Frequently Asked Questions

The concrete itself is a small part of the bill. Most of it is tearing out the old slab, digging, hauling, building a compacted base, forming, steel, the labor to place and finish within a short window, then curing and sealing. HomeGuide puts driveway labor alone at roughly $3 to $7 per square foot. Steep lots and tight alley access in Dubuque add time and equipment.

Ready-mix pricing varies by supplier, season and mix design, and small loads often carry an extra charge. For a homeowner the installed price matters more than the yard price, since a cubic yard only covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches thick. We quote by the project, with concrete, base, labor and finish all on the written estimate.

Inside city limits, yes for anything in the right-of-way: City Engineering requires a permit for new or replacement driveways and sidewalks, filed through ROWay. Other towns have their own rules, which we check for your address.

The certified letter lists the painted defects and gives 30 days to repair them under a permit, to city specifications. If the work is not done, city contractors can do it and the cost is assessed against the property. Call us with the letter and we will look at the marked squares.

HomeGuide puts a well-kept concrete driveway at 30 to 40 years. Around Dubuque, the usual reasons one dies early are water ponding on it or under it, a thin or soft base, a mix poured without entrained air, and road salt on a slab that is still young. A fresh coat of sealer every 2 to 3 years buys time.

Give it a day or two before foot traffic and roughly a week before parking a car on it; a loaded pickup or delivery truck should stay off longer. HomeGuide's driveway guide says to hold off on sealer for 28 to 30 days. Through that first winter, put down sand for grip and keep de-icing salt off the slab.

Many times, yes. If the slab is in one piece and has simply dropped, it can be lifted, and hairline cracks can be cleaned and sealed. According to HomeGuide, once cracks pass 1/4 inch wide, or the surface is badly spalled or breaking down, replacing the slab is usually the smarter spend. After a look in person, we will say plainly whether yours can be saved.

HomeGuide lists 4 inches as the minimum for cars, 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy trucks, and 6- to 8-inch edges. On steep sections and at the apron we often build thicker.

For driveways we use rebar on chairs. It stays mid-slab and keeps cracks closed. Mesh helps only if it ends up inside the concrete, and it often gets stepped down into the stone.

Rarely a good idea. A thin layer over a failing slab cracks along the old cracks, and raising the grade causes trouble at the garage and the curb. HomeGuide puts removal at $2 to $6 per square foot, and it is usually money well spent.

In Dubuque, work on a driveway in the public right-of-way needs a City Engineering permit through ROWay. For other towns we check the local rules before scheduling.

That is scaling. Freeze-thaw and salt attack a weak top layer, usually on concrete without enough entrained air, finished too wet, or salted while young. Once it covers most of the slab, replacement is the real fix.

HomeGuide lists a plain 12 by 12 at about $600 to $1,700, and $1,150 to $4,300 if stained or stamped. Removal of an old slab, back-yard access and grade change the total.

A common trade rule is 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot away from the house, enough to drain without making a table wobble.

Only if it was built for one. HomeGuide calls for 6 inches with extra reinforcement under hot tubs and outdoor kitchens. Tell us at the estimate and we build that area for it.

Pavers can be lifted and reset, but they shift and sprout weeds between joints. A poured patio is one surface that is easy to shovel and sweep. If you like the paver look, stamped concrete is an option.

Any concrete can. A good base, steel and joints hidden in the pattern lines keep cracks tight and hard to see.

It can be, particularly under a glossy sealer. We recommend textured patterns on walks and steps and can add anti-slip grit to the sealer.

Every two to three years is typical, more often where traffic or salt is heavy. When water stops beading, it is time.

Stamping needs fresh concrete. A sound old slab can sometimes take a stamped overlay, but a cracked or scaled one should be replaced first.

The owner of the abutting property. Owner-occupants who meet income guidelines may qualify for Community Development Block Grant help through the city.

The certified notice allows 30 days. If repairs are not made, city contractors can do them and the cost is assessed to the property.

Gaps or holes of 3/4 inch or more, squares broken into more than three pieces, sections more than 2 inches off grade over 8 to 10 feet, and vegetation causing a hazard.

Poured steps can be any size and match your walk; precast install faster in fixed sizes. HomeGuide lists poured at $200 to $500 per step and precast at $100 to $350.

Salt and water, mostly. Steps get de-icer, freeze, thaw and drain slowly. Old steps poured without air entrainment suffer the most.

About 4 inches is common for sheds and light use; vehicle garages usually get more, with deeper edges under walls. HomeGuide lists 4-inch slabs at $6 to $8 per square foot and 6-inch at $8 to $10.

It depends on the building and local code. Dubuque lists frost depth at 42 inches. We confirm requirements with the building office for your address before pouring.

Usually, if the walls and sills are sound. The old floor comes out in sections and the new one is poured inside the walls.

Yes. A gentle fall toward the overhead door lets snowmelt and brine drain out instead of collecting at the back wall.

For a sound slab that has settled, often yes. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 per square foot against $6 to $15 to replace. It will not save a slab broken into pieces or badly scaled.

Light scaling on a sound slab can be resurfaced. Deep or widespread scaling means the concrete itself is weak, and replacement lasts longer.

Hairline cracks are normal. HomeGuide flags cracks wider than 1/4 inch as a reason to consider replacement, and any crack with an offset edge is a trip hazard.

The grade and finish will match, but new concrete starts lighter than old. Replacing whole panels at the joints keeps it looking deliberate.