Concrete & Driveways · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to concrete
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any concrete contractor in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Warning signs
How to know you need us
If you recognize any of these, it is worth having somebody look before it becomes a larger job.
- Slabs that have settled so sections no longer meet, creating a trip edge
- Cracks wider than a credit card, or cracks that step vertically
- Water standing on a patio or running toward the house instead of away
- Spalling — the surface flaking off in sheets after winters
- A driveway apron breaking up where vehicles turn in
- Pitting and exposed aggregate on a slab under ten years old, which usually means it was finished wet
Your options
More than one right answer.
A concrete contractor who only ever recommends the most expensive option is not giving you advice. Here is the honest range.
Replace the slab
Right when the concrete is broken up, badly settled or draining the wrong way. Sub-base gets corrected at the same time.
Slab lifting
Injecting under a settled slab to raise it back to level. A fraction of replacement cost when the concrete itself is sound.
Resurface
An overlay over structurally sound but ugly concrete. Cosmetic, and honest about being cosmetic.
Decorative finish
Stamped, colored or exposed aggregate where the slab is a feature rather than just a surface.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
We do not quote concrete over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job. These are the things that move it.
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Square footage and thickness
A driveway that will carry vehicles needs more thickness and usually reinforcement compared with a patio or a walk.
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Sub-base preparation
Compacted gravel under the slab is what stops it cracking and settling. It is invisible, it is most of the durability, and it is the first thing a cheap bid leaves out.
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Removal of the old slab
Breaking out and hauling away existing concrete is a real line item, and reinforced slabs cost more to remove.
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Access for the truck
If a mixer cannot reach the pour, concrete gets moved by buggy or pump, and that changes the labor substantially.
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Finish
Broom finish is standard. Exposed aggregate, stamped and colored finishes cost more and need more skill on the day.
Every estimate is free, written and carries no obligation — including the parts we would find only after starting, which are priced up front rather than left open.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Site visit and estimate
Grade, drainage and access all looked at, because those decide the price more than the square footage does.
Demolition and sub-base
Old slab out, base graded and compacted. This is the day that determines whether the new slab lasts.
Forming and pour
Forms, reinforcement and control joints set out, then the pour and the finish, which is weather-dependent.
Cure
Walkable in a day or two, vehicles after about a week, full strength at around twenty-eight days.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
These are the shortcuts that make a quote look cheaper and cost you more later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Pouring on uncompacted fill
The slab will crack along whatever settles under it, and no amount of reinforcement prevents it.
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Adding water to make it easier to finish
Extra water at the truck weakens the mix and is the usual cause of a surface that spalls a few winters later.
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Cutting control joints too late or too shallow
Concrete will crack. Control joints decide where. Cut late, it cracks where it wants to.
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Pouring against the house without a slope
A patio that drains toward the foundation is a crawl-space problem waiting to happen.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any concrete contractor.
Including us. If a contractor cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Are you licensed for concrete and can I see the certificate?
A licensed and insured contractor will have this to hand and will not be irritated by the question.
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Is the estimate written, itemized and free?
A verbal number is not an estimate. Itemized means you can compare two quotes on the same basis.
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What happens if you find something once you start?
The honest answer names a rate and a process. The answer to worry about is that it never happens.
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Who is actually doing the work?
Employee crew or subcontractor is not a wrong answer either way, but you should know which, and who carries the insurance.
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What is the workmanship warranty, and is it in writing?
Materials carry a manufacturer warranty. Workmanship is the contractor, and it should be written down.
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Will you pull the permit?
For permitted work, a contractor who suggests skipping it is telling you something important about the rest of the job.
FAQ
Choosing a concrete contractor in Nashville
How do I choose a concrete contractor in Nashville?
Check the license and the insurance certificate, get the estimate in writing and itemized so you can compare quotes on the same basis, and ask what happens if something is found once work starts. A contractor who cannot answer those easily has told you what you need to know.
Should I get more than one quote for concrete?
Yes, and compare what is in them rather than the number at the bottom. The cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves something out, and on concrete the thing left out is usually the preparation that decides how long the work lasts.
Is the cheapest concrete quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically — but an unusually low number is information. Ask specifically what is included, what grade of material is quoted, who is doing the work and what the workmanship warranty is. If all four answers are good, the low quote is a good quote.
Do I need a permit for concrete in Nashville?
It depends on the scope. Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties permit and inspect a good deal of this work, and a contractor suggesting you skip a required permit is telling you something about how they approach the rest of the job. We pull the permits our work requires.
How far in advance should I book concrete?
A few weeks where you can. Booking in the quiet season usually means better scheduling and sometimes better pricing than booking in the rush, and it gives you time to make the selections properly.
Free estimate
Need a concrete contractor in Nashville today?
Tell us what is going on and we will get you a free estimate from a local concrete contractor. No obligation, no pressure.