Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's concrete slab guide lists $2,400 to $4,800 for a 20 by 20 foot (400 square foot) slab, based on national averages of about $6 to $8 a square foot for a 4-inch slab. Removing old concrete, extra thickness, reinforcement or a decorative finish adds to that. Your written estimate after we measure is the price.

A 20 by 40 foot driveway is 800 square feet. At HomeGuide's standard range of $6 to $10 a square foot, that works out to roughly $4,800 to $8,000 before removal of an old driveway ($2 to $6 a square foot) or a new culvert and right-of-way permit. Decorative finishes cost more. We measure and price your driveway in writing.

Most concrete contractors quote by the job or by the square foot rather than by the hour, because material, base work and finish drive the cost. HomeGuide's slab guide puts labor at about $3 to $5 a square foot. We give one written price for the whole job.

Yes, in unincorporated Charlotte County. The county requires a permit and inspections for concrete flat work, including pavers, and a right-of-way permit for driveway work in the county right-of-way. We pull the permits and schedule the inspections.

Many Port Charlotte streets drain through roadside swales, and a driveway has to let that water pass under it. Charlotte County's standards require a culvert under driveways at construction or repair, sized by the county inspector, and a damaged or undersized pipe is often replaced with the apron.

Ask each bidder to put slab thickness, base depth and compaction, reinforcement, joint layout, finish and the permit and culvert costs in writing. Ask what license they hold and who pulls the permit. Charlotte County's local concrete place-and-finish license was scheduled to sunset on July 1, 2025, after which permitted work needs a state-certified contractor or someone working under one, while the county concrete/masonry license continues.

Yes. We start early in the day, watch the forecast and cover fresh concrete if a storm moves in. A light shower after the surface has set does little harm, but a downpour on a freshly finished slab can ruin the surface, so timing matters more in summer.

Foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two. HomeGuide's driveway guide says to wait at least 7 days for cars and 28 to 30 days for the full cure before heavy vehicles such as boat trailers or moving trucks.

HomeGuide gives 30 to 40 years for a well-built, maintained concrete driveway. In Port Charlotte the base, drainage and regular sealing decide where in that range a driveway ends up.

Charlotte County's standards require a culvert under driveways at construction or repair, sized by the county inspector. If the existing pipe is damaged or too small, it is replaced as part of the apron work.

Under the county's Engineering Design and Construction Standards, a single residential driveway in the right-of-way can be 10 to 24 feet wide, at least 5 feet from the side lot line, with flares of up to 3 feet on each side. Wider parking areas can often be added on your side of the property line.

We rarely recommend it. An overlay on a cracked, sunken driveway carries the same cracks and settling, and it raises the surface at the garage and the street. Removing the old slab and rebuilding the base is more reliable.

HomeGuide advises at least 7 days for cars and 28 to 30 days, the full cure, before heavy vehicles. We give you exact dates for your slab.

If the slab is level and the cracks are hairline, resurfacing is usually enough. HomeGuide notes that cracks wider than a quarter inch tend to come back through a coating, so sunken sections or wide cracks are better repaired or replaced first.

Lighter colors stay cooler than dark ones in direct sun, and textured finishes such as spray texture or knockdown are a common choice around Florida pools because they also grip when wet.

In unincorporated Charlotte County, yes. The county requires a permit and inspections for concrete flat work, and work within one foot of the house must be termite treated. We handle both.

Usually not while the deck is being removed and poured, because of dust and debris. Once the concrete has set and the area is cleaned, you can use the pool, though we ask you to keep furniture off the new deck for several days.

HomeGuide gives 30 to 50 years for plain, stained and stamped concrete patios. A compacted base, good drainage and regular cleaning in Port Charlotte's humidity help a patio reach the long end of that range.

Usually, yes. We dowel the new concrete into the existing slab and match its height and slope. If the screen enclosure has to change, we coordinate the timing with the enclosure company.

Not exactly. Old concrete has weathered for decades, so fresh concrete looks lighter. A border, a colored finish or resurfacing the old section are the usual ways to make them look like one surface.

Walking on it is usually fine after a day or two. HomeGuide's slab guide puts the full cure at 28 days or more, so we suggest waiting about a week before heavy furniture, grills or a hot tub.

Sealed stamped concrete can be slick when wet, especially with smooth patterns. We add a slip-resistant grit to the sealer on pool decks, walks and entries, and choose textured patterns for wet areas.

Any concrete can crack. We build the same compacted base as a plain slab and cut control joints along the pattern lines, so shrinkage cracks follow the joints where they are hard to see.

HomeGuide recommends sealing concrete every 2 to 3 years. In strong sun, stamped color holds up best when the sealer is renewed before it wears thin.

If the slab is sound and level, a stamped overlay can add a pattern without tearing it out. If it is cracked through or sinking, replacing it is the better choice.

It can be, in light colors with a slip-resistant sealer. Darker colors get hot in direct sun, so many owners pick sandy or tan tones near the water.

HomeGuide's sidewalk guide says most concrete walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick, with thicker concrete for heavier traffic. A walk that a golf cart or mower crosses should be on the thicker end.

In unincorporated Charlotte County, concrete flat work requires a permit and inspections, and work within one foot of the house must be termite treated. The generator itself has its own permits, which your installer handles.

HomeGuide notes that projects under 200 square feet cost more per square foot because of minimum concrete delivery fees. Combining a pad with a walk or another small slab can bring the per-foot cost down.

Yes. Charlotte County asks owners to contact Zoning when a slab will serve a shed or detached garage, because of lot coverage and setbacks, so we confirm the location and size with you first.

Leveling is usually cheaper when the slab is structurally sound. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 and foam at $8 to $25 a square foot, compared with $6 to $15 for replacement. A slab that is badly cracked is better replaced.

HomeGuide says resurfacing lasts 8 to 15 years before needing repairs. It lasts longest on a slab that is level and has only hairline cracks.

Often, yes. We saw-cut the broken panels, replace them and dowel them into the sound concrete. New concrete will look lighter than the old, so some owners resurface the whole driveway afterward.

Peeling usually means the coating has lost its bond, often from moisture under the deck, a poorly prepared surface or simple age. We remove loose material, repair cracks and prepare the slab before a new coat goes on.

Filled cracks are usually still visible as lines unless the surface is resurfaced. Resurfacing gives a uniform look, but cracks wider than a quarter inch can come back through if the cause is not fixed.