Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national cost guide lists a standard driveway slab at roughly $6 to $10 per square foot, rising to $10 to $15 with a basic decorative finish. Its sample two-car driveway, 20 feet square, runs about $2,400 to $6,000, and tearing out an old one adds about $2 to $6 per square foot. Size, access, base work and finish move your number; the written estimate is your actual price.

Some jobs do and some do not, so we check each one with the City of Medford or Jackson County before quoting. One rule is clear: Medford code section 3.040 calls for a permit before anyone builds or repairs in the public right-of-way, which covers sidewalks, curbs and the street end of a driveway approach. When your job crosses that line, the permit is part of our plan.

Usually you are. Medford code section 3.010 puts upkeep of most sidewalks on the owner of the abutting property, apart from certain paths the City maintains, and it holds owners liable when a neglected walk leads to an injury.

April through June and September through October are the easiest months. Summer still works with daybreak starts and wet curing, since Medford afternoons regularly top 90. Winter pours happen between storms with frost protection ready, because the city sees about 64 freezing mornings a year.

Most slabs can take careful foot traffic after a day or two. Cars should stay off for about a week, and pickups or RVs for longer. Strength keeps climbing for about a month, so the dates we give depend on your mix and that week's weather.

For outdoor slabs, usually. Sealer helps the surface shed water and shrug off stains, and colored or stamped concrete benefits most. HomeGuide prices it at about $1 to $3 per square foot, and a recoat every few years keeps it working.

Fine cracks and sunken sections that are still whole can usually be filled or raised. HomeGuide's leveling guide treats cracks over a quarter inch, deep spalling and crumbling as the point where new concrete is the better buy.

For cars, four inches is the common minimum. HomeGuide's guide recommends six for heavy vehicles, and we add thickness at the edges and anywhere a truck, trailer or RV will sit.

HomeGuide's cost guide lists 30 to 40 years. The base, reinforcement, drainage and how you care for the surface make the biggest difference.

When the remaining slab is sound, yes. We cut along a joint and pour the new piece to the same grade. The fresh concrete will look lighter for a while, and we say so before you commit.

Work in the public right-of-way, including sidewalks and curbs, requires a permit under Medford code section 3.040. We plan for it when your approach or curb cut is part of the job.

Plan on roughly seven days before cars, with trucks and RVs waiting longer still. The exact dates depend on the mix and the temperatures that week, and we write them down for you.

HomeGuide notes that standard residential patios are four inches thick. Hot tubs, outdoor kitchens and heavy features need six inches and more reinforcement.

Yes, if the existing slab is solid and level. We drill and set dowels so the new section ties in. The new concrete will look a little different at first.

Lighter concrete with a broom or exposed aggregate texture stays cooler and less glaring than dark colors or smooth finishes. A shade cover helps most of all.

It depends on the project. Covers, structures and electrical work add their own rules, so we check what applies to your address before we start.

Plan on every two to three years, or sooner when water stops beading. Summer UV and winter rain both wear the sealer down.

Once sealed, a smooth stamped surface can be slick when wet. On walks, steps and spots that stay damp, we blend a fine grit into the sealer for traction.

Not the slab itself, but a stamped overlay can go over concrete that is sound. HomeGuide puts decorative overlays at about $6 to $20 per square foot. Slabs that are cracked or sinking should be replaced instead.

Like any concrete, it can. We cut control joints and often hide them in the pattern lines so cracks follow the joints.

Some fading happens in strong sun. Integral color, UV-resistant sealer and regular resealing keep it looking fresh much longer.

In most cases, the property owner. Medford code section 3.010 puts maintenance of most sidewalks on abutting owners, with exceptions for certain City-maintained paths.

Yes for public sidewalks. Medford code section 3.040 requires a permit for constructing or repairing sidewalks and other work in the right-of-way. We arrange it as part of the job.

Small lips can sometimes be ground or the panel lifted back into place. Panels that are badly cracked or lifted by roots usually need replacement.

Many homeowners choose four feet so two people can walk side by side. Wider walks feel more generous at a front entry.

Four inches on a compacted gravel base suits most sheds. Heavier buildings or workshops with vehicles inside need more.

Six inches is common, with rebar and a deep base. Very heavy coaches may need more, so we size it to your RV.

It depends on what the slab is for and where it is. Slabs under a building raise more questions than a simple pad, so we check with the City or county before we quote.

Yes. We plan pump or wheelbarrow access and include it in the estimate.

Often, yes. If the slab is intact, mudjacking or foam leveling can lift it. HomeGuide puts professionally leveled concrete at a lifespan of 5 to 10 years or more.

Usually not. Crack filler keeps water out and slows damage, but the line will show. Resurfacing can hide minor cracks on sound slabs.

On solid concrete with surface damage, yes. On slabs with wide cracks or movement, the problems tend to come back through the overlay.

That is scaling, usually caused by water freezing in a weak surface. Finishing with bleed water, too little air in the mix, or early de-icing salt make it more likely.

Cracks wider than a quarter inch, crumbling, heavy spalling or sections that keep moving usually mean replacement. We look at it and tell you.