Frequently Asked Questions

Get two or three written bids and compare what is in them, not just the total. Each should state slab thickness, base depth, air-entrained concrete, reinforcement, joint layout and who handles any permit. Ask the contractor to explain why your old concrete failed; the answer tells you whether they will build the new slab differently.

Most residential concrete is priced by the job or by the square foot, not by the hour. HomeGuide's national guide puts standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 per square foot installed, and plain patios at $4 to $12. Removal of old concrete, grading and decorative finishes add to that. The measured, written quote is the real number for your job.

The old concrete or asphalt is broken out and hauled away, soft soil underneath is removed, and a crushed-rock base is compacted before new forms go in. Then air-entrained concrete is poured, finished and jointed. If the driveway crosses a public sidewalk to the street, that section and the approach are priced separately, since the city treats them as public right-of-way.

KMTV reported in 2024 that these letters gave owners 20 days for a sidewalk and 30 days for a driveway approach, and that the city would work with owners who need an extension. Call us with the date on the letter. We measure the flagged panels and give you a written price, so you can decide quickly.

Flaking, or scaling, happens when water in the top layer freezes and expands, and salt adds more freeze cycles. Concrete without entrained air, concrete that was overworked when finished, and new slabs salted in their first winter are the most likely to scale. Light scaling on a solid slab can be resurfaced; deep scaling across most of the surface usually means replacement.

Often, yes. If the concrete is in one piece and the problem is settling, mudjacking or foam lifting can raise it back to level. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 per square foot, well under the cost of replacement. A slab that is broken into many pieces or badly scaled is a better candidate for replacement.

Yes, as long as the new concrete will not freeze before it gains strength. That means a forecast with nights above freezing and sometimes insulated blankets. Once the ground is frozen, it is usually better to wait for spring.

Walking on it after a day or two is usually fine. HomeGuide recommends keeping cars off for at least seven days and heavy vehicles off for about 30 days. We give you exact dates based on the mix and the weather that week.

HomeGuide's guide says a properly installed driveway lasts up to 30 years with basic maintenance, and 40 years or more with premium materials and careful upkeep. In Omaha, the base, the air content of the mix, regular sealing and what de-icer you use decide where in that range yours ends up.

HomeGuide puts the minimum at 4 inches for cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs and heavy vehicles, with thicker edges. We also add depth at the apron, where turning tires and plows concentrate the load.

We rarely recommend it. New concrete over a cracked, sunken driveway inherits the same cracks and settling, and it raises the surface at the garage door and the street. Tearing out the old slab and fixing the base is the reliable way.

Work in the public right-of-way, such as the approach and the sidewalk across your driveway, is the city's concern. We confirm what your address needs before scheduling and include it in the plan.

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

HomeGuide's patio guide says plain, stained and stamped concrete patios generally last 30 to 50 years when installed and maintained properly. Drainage and resealing matter most in a freeze-thaw climate like Omaha's.

HomeGuide lists plain concrete patios at $4 to $12 a square foot nationally, or about $1,000 to $3,100 for a plain 16 by 16 foot patio. Removal, access, slope and finish all change the total, so the measured quote is the real price.

Most backyard patios are 4 inches thick on a compacted rock base. A slab for a hot tub or heavy outdoor kitchen needs more thickness and reinforcement.

It depends on the city, the size and where it sits on the lot. We check with the city for your address before scheduling and add any permit to the plan.

Any concrete slab can crack, which is why it gets control joints. On stamped work we put those joints in the pattern's grout lines, so if the slab cracks there, it blends in.

A sealed, textured surface is slicker than broom-finished concrete when it is wet or frosty. Grit added to the sealer helps, and we avoid stamping steep walks and drives for that reason.

Plan on every two to three years for most patios, and sooner on heavily walked paths. If water soaks in instead of beading up, it is due.

If it is sound and level, a stamped overlay can work. HomeGuide lists single-pattern overlays at $7 to $15 a square foot. A patio that has sunk or cracked through should be replaced instead.

Stamped concrete has no joints to weed and no units to shift, but a damaged section is repaired as part of the slab. Pavers can be lifted and reset one at a time. Get prices for the same footprint and weigh which maintenance you would rather have.

Under Omaha's municipal code, the property owner is responsible for repairing an unsafe sidewalk next to the property, as WOWT reported. Owners can do the work themselves or hire a contractor.

KMTV reported in 2024 that letters gave owners 20 days for a sidewalk and 30 days for a driveway approach, and that the city would work with owners who needed more time. Check the date and terms on your own letter, and call us early.

HomeGuide says most walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick. Sections that cross a driveway or carry heavier loads need the thicker end of that range.

If the panels are in one piece, mudjacking or foam lifting can bring them back level for less than replacement. Panels that are broken into pieces or badly flaked need to be replaced.

Any steps with more than two risers are safer with a rail, especially in icy weather. We can set anchors in new steps so a rail mounts solidly.

HomeGuide describes garage floors as typically 4 to 6 inches and reinforced. We go to the thicker end, or beyond, for pickups, trailers or a vehicle lift.

Usually, yes, as long as the walls and framing are sound. The old floor is broken out and removed inside the building and the new floor is poured in place.

HomeGuide lists shed foundations of 100 to 400 square feet at $600 to $4,800 nationally. Size, access and base work set where your pad falls in that range.

HomeGuide's slab guide says a slab can take foot traffic after 1 to 2 days and a vehicle after 1 to 2 weeks, with full cure at 28 to 48 days. Wait longer for heavy trucks or a vehicle lift.

Mudjacking costs less, and HomeGuide lists it at $4 to $9 a square foot. Foam costs more, $8 to $25 a square foot by HomeGuide's figures, but it weighs less, uses smaller holes and cures faster. We recommend one based on the slab, the soil and the budget.

HomeGuide says leveling generally lasts 5 to 10 years or more, with mudjacking typically around 5 to 7. Fixing the drainage that caused the settling helps it last.

If the slab is solid underneath, resurfacing can give it a new top layer. HomeGuide says resurfacing lasts about 8 to 15 years. Deep, widespread flaking or crumbling usually means replacement.

It depends on the panel. Lifting fixes a raised or sunken panel that is still whole, but KMTV reported that the city treats cracked sections as needing repair too, so a badly cracked panel may need replacing. Check your letter and we will look at each flagged panel.