Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's concrete driveway cost guide gives a national range of $6 to $15 per square foot installed. For a 20 by 20 foot two-car drive, its figure is $2,400 to $6,000. Tear-out, grading on a slope, extra thickness and decorative finishes push the number up. Your real price comes in writing once we have measured.

Ready-mix prices vary by plant, mix design and order size, and short loads often carry a surcharge, so we quote finished work by the square foot instead of by the yard. As a rule of thumb, HomeGuide's slab guide says one cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches thick. Our quote rolls concrete, stone, labor and finishing into one figure.

Inside city limits, the City of Gastonia issues driveway permits for the apron, meaning the stretch inside the street right-of-way, and its Engineering Division takes questions. The private section outside the right-of-way does not need one, according to the city. Outside Gastonia, your town or the county sets the rules, and we check them before we book the job.

The phrase usually refers to a cheap substitute for a poured slab, most often compacted crushed stone (crusher run) or a lean mix with little cement. Packed stone works fine for a rough parking spot or path, and it is exactly what we put under real concrete. It never gives you a hard, cleanable surface, though, and on red clay it can rut after heavy rain.

Walking on it is usually fine after one to two days. Plan on roughly a week before cars, and longer for heavy pickups, trailers or RVs. Concrete keeps getting stronger for several weeks, and heat or cold shifts the schedule, so we give you actual dates after your pour.

Not entirely. Concrete shrinks as it cures and the soil under it moves, so some cracks are expected. Joints placed at the right spacing give those cracks a straight, planned place to form. A compacted base, the right thickness, steel and a careful cure keep them tight and keep the slab flat.

For most outdoor concrete in Gastonia, yes. A penetrating or film-forming sealer cuts down on water soaking into the surface, which means less freeze-thaw damage, fewer stains and less mildew during humid summers. HomeGuide's driveway guide lists sealing at $1 to $3 per square foot. Stamped and colored surfaces benefit the most.

HomeGuide's guide recommends a minimum of 4 inches for ordinary passenger vehicles and 5 to 6 inches where RVs or heavier vehicles park, plus thicker edges. Let us know about any work truck, camper or boat trailer so we can size the slab and steel to suit.

Only when the old slab is sound, flat and well supported, and a driveway that needs work rarely is. An overlay on cracked or sunken concrete inherits the same cracks and raises the surface at the garage and the curb. In most cases we break it out.

Concrete costs more at the start, but it stays firm in July heat and asks for less upkeep than asphalt. On a steep drive, a broomed concrete surface also grips well. Concrete is the only material we pour, so that is the option we can price.

Within Gastonia city limits, the apron inside the street right-of-way needs a city driveway permit, and the Engineering Division answers questions about it. We confirm the requirements before scheduling. Outside the city, we check with your town or the county.

HomeGuide's patio cost guide puts a plain 20 by 20 foot concrete patio at $1,600 to $4,800 nationally, and $3,200 to $12,000 for the same size stamped or stained. Slope, excavation and access all move the price, so we put a figure in writing after visiting the yard.

A poured slab has no seams for weeds and ants and usually costs less than pavers for the same area. Pavers have the advantage that single pieces can be pulled up and reset. If you like the paver look, stamped concrete gives you a similar pattern in one piece.

Four inches handles foot traffic and patio furniture. A hot tub, outdoor kitchen or heavy fire feature needs a thicker section with steel under it.

Not if it is built properly. We pitch the slab away from the house, keep it below the siding and foundation vents, and check where downspouts drain before the pour.

The pattern itself has grip, but a glossy sealer can be slippery when wet. On walks, steps and pool decks we blend a grit additive into the sealer.

Every two to three years for most surfaces. Full-sun patios, pool decks and anything driven on may need it sooner. Faded color, or water that soaks in rather than beading, means it is time.

Like any concrete, it can. Packed stone underneath, steel and joints hidden in the pattern keep cracks small and where they blend in.

The old slab cannot be stamped itself, but a stamped overlay can be applied over concrete that is still sound. If the patio is cracked, sunken or holds water, replacing it is the better route.

Four feet is typical for a front walk and lets two people pass side by side. Side paths can be three feet. If a mower, cart or wheelchair will use the path, mention it so we can size it.

That depends on whether it sits on your lot or in the city right-of-way. Gastonia requires an encroachment agreement for construction in its right-of-way, so we contact the Engineering Division before working on any public walk.

For a small lip, grinding removes the trip hazard for a while. If a root is still pushing or the panel is broken, the lip returns, and replacing the panel is the permanent fix.

Fresh concrete looks lighter at first and darkens as it weathers. We match the texture and joint spacing so the new section fits in, and a light tint can narrow the color gap.

Most sheds sit fine on 4 inches of concrete over packed stone. For a large shed, or one that will hold a riding mower or ATV, we add steel and thicken the edges.

That turns on what the slab supports and which town or county you live in. Garages, additions and larger buildings usually go through building inspections. We call the office that covers your address before we pour.

Light framing can often begin within a few days, but concrete keeps gaining strength for about four weeks. Hold off on heavy machinery and loads until then. We set dates based on the mix and the weather.

Yes, if the garage will be enclosed and you want to limit moisture. It also helps if you plan to coat or seal the floor later on.

Frequently, yes. When the slab is in one or two big pieces, mudjacking or polyjacking can bring it back to level. HomeGuide's mudjacking guide lists $4 to $9 per square foot for mudjacking and $8 to $25 for polyjacking. Slabs broken into many pieces are better replaced.

Mudjacking pumps a cement grout and costs less. Foam weighs much less, needs smaller holes and sets fast. On clay that stays wet, the lighter weight of foam can help. We recommend one once we have seen the slab.

Only when the cracks are small and the slab is not moving. A resurfacing layer is thin, so wide cracks and shifting panels show through again. HomeGuide's resurfacing guide says a resurfaced slab lasts about 8 to 15 years on a sound base.

Driveway and walk cracks usually do not. Cracks in a slab floor or foundation wider than about a quarter inch, or cracks that keep growing, can mean structural movement, and a structural engineer should see them before any repair.

When the slab is level, well supported and only worn or cracked on top, a repair costs far less than new concrete. When it has sunk, broken into pieces or lost its base, a repair will not hold.