These are the questions that did not fit on the other guide pages. If yours is missing, call or text (917) 909-5931.
How long does a concrete driveway last?
A concrete driveway built well can last 30 years or more in this climate. The ones that reach that age have a drained stone base, air-entrained concrete, joints in the right places and little salt. A thin slab on poor fill can be worn out in half that time.
Can I pour concrete myself or should I hire someone?
You can pour a small pad or a short walk myself, as many owners ask, if you are fit and have help. Concrete gives you about an hour to place and finish it and no second try. Driveways, anything a truck must deliver, stamped work and anything in the city right of way are best left to a crew with the tools and the permit.
Can I pour a small shed pad with bags from the store?
Yes. A small shed pad is a reasonable bag job. Dig out the topsoil, compact four inches of crushed stone, build square forms and mix every bag to the same wetness. A 4-inch pad 8 by 10 feet takes about a cubic yard, which is a great many bags and a lot of mixing. Above that size a short-load delivery is easier and gives better concrete.
I poured my own walkway and it cracked and sank. Should I redo it or hire someone?
Work out why it failed before you redo it. Sinking means the base was soft or missing. Cracking usually means no joints, or too much water in the mix. If you are willing to dig it out and build a proper compacted stone base, a second try can work. If the walk is long, sloped or part of the main entrance, hiring it out costs less than a third attempt.
How do I get oil stains out of concrete?
To lift oil stains, soak up fresh oil with cat litter, then scrub with a concrete degreaser and stiff brush and rinse. Old stains need a poultice, which is an absorbent paste left on to draw the oil out as it dries. Deep stains may lighten without vanishing. A sealed driveway is much easier to clean.
Can an old concrete floor be dyed or stained?
Yes, an old concrete floor can be stained once it is stripped of paint, glue and sealer. Stain is translucent, so patches, cracks and old marks stay visible in the result. Test a small area first. In a basement, check for moisture before sealing, because damp trapped under a sealer turns it white.
Does insurance cover a retaining wall or slab?
Homeowners insurance generally pays for sudden, accidental damage from a covered event, such as a vehicle hitting a wall. It generally does not pay for settling, frost, tree roots, wear or earth movement. Flood is a separate policy. Read your policy and ask your agent, since wording differs.
A customer tripped on the concrete outside my business. Am I liable?
Whether you are liable turns on the facts, and it is a question for your insurer and an attorney. New Jersey courts have long treated commercial property owners as having a duty to keep the abutting sidewalk reasonably safe. Report the fall to your insurer, photograph the spot and repair the hazard. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can sections be replaced while my business stays open?
Yes. We replace walks and lots a section at a time so that one entrance always stays open. Barriers and a marked path keep customers off the fresh work. New concrete cannot take delivery vehicles for some weeks, so we plan the order of sections around your loading area.
Can you pour a basketball pad or sport court?
Yes. A basketball pad needs a flat slab with a slight pitch for drainage, a light broom finish for grip and joints placed away from the key. No published price exists for sport courts, so we price them after a site visit.
Do earthquakes or salt air matter here?
Earthquakes are not a regular design concern for home flatwork in this part of New Jersey, though the building code covers structures. Salt matters more. Near Newark Bay and the port, salt in the air and road salt everywhere make it important to keep steel well covered inside dense concrete.
Do you work outside Newark?
Yes. We serve Newark and nearby towns including East Orange, Irvington, Bloomfield, Belleville, Nutley, Montclair, Maplewood, Kearny, Harrison, Elizabeth and Union.
My new pad is out of level. What can be done?
First check whether it was meant to slope. Outdoor slabs are pitched on purpose, about a quarter inch per foot, so water runs off. If a pad for a shed, a generator or a hot tub is out of level beyond what was agreed, it can sometimes be ground or topped. A large error means cutting it out and pouring again.
The forms were left on and now they are stuck. What do I do?
Forms normally come off within a day or two. Boards left on for weeks swell and grip the slab edge. Ask the contractor to come back and pull them, since prying them off yourself can chip the edge. Once they are off, the gap along the slab should be backfilled so the edge is supported.
The real price for your property comes from a free on-site estimate with measurements and a written quote. Call (917) 909-5931 or text us a photo of the area.