A patio bid should state thickness and steel, the slope away from the house, how downspouts and drainage are handled, where the joints fall, the finish (broom, exposed aggregate, stamped) and whether the HOA drawing is included. Patios fail at the house line and at the edges, so look hardest at drainage and base.
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.
Updated November 10, 2026
A patio carries people and furniture, not trucks, so 4 inches on a compacted base is the common spec; the bid should still say so, along with the steel (wire mesh or #3 rebar) and that it will be set on chairs. ACI 332, the residential concrete code, covers slabs-on-ground and is the reference an engineer or inspector would use if a question comes up.
Source: ACI 332-20, Code Requirements for Residential Concrete (preview)
The bid should say which way the patio drains and by how much, and what happens to the downspouts that currently land where the patio will be. A patio that drains toward the house is a wet slab, a wet foundation and a claim later. Ask for the slope in inches per foot and for the expansion joint detail where the patio meets the house slab.
Control joints on a patio can be part of the design. The Portland Cement Association's spacing guide of about two times the thickness in feet means roughly 8-foot panels on a 4-inch patio; a bid that shows the joint grid on a sketch is a bid you can picture. On a stamped patio, ask how the joints will be hidden in the pattern.
Source: Portland Cement Association, FAQ: joints, what type are used and where
Broom finish, exposed aggregate, integral color, stamped and sealed, or a border in a different texture. Each is a different price and a different maintenance schedule, so a bid that names the finish and, for stamped work, the pattern and sealer, is the one you can compare.
Many North Texas subdivisions require architectural approval before flatwork, and some cities permit patios too: Sachse, for example, requires a permit for all types of flatwork including patios, with a site plan showing thickness, rebar size and spacing and concrete PSI, and a pre-pour inspection. Ask the bidder whether the drawing for the HOA or city is included.
Source: City of Sachse, residential flatwork permits
It depends on the city. Some, like Sachse, permit all flatwork including patios and require a pre-pour inspection; others only permit work at the street. Check your city and ask the bidder who pulls it.
Usually no. An expansion joint lets the patio move independently of the house slab. Ask for the joint detail in the bid.
Settling or cracking at the edge where the base was thin, and water pooling at the house line. Both come back to base and slope, which is why the bid should state both.
Often yes. The bid should say how the new pour is doweled or jointed to the old one and warn you that color will not match exactly.
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.