Cement & Concrete Contractors
Weather:
Rain and/or snow can cause adverse conditions for concrete installation, even if it happed several days prior. A contractor can't always honor a start date when bad weather has intervened. Consider the weather to be a significant component in driveway concrete / cement installs.
Pre-Installation Visit:
Even if the contractor has come to your site to evaluate your project and/or sign the contract, someone should visit before the start date to check for any changes in soil, base, fences or other installations affecting access. Or call to be sure things haven;t changed. Some changes could require different equipment or additional workers. This person should measure and lay out the areas involved in the project and inform you now of any possible additional charges or changes due to any of these issues.
Find out if any utility or city pipes will need to be raised after installation. If you have any gates or fencing that need to be removed, ask the contractor if he will do this, and will he also re-install them after the project is complete. Get it in writing.
If heavy equipment or a motor home is stored on the cement to be poured, the surface should be at least 4 inches, although 6 inches is best.
Concrete should be poured at least 30 days before the onset of freezing weather. It should not be poured on extremely hot days, however.
Concrete needs to be worked fast for best results. Rainy days are not good for cement.
Ask the concrete contractor for a waiver of lien. This will inhibit them from placing a lien on your property in the event of a problem between you and them. In addition if it is done properly it will ensure the concrete supplier (that delivers the actual concrete) doesn't lien your home if the "guy" you contracted with fails to pay him. Keep in mine though that (enter your web code off the dvd for remainder of this discussion)