Concrete Contractors: Everything You Need to Know

Concrete contractors make up a large part of the construction industry, but most people don’t have much experience hiring one, and many have never enlisted their services at all unless they’re in a general contracting business.

That makes it a little confusing to find and hire the right contractor when you need a concrete project finished quickly and properly.

Here’s everything you need to know about concrete contractors, from what they do to what to expect after you’ve chosen one.

What is a Concrete Contractor?

A concrete contractor is a specialized construction company that focuses on concrete work.

Concrete contractors are typically subcontractors. This is one of the reasons that most average people don’t have experience with concrete contractors. You typically hire a general contractor for big jobs, and the general contractor hires subcontractors for all the specialized work.

That includes concrete. Even if you’ve had a big remodel or home project done that used concrete contractors, you probably only dealt with the general contractor.

However, that doesn’t mean that you have to go through a general contractor for concrete services. Almost always, you can hire any concrete contractor directly for all your concrete-related needs.

What Do Concrete Contractors Do?

The specific services offered by a concrete contractor will vary depending on which contractor you’re talking about.

The most common services include foundation work, sidewalks, patios, basement construction, and, of course, repairs for all those things.

Some companies might also make retaining walls or handle other types of concrete projects that differ from standard concrete work. You can always check the contractor’s service list or call them up to make sure they handle the type of project you have.

Things to Look for in a Concrete Contractor

Many contractors offer their services to the general public, and a quick Google search will typically give you at least a handful of options in your local area. Here in Texas, Rios Bros is your go-to concrete service.

How do you pick the right one, though?

Here are some things to consider.

1: Qualifications

Above all else, you want to make sure you’re dealing with a reputable contractor with all their required qualifications, regardless of the project being commercial or residential in nature.

Qualifications are usually proudly displayed on company websites, on the sides of company fleet vehicles, and in advertisements. So, it’s not too hard to see if a company has handled all its regulatory responsibilities.

Reputation is a little harder to check, but it gives you a lot of insight into how qualified the contractor is in practice and how they treat their customers.

At Rios Bros Concrete, we’re proud to be a trusted part of our community. Our clients are more than happy to share their experience and recommend our service. Whether you’re in our service area or somewhere else, that’s the type of contractor you want to hire. One with a proven track record of treating their customers right and getting the job done properly.

If you don’t look at a company’s reputation and simply look for the right on-paper qualifications, there are some things that can go wrong. Concrete isn’t as simple as it looks, and problems might not show up until long after the project is completed. A good reputation means customers are fully satisfied with the work and haven’t had to deal with premature cracking, breaking, or similar failures.

2: Relevant Services

Of course, you also want to make sure that the contractor you’re considering handles the type of project you’re doing. If you want a new patio with ornate concrete stonework, but the contractor almost exclusively performs basement work, you’re not going to get much out of that contractor.

Asking the contractor or checking their site’s service list is the easiest way to see if they’re a good match for your project.

3: Value

There isn’t a universal price for concrete work. The price will always vary from project to project because each project has different material costs, challenges, and levels of complexity to consider.

However, you want to make sure you’re getting a fair price rather than being overcharged. 

A good way to do this is to get multiple quotes and compare them. You don’t want to go with the cheapest option by default, but you do want to look at the quality of the company’s reputation, services, and warranties they offer, and other benefits that you get in comparison to the price. It’s more about the overall value than the simple dollar amount.

What to Expect When Hiring a Concrete Contractor

For the most part, the contractor’s team is going to handle all the work, and you get to play a very hands-off role in the project. In some cases, you don’t even have to be around while the work’s being done. There are still some things you need to know about, though.

1: Be Flexible with Scheduling

Usually, you can hire a service for a specific day, and no matter what, the job will get done on that day. Concrete is a little different.

While it’s setting, concrete is highly sensitive to weather conditions. So, it might be necessary to delay service or wait until the forecast is optimal for several days in a row. If you try to push the work through without enough time for it to settle, serious problems can result.

A good contractor will take these things into account when scheduling your service day, but being flexible in case anything changes is a good idea.

2: You Might Pay a Deposit

This depends on the contractor and the service being rendered. You might have to pay some of the project’s cost upfront. This is a deposit that goes toward your total cost, but it helps ensure that the contractor that you’re committed to the project.

 A deposit is almost always used for high-cost projects, but sometimes, you simply get a post-service bill on smaller projects.

 3: The Project Might Take Several Weeks

 Finally, you should expect the project to last anywhere from 1 to several weeks, depending on its size and complexity.

The planning phase is usually quick if you know exactly what you want, but laying the concrete and allowing it to cure properly takes time. It usually isn’t a one-day project.

Get the Best Concrete Contractors at Rios Bros

If you have a concrete project you need help with and live in Texas, you deserve concrete contractors with a stellar reputation, a variety of services, and fair prices.

 For that, call the Rios Bros today.