Frequently Asked Questions

Get two or three written bids and compare what is inside them, not only the total. Each should state slab thickness, base depth, air-entrained concrete, reinforcement, joint layout and who handles any right-of-way permit. Ask each bidder why your current slab failed; a clear answer is a good sign the new one will not fail the same way.

Ready-mix suppliers deliver concrete; they do not dig out the old slab, build the base, set forms or finish the surface. For a small pad, a confident homeowner can manage a short delivery. For a driveway, patio or anything in the public right-of-way, the prep, finishing and permits are where most of the value is, and that is the contractor's job.

Inside city limits, the Barrett Law 50/50 Cost-Share program splits the cost of replacing residential sidewalks, yard walks, drive approaches and curbs in the right-of-way. The City estimates about $550 to $600 per 5-by-5-foot sidewalk square, half paid by the owner. The City's contractor does that work; call the Right-of-Way Office at 260-427-6155 to petition.

In Fort Wayne, an access permit is required to build, remodel or relocate a driveway approach onto a public street, and the residential fee is $50. A Right-of-Way Inspector checks the forms and grade before the pour. Work on the private part of the driveway is handled differently, so we confirm what your address needs.

HomeGuide's national guide lists standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 per square foot installed, or $2,400 to $6,000 for a 20-by-20-foot two-car drive. Removing an old driveway adds about $2 to $6 per square foot. Local conditions change the number, so the measured, written quote is the real price.

That flaking is called scaling. Water in the top layer freezes and expands, and salt adds more freeze-thaw cycles and keeps the surface wet. Slabs without entrained air, slabs finished while water was on the surface and slabs salted in their first winter are the most likely to scale.

Often, yes. If the panel is still in one piece, leveling by mudjacking or foam injection can lift it back into line. HomeGuide puts mudjacking at $4 to $9 per square foot and says leveled concrete typically lasts 5 to 10 years or more, so it is best when the slab itself is sound.

Light foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two. HomeGuide recommends keeping cars off for at least 7 days and heavy vehicles off for about 30 days. We give you written dates for your slab based on the mix and the weather that week.

HomeGuide's comparison table gives 30 to 40 years for a well-built, maintained concrete driveway. In Fort Wayne the base, the drainage, air entrainment and your choice of de-icer decide where in that range it ends up.

HomeGuide calls for at least 4 inches for cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy vehicles, with 6- to 8-inch edges. Inside Fort Wayne, the City's driveway permit application form shows 6-inch concrete for the approach in the right-of-way.

We rarely recommend it. A new layer over a cracked, settled slab tends to crack in the same places, and it raises the surface at the garage door and the street. Removing the old slab and rebuilding the base is the dependable fix.

The approach that connects to a public street needs an access permit from the City's Right-of-Way Office, $50 for residential, with a pre-pour inspection. We confirm any other approvals your address needs before work is scheduled.

HomeGuide says to wait at least 7 days for cars and about 30 days for heavy vehicles. We give you exact dates for your slab.

HomeGuide lists 4 inches as standard for residential patios and 6 inches with extra reinforcement under hot tubs or outdoor kitchens. We thicken just the section that carries the heavy load when that saves you money.

Both can last. A concrete slab has no joints for weeds and is easy to shovel, while pavers can be lifted and reset if the ground settles. We pour concrete, and we will tell you plainly if your yard's drainage or layout makes it a poor fit.

Usually, if the existing slab is level and sound. We dowel the new section into the old one so they move together. If the old patio has sunk or is badly cracked, replacing it with the extension is often the better result.

Sealing helps keep out water, salt and grease stains. We tell you when the slab is ready for its first coat and how often to reapply based on the finish you choose.

Sealed stamped concrete can be slicker than broom-finished concrete when wet. Adding a grit additive to the sealer and choosing a textured pattern improves grip on walks, steps and pool areas.

Plan on resealing every few years, depending on sun, traffic and salt. Fresh sealer brings back color and keeps water out of the surface.

Any concrete can crack. Planned control joints, placed along pattern lines so they blend in, give cracks a place to form where they are hard to see.

If the patio is level and sound, a stamped overlay can go over it. HomeGuide lists overlays at $7 to $15 per square foot for a single pattern. If the slab has settled or cracked through, we recommend replacing it.

Public sidewalks in the right-of-way fall under the City's rules, and the 50/50 Cost-Share program lets owners inside city limits split replacement costs with the City. Call the Right-of-Way Office at 260-427-6155 to petition. Walks on your own property are yours to maintain.

Yes. The City's Permits and Bonds page says a Sidewalk Permit is required to construct or reconstruct a public sidewalk, $15 for reconstruction and $30 for a new walk.

Sometimes a stoop can be lifted back into place if it is in one piece. If it has cracked, tilted badly or sits on a poor footing, new steps are the lasting fix. We check during the visit and price both if both are realistic.

HomeGuide lists new concrete sidewalks at $7 to $17 per square foot installed, or $28 to $68 per linear foot for a 4-foot-wide walk. Tear-out and access change the total, so your measured quote is the real price.

HomeGuide says two-car garage floors are usually reinforced concrete 4 to 6 inches thick. If you park a heavy truck or store equipment, we lean toward the thicker end.

Allen County's residential permit guide requires permits for structures over 200 square feet. Rules can differ in Fort Wayne and nearby towns, so we confirm what your shed and slab need.

Hairline cracks in a level floor can be sealed. If sections have sunk, broken apart or heave each winter, replacing the floor with a rebuilt base is the lasting fix.

HomeGuide says slabs can usually take vehicles after 1 to 2 weeks and fully cure in 28 to 48 days. We give you dates for your floor.

Foam uses smaller holes and is lighter, and HomeGuide notes polyjacking often lasts longest, but it costs more ($8 to $25 per square foot versus $4 to $9 for mudjacking). For a walk panel or patio section with good drainage, mudjacking is often enough.

If the slab is sound and level and the flaking is shallow, resurfacing can restore it. If the scaling is deep and widespread or the slab is cracked through, replacement is the better value.

Usually the soil under it washed out or softened, often from a downspout, poor slope or freeze-thaw. Lifting the slab without fixing the water source tends to mean it sinks again.

HomeGuide says professionally leveled concrete lasts 5 to 10 years or more, with mudjacking typically 5 to 7 years. Good drainage makes the biggest difference.