Before you rush out and hire a concrete contractor, there are a few things you’ll want to know. One important thing to consider is whether any excavation needs to be done as part of your overall project. What at first glance appears to be just a bench or large mound of dirt that needs to be removed can add considerable cost to a project, particularly if there is rock or a solid “hard pan” that needs to be removed.

If you have to dig, try to find a contractor who has the equipment, like bobcat, to do it and ask them to include it in the bid. Avoid “time and material” bids if possible, as they can add up quickly if things go wrong. One thing you may want to become familiar with is the many types of decorative concrete surface work that is now done before your job is finished.

This is particularly true if you have any “flat work” such as a patio or walkways that you will be stuck looking at after the total job is complete. A very popular type of finished concrete surface is what is called “exposed aggregate” and it leaves the finished surface covered with rounded rocks and is very nice to look at and walk on.

Ask any bidder for a couple of references you can contact and stop by to see their work and if they don’t tell you where a sidewalk or driveway they’ve done is, then you know you have a problem. This is because, the fact is that all the reliable and competent concrete contractors have completed jobs in your community that you should be able to easily walk by and take a look at.