Some things that worry owners about new concrete are normal. Others are defects the contractor should fix. Here is how to tell them apart, with our climate in mind.
Why is my new concrete already cracking? Is the contractor responsible?
New concrete cracks because it shrinks as it dries. Hairline cracks, and cracks that run inside the control joints, are normal and not a defect. Whether the contractor is responsible depends on the cause. Wide cracks, cracks where one side is higher, or cracks from joints that were never cut point to workmanship. Take dated photos, measure the width and raise it in writing while the job is recent.
Why does my new concrete have dark and light patches?
Dark and light patches in the first weeks are usually uneven drying. Shade, a damp subgrade, a curing cover that touched the surface in places and separate truckloads all dry at different rates. Most of it evens out over a few months. Blotches that stay, or that follow trowel marks, can come from finishing or from calcium added to speed the set in cool weather.
What happens if it rains on fresh concrete?
If it rained on fresh concrete in the first few hours, the surface can be weakened or pitted. Rain after the surface has set and been covered does little harm, and a wet cure is good for it. A slab that was rained on while still soft may dust, scale or show a rough texture. If that happens, ask the contractor how the top was protected and have the surface checked before winter.
There are footprints, rough spots and low spots in the finish. Is that acceptable?
No. Footprints, deep trowel marks and birdbaths that hold water are finishing defects. A small puddle that dries quickly is within normal tolerance. Water that stands for hours is not, and here it turns to ice. Mark the low spots after a rain, photograph them and ask for a fix. Grinding or a patch works for small areas. A wavy slab may need a panel replaced.
Are control joints really necessary? My contractor says he will saw-cut them a week later.
Control joints are necessary, and a week later is too late. Concrete starts shrinking within hours. Joints are tooled into the wet surface or saw-cut as soon as the slab can take the saw, normally within the first day. Cut after a week, the slab has already chosen where to crack. Late saw cuts still help with future movement, but they do not undo random cracks.
The slab was poured without rebar or mesh and I found out after. What now?
First check what the quote promised. If reinforcement was listed and the slab was poured without rebar or mesh, the contractor did not deliver what you paid for, and you can ask for a price reduction or replacement. If it was never listed, a plain slab on a good base is not automatically wrong for a patio or walk. Steel does not stop cracks. It holds them tight. Watch the slab through one winter and keep your records.
What can I do if the contractor will not come back to fix it?
Put the complaint in writing with photos, the contract and a clear deadline. If the contractor still will not come back, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection division of the South Dakota Attorney General's office, and small claims court is open to you for smaller sums. Get a written opinion and a repair price from another concrete contractor to show what the fix costs.
My new stamped concrete is slippery. Can that be fixed?
Yes. Stamped concrete gets slippery because the sealer fills the texture and leaves a smooth film. In frost or meltwater it is worse. The fix is to reseal with a grip additive mixed into the sealer, or to strip a heavy build-up of sealer and apply a thinner coat. Ask for this before the first winter.
Why is my stamped concrete fading, cloudy or peeling?
Cloudy or white sealer means moisture is trapped under it, often because it was applied too thick or onto a damp slab. Peeling follows. Fading is the sealer wearing off, and snow shovels speed that up. A sealer can often be re-melted with solvent to clear the cloudiness. Otherwise it is stripped and redone in dry weather.
The surface is flaking after the first winter. Whose fault is that?
Flaking in the first winter points to one of four things: a mix without enough entrained air, a surface finished too wet, a pour late in the fall that froze before it gained strength, or deicer used on young concrete. The first three are the contractor's side. The last is the owner's. Ask for the ready-mix delivery ticket, which shows the mix and the air content ordered.
It was poured in extreme heat and now it looks bad. Is it ruined?
Not always. Concrete poured in heat and wind, both common here in July, loses surface water fast. That causes fine cracks, a dusty top or a rough finish. If the cracks are shallow and the slab is hard, the damage is to appearance. A soft, powdery surface is a real defect, because it will scale in winter. Have it checked before the cold arrives.
The stamped pattern is crooked and uneven. Should I pay the final balance?
Hold the final payment for the disputed part until there is a plan in writing. Paying the full final balance removes your leverage. Refusing to pay anything can put you in the wrong. Pay for what is acceptable, list the defects with photos and ask for a fix or a credit. A crooked pattern cannot be re-stamped, so the realistic remedies are replacing panels, an overlay or a price reduction.
The crew left ruts in the lawn, washout and splatter. Is cleanup part of the job?
Yes. Ruts from the truck or skid loader, concrete washout dumped on the yard and splatter on siding or the garage door should be put right by the contractor. Raise it before final payment. Spring jobs here leave deeper ruts because the ground is soft after the thaw, so ask in advance where the truck will drive and how the lawn will be repaired.
My new pad is out of level, and the forms were left on and are stuck. What should I do?
A patio or driveway is not meant to be dead level, because it needs a slope to drain. A pad for a shed, hot tub or generator should be level, and one that is out of level beyond what the quote stated is a defect to raise in writing. Forms are normally pulled within a day or two. Forms left on for weeks bond to the edge and can chip it when removed, so ask the contractor to take them off and repair the edges.
The only real price for your property comes from a free on-site estimate and a written quote. Call (605) 633-5029 or text us a photo of the concrete.