Start with the address and a few photos

Four things worth including

1. Where the property is. Soil, slope and truck access differ sharply between an alley lot in Bay View, a walkout parcel in New Berlin and an acreage outside Port Washington, which is why the location settles a surprising amount before anyone arrives.
2. The job, roughly measured. A new or wider drive, a patio, a front walk with a stoop, a garage floor or shed pad, or concrete that has heaved, dropped or flaked and needs replacing. Paced-off length and width are plenty.
3. The heaviest thing it will carry. Everyday sedans are one thing; a three-quarter-ton truck, a fifth-wheel, a spa or a lathe in the shop is another. Weight drives decisions about stone depth, slab depth and steel.
4. The current surface. Grass, gravel, cracked concrete, old asphalt or pavers. Anything that must come out first adds demolition and hauling to the job.

Pictures that tell the story

One overall shot from the curb or from the back steps shows how the lot falls and what surrounds the work area. Closer photos of cracks, raised or dropped sections and chipped edges show how the old concrete failed. Most useful of all is a picture taken in a downpour or during a March thaw, showing where the water heads and where it sits, along with any downspouts or sump outlets nearby. Water decides how long a slab lasts nearly as much as the mix.

After you send it

The next step is an on-site look. Walking the lot lets the contractor judge the soil, the grade and how a mixer truck or pump would get in, none of which shows clearly in pictures, so the written scope and the figure attached to it come after that walk-through. When the estimate arrives, check that it lists the stone base, slab depth, reinforcement, joint plan, finish and drainage, which makes one estimate easy to compare with another.

Request an estimate visit

Send the address and a few words about the project, and a contractor will reply to arrange a visit.