use for the new concrete pad.

Concrete passageways can crack

Cement driveways are notorious for cracking, and quite soon after they’ve been poured. Trained driveway installers have a clear understanding of what causes such cracks, and can also provide guidance about how to stop them. Second, the contractor should understand the workings of water and how it affects the concrete. The more water in the mix, the weaker the concrete becomes, as it shrinks when this content dries out. Using only the required quantity of water means less reduction and less risk of cracks.

The contractor also needs to consider the function of check joints in concrete to avoid cracks. The depth of the concrete pour must be these joints, with their usual distance apart found by multiplying the concrete thickness by a factor of two or three. For example, a 5-inch version requires joints every 10 or 15 metres. Such joints allow it to flex the material without cracking. Any long, unbroken stretch of concrete, if not before, can crack during the first winter.

Ask about the construction of a concrete driveway

 Adding a driveway is not as easy as pouring concrete and letting it dry. To ensure that the concrete driveway is the test of time, your contractor will begin by compacting the soil and then applying tightly packed crush material to the surface. Sometimes even looser aggregate is laid down and compacted again to provide a solid foundation of uniform size.

Of power, some cities need stainless steel rebar grids, and many contractors recommend them for stability. It should be scheduled to start to finish the concrete pour itself and take place on a warm, sunny day. When it rains or the ground is frozen, no qualified contractor would consider doing a pour.

Explore possible issues with driveways 

Tell your driveway contractor what he or she would do in case of a crisis. Your prospective installer will begin by giving you good advice on how to prevent problems. Only concrete can’t withstand infinite weight, for example, and anything one ton or more would definitely cause a crack.

A professional driveway contractor also promises work for a given period of time, or by the width of any cracks that arise. Always sure that you have a written confirmation, and ask for references. Check explicitly for situations in which the contractor was needed to do follow-up research, as it is important to speak to other homeowners and learn about their experiences. Please check Angie’s list before you recruit for accounts from other members.

Installing a new concrete driveway is a task that calls for precision, patience and skill. Through asking the correct questions, and carefully evaluating the skills of a contractor, you will stop amateurs and reap the advantages of hiring a true professional.