Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's concrete slab cost guide gives a national installed range of about $6 to $12 per square foot. For 1,000 square feet of plain 4-inch slab, that comes to roughly $6,000 to $12,000. Tear-out, a thicker slab, rebar, grading on a slope and decorative finishes all push it higher. Your actual number comes in writing after a site visit.

Collect two or more written quotes and line them up item by item, not just by total. A solid quote names slab thickness, base depth, reinforcement, finish, joint layout and who hauls away the old concrete. Ask who files the utility locate request and how long the slab has to sit before you walk or drive on it. If a new curb cut is planned, ask how the contractor will handle the city's permit.

Not usually. The city's Planning Division says no permit is needed to install or replace a driveway unless a new curb cut is created. The finished drive still has to follow city rules: in R1 districts, at least 3 feet from a side lot line and no wider than 30 feet at the curb.

Most outdoor concrete goes in between spring, after the ground thaws and dries, and fall, before hard freezes. Pouring on frozen ground is a mistake, and new concrete has to be protected from freezing while it gains strength. Late-season pours can work with insulated blankets and an adjusted mix, but spring through early fall is simpler.

That is scaling. Water soaks into the top layer, freezes and expands, and over many winters the surface breaks away. Road salt dripping off cars speeds it up. Concrete without enough entrained air, or a surface that was overworked or never cured well, scales faster. Light scaling can be sealed; heavy scaling usually means resurfacing or replacement.

For outdoor concrete in Minnesota, yes. HomeGuide's driveway cost guide says to wait 28 to 30 days for the first coat and to reseal every 2 to 3 years. Sealer slows the water and salt that cause most winter surface damage.

That depends on why it cracked. Fine cracks in a slab that is still level can be filled. A sunken panel can often be raised. HomeGuide's leveling guide points to cracks wider than 1/4 inch and severe spalling as signs that replacement is the better investment. We look at the whole slab and give you our recommendation.

HomeGuide's driveway cost guide puts the national figure at roughly $6 to $15 per square foot, which is $2,400 to $8,600 for an average two-car drive. Tearing out the old slab runs about another $2 to $6 per square foot. Size, grade, thickness and finish all shift the number, so ours comes in writing after a site visit.

Walking on it is usually fine after a day or two. Cars should wait longer, typically around a week, and heavy trucks longer than that. Cool weather slows the cure, so spring and fall pours may need extra days. We give you specific dates for your slab.

Only if you are adding a new curb cut. That is the Planning Division's rule. Otherwise the drive just has to meet the city's standards, such as the 3-foot side setback and the 30-foot limit at the curb in R1 districts.

Either one keeps cracked pieces tied together. Rebar laid in a grid on chairs is stiffer, and we lean toward it for drives that carry heavy loads or climb a grade. Both only do their job when they sit near mid-depth in the slab, not on the ground beneath it.

Normally, no. A thin layer over a cracked, settling slab picks up the old cracks, sinks along with it, and raises the surface at the garage door. Tearing out lets us fix the base, which is usually what failed in the first place.

HomeGuide's patio cost guide puts plain concrete at roughly $4 to $12 per square foot nationally, with stained or stamped work at $8 to $30. On those numbers a plain 16 by 16 foot patio lands around $1,000 to $3,100. Regrading, steps and tearing out an old slab cost extra.

A typical residential patio is 4 inches thick. Where a hot tub or outdoor kitchen will sit, we go to about 6 inches and add steel, in line with HomeGuide's patio guide.

Yes, if the pad under it is planned for the weight. Tell us the model before the pour so we can size and thicken that section and plan the electrical path with your electrician.

Concrete usually costs less per square foot and has fewer seams for weeds. Pavers can be pulled up and reset where they sink. On a properly built base, either one handles Minnesota winters. Stamped concrete gives a paver-style look in a single slab.

HomeGuide's stamped patio guide puts most stamped work at about $8 to $19 per square foot nationally: $8 to $13 for one pattern in one color, rising to $19 to $26 or more for multi-color custom designs. On those numbers a 16 by 16 foot stamped patio comes to roughly $2,000 to $4,850.

Any slab can crack. Planned joints, a firm base and steel keep the cracks straight and where we want them, and on stamped work we tuck the joints into the pattern. Air-entrained concrete and regular resealing guard the surface against freeze-thaw flaking.

Sealed stamped concrete can get slick when it is wet or icy. Adding grit to the sealer improves footing, and we suggest it for any walk or steps.

HomeGuide suggests every 2 to 3 years. With snow and road salt in the picture, watch the busiest areas and recoat once water stops beading on the surface.

In HomeGuide's stamped patio guide, stamped concrete runs about $8 to $19 per square foot and a paver patio about $10 to $17. Stamped concrete has no seams for weeds to grow in. Pavers can be lifted and reset if a section sinks. Either works here when the base is built right.

HomeGuide's sidewalk cost guide gives a national range of about $7 to $17 per square foot installed, which works out to $28 to $68 per running foot for a walk 4 feet wide. Removing the old walk adds roughly $3 to $8 per square foot.

Under the city's snow and ice ordinance, owners or occupants of one- and two-family homes must clear adjoining public sidewalks and trails within 24 hours after snow stops, unless the city has designated that segment for city plowing. Trails behind or between homes are excluded.

If the steps are solid but have sunk or tipped, lifting may work. If treads are broken, the surface is scaling badly, or the steps keep pulling away from the house, replacement is the lasting fix.

A broom finish across each tread, a slight slope so water drains off, and a grit additive in the sealer all help. A railing makes the biggest difference of all.

Minnesota Rule 1303.1600 allows slab-on-grade construction for detached one-story private garages, carports and sheds up to 1,000 square feet on any soil except peat or muck. Larger or attached buildings follow the frost footing rules, which are 3.5 feet deep in Hennepin County.

For a car garage, 4 inches with steel and thickened edges is common. Heavier vehicles, a lift or big equipment call for more. HomeGuide's slab cost guide prices a 4-inch slab at about $6 to $8 per square foot and a 6-inch slab at about $8 to $10.

Framing usually starts a few days after the pour, once the concrete can take foot traffic and the anchor bolts are solid. Heavy loads and vehicles wait longer. We give your builder a date.

That depends on the building's size and use. The city publishes an accessory structure worksheet and sets setbacks by zoning district. We confirm what your project needs before the pour.

Often it can, if the slab is still in one piece and the surface is in good shape. Mudjacking or foam raises it through small drilled holes. HomeGuide's leveling guide puts mudjacking a 450 square foot driveway at about $1,800 to $4,100.

Mudjacking uses a heavier cement slurry and costs less per square foot. Foam is lighter, cures faster and uses smaller holes, but costs more. HomeGuide notes foam often lasts longer because it adds less weight to soft soil.

Usually water. Downspouts, poor grading or a gap along the garage let water soften or wash out the soil under the slab. Lifting without fixing the drainage only buys time.

Light flaking can be cleaned and sealed to slow it. Deeper or widespread scaling can be resurfaced if the slab is solid underneath. If the slab is also cracked and sinking, replacing it makes more sense.

New concrete is lighter and will not match exactly at first. It weathers closer over time. We replace whole panels between joints so the change looks deliberate.