Frequently Asked Questions

We have not found a reliable Colorado-only figure, so we use national guides. HomeGuide lists standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 per square foot, plain patios at $4 to $12, sidewalks at $7 to $17, and 4-inch slabs at $6 to $8. Stamped and decorative finishes run higher. Tear-out, grading and access change the total, so your real number comes once we have seen the yard.

People use the phrase for cheaper surfaces that are not true poured concrete, such as compacted road base or crusher fines, or soil mixed with a little cement. These can work for a footpath or a spot to park a trailer. They do not hold up like a reinforced concrete slab under cars, and they rut and wash out over time. If budget is the concern, we can price a smaller concrete area or a plain broom finish instead of a decorative one.

We are residential concrete contractors. Most of our work is driveways, patios, walks, garage and shed slabs, and repairs at homes in Pueblo and nearby towns.

Winter days often warm above freezing and nights drop into the teens, so moisture near the surface goes through dozens of freeze and thaw cycles each winter. Concrete made without entrained air, finished with extra water, or not cured properly loses its top layer first. De-icing salts on a weak surface make it worse.

It depends on where you live and what you are building. City of Pueblo permits now go through the Southern Colorado Building Department, and unincorporated areas like Pueblo West go through the Pueblo County Building Division. Work that touches the street, curb or public sidewalk can have its own rules. We check what applies to your address before we schedule.

Yes, on the right days. Spring and fall are easiest, and we pour through much of the year. In summer we start at first light and keep new concrete wet under curing blankets or a sprinkle of water. In winter we wait for ground that is not frozen and a forecast that lets the slab gain strength before a hard freeze.

If the slab is mostly sound, with hairline cracks or one sunken panel, repair or leveling is usually cheaper. If it is broken into pieces, badly scaled across the whole surface, or sitting on a washed-out base, replacement is the better buy. We price both when both make sense.

At least 4 inches for cars, per HomeGuide, and 5 to 6 inches if you park a heavy truck, RV or trailer. We thicken the edges either way.

Not as a new driveway. Pouring over cracked concrete copies the cracks into the new layer. If the old slab is sound, a thin resurfacing may be an option, which we cover on our repair page.

A week for an everyday car, according to HomeGuide, and about a month for anything heavy like an RV or a work truck. Your slab's dates are written down for you on pour day.

Yes. We can remove an old asphalt driveway and replace it with concrete.

Yes, after about a month of curing and again every two to three years. It helps keep water and salt out of the surface.

Bigger than you think. A table for six with chairs needs roughly a 12-by-12-foot area on its own. We lay it out with you at the estimate.

Light gray or light colored concrete with a textured finish stays cooler than dark or glossy surfaces. Shade helps most of all.

Often it needs a thicker slab under the tub. Tell us the tub's filled weight and we will plan for it.

Yes, though if the old patio is cracked or sinking, replacing it so the whole surface matches is usually the better choice.

It can be when it is wet or icy and sealed with a glossy finish. We add grit to the sealer on walks, steps and pool areas.

Every two to three years in most cases. Strong sun and foot traffic wear the sealer, and fresh sealer keeps the color rich.

All concrete can crack. Control joints, many of them hidden in the pattern, help cracks form where they are least visible.

Not directly, but a stamped overlay can be applied to sound concrete. If the patio is broken or sinking, it should be replaced first.

Yes. We cut out the damaged panels at the joints and pour new ones. The new concrete will look lighter than the old at first.

It depends on your city or county, and the rules can differ from your private walk. We check with the office that covers your address.

We look at whether a root can be trimmed without harming the tree, or whether the walk should curve around it. We talk it through with you first.

Many homeowners choose 4 feet so two people can walk side by side. We match it to your entry and yard.

Four inches is common for a typical shed. Larger buildings or ones that hold a mower or ATV may need thicker concrete or thickened edges.

It depends on the size, what goes on it and where you live. We check with the Southern Colorado Building Department or the Pueblo County Building Division, depending on your address.

Usually yes. We break out the floor inside the walls and pour a new one, after checking how the walls are supported.

Give the slab about a week before a light shed and longer for a heavy one. We give you a date for your pad.

If the concrete under the flaking is still hard, resurfacing can give it a new top. If the damage goes deep, replacement is the better choice.

Often, if the panel is in one piece and the ground under it has stopped moving. HomeGuide puts most leveling at 5 to 10 years or more of life.

Filled cracks will show. Repairs are about keeping water out and stopping damage, not hiding every line.

Wide cracks, or cracks where one edge has risen above the other, usually mean the base or soil is moving. We check before recommending a fix.

Yes. Describe it on the phone and we can usually say if it needs a visit.