Ask about the spec (thickness, steel, base, joints, finish, cure), the site (drainage, access, what gets protected), the paperwork (permit, insurance, HOA, lien releases), the schedule (pour date, cure dates, weather plan) and the money (deposit, progress payments, what changes the price). Good contractors answer all of these without being annoyed.
Updated November 10, 2026 · Metroplex Concrete & Stone
How thick will the slab be, and is the approach or edge different? What size rebar, at what spacing, and how is it supported? What is the base made of, how deep, and how is it compacted? Where are the joints and how far apart? What finish, and what curing method?
The expected answers are numbers: inches, bar sizes, spacing in inches, depth in inches, a joint grid in feet. The Portland Cement Association's guidance on joint spacing (about two times thickness in feet) and on curing (most strength in the first month, longer moist cure is better) are the reference points a knowledgeable contractor will recognize.
Source: Portland Cement Association, curing in construction
Which way will the slab drain, and where do the downspouts go? What do you do with the roots under the old walk? How do trucks get to the backyard, and is a pump needed? What will you protect: garage slab, irrigation, the neighbor's drive? The answers should be specific to your lot, which is how you know the bidder looked at it.
Who pulls the permit, and which one? Can I see your certificate of insurance before we start? Will you give me lien releases with each payment? Do you prepare the HOA drawing? Is there a written warranty, and what does it say?
In Dallas the paving permit for work on city property is issued only to a bonded paving contractor; in Sachse all flatwork is permitted with a pre-pour inspection. A contractor who works in your city will know its rule by name.
Source: City of Sachse, residential flatwork permits
If you are in a subdivision with an architectural review authority, ask whether the contractor has submitted to that HOA before and whether the bid is contingent on approval. Texas Property Code §209.00505 requires a denial to describe its basis in reasonable detail and gives you the right to request a hearing before the board within 30 days, so a denial is not the end of the project.
Source: Texas Property Code §209.00505, architectural review authority
When can you pour, and what happens if it rains? When can I walk on it, park on it, drive a truck on it? In summer, what time does the first truck arrive? The curing answer should match PCA's guidance: foot traffic soon, cars after about a week, heavy loads later, full strength over about a month.
Source: Portland Cement Association, curing in construction
What deposit, and what progress payments? What would change the price after we sign (rock, bad soil, a utility line)? Is the engineer's fee in or out? Is the permit fee in or out? The Texas Attorney General's guidance: get it in writing, no blanks, do not pay in full before you have inspected the finished work.
Source: Texas Attorney General, how to avoid home improvement scams
Ask: "What would you do differently on this job if it were your own house?" A contractor who has an answer (thicker edge, move the downspout, add a border to hide the joint) is thinking about the slab. A contractor who says "nothing" is thinking about the next appointment.
Yes. The Texas Attorney General's guidance suggests asking to speak to satisfied customers and to see completed work.
No. It is routine, and a contractor who carries insurance expects the question.
Then the bid cannot be compared to another, and you should get one from someone who can.
Tell us the job and where it is. One independent, insured North Texas contractor will look at it and send a written quote with thickness, steel, base, joints, finish, permits and dates on it.
Residential and commercial, in all eleven DFW counties. No price on this site, because the lot decides the price.
One vetted, insured North Texas contractor will call or text within one business day to set a time to look at it. You get a written quote with the full spec.