Frequently Asked Questions

For a plain 400-square-foot slab, HomeGuide gives $2,400 to $4,800, based on $6 to $12 per square foot installed. Its patio guide puts a stamped or stained 20x20 patio at $3,200 to $12,000. Removing old concrete, adding base or going thicker raises the total, so your number comes after we see the site.

That is 800 square feet. Multiply by HomeGuide's standard driveway rate of $6 to $10 per square foot and you get about $4,800 to $8,000, not counting tear-out, a culvert or permit fees. Going to 6 inches for heavy vehicles, or choosing a decorative finish, adds to it.

Hourly billing is rare for flatwork. Jobs are priced per square foot or as a lump sum, since material, base, forming and finishing all scale with area. In HomeGuide's slab guide, labor runs about $3 to $5 per square foot, or 40% to 50% of the cost. Our quotes are a fixed written figure for the stated scope.

It is slang for low-cost substitutes for a real slab: compacted crushed rock, crushed recycled concrete, or a weak home-mixed batch with little cement. Those can serve as a path or a sub-base, but they lack the strength, crack control and easy cleaning of a reinforced slab on a compacted base.

Within the city, driveway work that touches the right of way runs through the City of Port St. Lucie Public Works Department's Residential Driveway Modification Permit. That covers widening, a second or circular driveway, a surface change, repairs and culvert replacement. Expect stakeout, driveway and final inspections, and a stakeout wait that is typically 4 to 6 weeks. We confirm the rules for your address first.

Any month works with planning. November through April is the easy stretch, while June through September each average more than 5 inches of rain at the Fort Pierce station. In those months we pour at daybreak and schedule around the forecast.

Per HomeGuide: walk on it after 24 to 48 hours, park a car after at least 7 days, and keep heavy trucks off until the full 28 to 30 day cure. You get specific dates from us when the pour is done.

At 800 square feet and HomeGuide's $6 to $10 per square foot for a standard driveway, expect roughly $4,800 to $8,000 before removal, culvert work or permits. A 6-inch slab or a decorative surface costs more.

Yes. Width changes are one of the items on the City of Port St. Lucie Public Works Department's Residential Driveway Modification Permit, together with culvert replacement, surface changes, repairs and second driveways. The stakeout alone typically takes 4 to 6 weeks, so it pays to start early.

Sometimes. The City's application says the culvert pipe may need to be replaced or brought up to code when a driveway is modified. We look at the pipe during the estimate and include it in the quote if it is needed.

Four inches is standard for cars. For trucks, boat trailers or RVs, a 6-inch section is the safer choice, and HomeGuide recommends it for heavy vehicles.

HomeGuide estimates 30 to 40 years with good maintenance. A solid base, water directed away from the slab and periodic sealing all help it get there.

HomeGuide lists $600 to $1,700 for a plain 12x12 patio and $1,150 to $4,300 with a stained or stamped finish. Tear-out of an old slab, extra base or a difficult access path adds to the cost.

Yes. We pour the new section next to the existing slab with an isolation joint, matching the height and slope so water still runs away from the house. If you plan to extend the roof or screen later, we size the edge to carry it.

HomeGuide's stamped concrete patio guide puts paver patios at $10 to $17 per square foot installed, and its concrete patio guide lists plain concrete at $4 to $12. Pavers can be lifted and reset if the ground moves; concrete is a single, easier-to-clean surface with no joints for weeds or ants.

You can usually walk on it after a day or two. Wait several days before moving heavy furniture or grills onto it, and longer before anything very heavy, while the concrete continues to cure.

Sealed stamped concrete can get slick when wet. A non-slip additive in the sealer and a pattern with more texture help, and we recommend both for pool areas, steps and walkways.

HomeGuide recommends resealing every 2 to 3 years. In shaded, damp spots you may see it need attention a little sooner.

Any concrete can crack. Proper base, reinforcement and joints placed along pattern lines keep cracks controlled and less noticeable.

HomeGuide lists $8 to $13 per square foot for basic stamped work up to $19 to $26 or more for high-end designs. A 12x12 patio runs about $1,150 to $2,750.

Light colors with texture run coolest. HomeGuide describes cool-deck coatings as non-slip and temperature-lowering, priced around $4 to $6 per square foot.

Yes, when the slab below is sound and the cracks are narrow. HomeGuide's resurfacing guide points to replacement instead when cracks are large, the concrete is crumbling or the slab has structural problems.

In HomeGuide's pool deck guide, plain poured concrete runs $5 to $15 per square foot and stamped concrete $8 to $19. Resurfacing a deck you already have is about $3 to $12 per square foot.

Yes. Sealer protects against pool chemicals, salt and stains. Use a non-slip additive and reseal when water stops beading on the surface.

HomeGuide lists $2,400 to $4,800 for a 20x20 slab at $6 to $12 per square foot installed. Thickness, tear-out and base work move the price within that range or beyond it.

Four inches with reinforcement is typical for a shed. If you will park a mower, golf cart or vehicle inside, consider thicker edges or a 6-inch slab.

Six inches with rebar is the usual choice for RVs and loaded boat trailers, with extra care at the tongue jack and tire paths.

HomeGuide notes one cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches. We calculate the exact order, with a small margin, as part of the quote.

Often, yes. Per HomeGuide, light flaking and cracks under 1/4 inch can be repaired or resurfaced, while wide cracks, crumbling or structural damage call for replacement.

Polyjacking costs more ($8 to $25 per square foot in HomeGuide's figures, against $4 to $9 for mudjacking), but it needs smaller holes, adds less weight and often lasts longer.

The apron sits over City right of way and often over a culvert pipe. A failing pipe or water washing out the sand under the edge lets it drop. We check the pipe before repairing the concrete.

HomeGuide estimates 8 to 15 years for a resurfaced slab before it needs work again, provided the concrete underneath is sound.