Good concrete and bad concrete look alike on the day they are poured. The difference shows two or three years on. These questions help you choose before you sign.
How do I find a good concrete contractor?
To find a good concrete contractor, look for one who talks about your soil and your drainage before talking about price. Ask neighbors whose driveways are a few years old and still flat. Go and see a job the contractor poured at least two summers ago. Get two or three written quotes for the same scope. Check the company name with the state licensing board.
Does a concrete contractor need to be licensed and insured in Louisiana?
It depends on the size of the job. The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) says home improvement work on an existing home of $7,500 or more requires a home improvement registration, larger residential projects require a residential licence, and commercial projects of $50,000 or more require a commercial licence. So whether a contractor must be licensed and insured turns on the contract amount and the type of work. You can search any company on the LSLBC website. Whatever the size of the job, ask for a certificate of general liability insurance sent to you by the insurer.
What should I ask a concrete contractor before hiring?
- What will you do about the soft soil under this slab?
- How thick is the slab and the base, and what steel goes in?
- Where will the water go when it rains?
- Who gets the city permit for the curb cut or sidewalk?
- Who contacts Louisiana 811?
- Where are the joints, and when are they cut?
- What is your plan if a storm comes on pour day?
- Can I see a job you poured two or more years ago?
What should a written estimate include?
A written estimate should let another contractor build the same job from it. It should give the size in square feet, the thickness, the base material and depth, the steel, the concrete strength, the finish, the joint plan, tear-out and hauling, permits, the start window, the payment steps and what the warranty covers. The company's full name and phone number should be on it.
How much deposit is normal?
We did not find a Louisiana law that caps a contractor's deposit, so the amount is whatever the two of you agree to. A modest deposit that covers materials and holds your date is normal, with the rest paid as the work moves along and a last payment after you have looked the job over. Pay by check or card so there is a record.
The contractor wants 50 percent up front in cash with no contract. Should I agree?
No. Cash, 50 percent before any work and nothing in writing are three warnings at once. With no contract you cannot show what was promised, and cash leaves no trail if the crew never comes. Ask for a written contract and a smaller deposit. A contractor who refuses both has answered your question.
What are the red flags?
- A price given without measuring or looking at the ground.
- No mention of base, steel or joints.
- "Leftover concrete from another job" at a discount.
- Pressure to sign the same day.
- No written contract, or cash only.
- A company name you cannot find on the LSLBC search.
- A promise that the slab will never crack or never settle.
What warranty should I expect?
Expect a written warranty on workmanship that says what it covers and for how long. Terms differ from one contractor to the next, and no law sets a standard one for flatwork. Most exclude hairline shrinkage cracks and damage from soil settlement or tree roots, and in New Orleans that settlement exclusion matters. Read it before signing and ask what the contractor does to reduce settlement.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped answering. What now?
Write down every call and message. Send a letter by certified mail giving a date to start the work or return the deposit. If the contractor has stopped answering for good, file a complaint with the LSLBC if the company is registered or licensed, and with the Consumer Protection Section of the Louisiana Attorney General. If you paid by card, ask the card company about a dispute. Small claims court is open to you as well.
How do I know they have done stamped work before?
Ask for addresses, not just photos. A contractor who has done stamped work before can point you to patios that are a few years old. Look at how straight the pattern runs, how the seams meet and how the color has held up in the sun. Ask who on the crew does the stamping and whether that person will be on your job.
What if the crew hits a hidden water line?
It depends on whose line it is and whether it was marked. Public lines are marked through Louisiana 811, and a crew that digs into a marked line is responsible for it. A private water line to a sprinkler, a pool or a back building is not marked by 811. If nobody knew it was there, the repair is normally a cost to sort out between you and the contractor. Tell us about any private lines you know of.
Is a written estimate binding if they hit something unexpected?
An estimate is a price for the work described in it. It becomes binding when both sides sign it as a contract. A good contract has a clause for hidden conditions, such as a buried slab, an old cistern or a pocket of muck. That clause should require the contractor to stop, show you the problem and agree a price in writing before going on. Without your signed approval, extra charges are open to dispute.
Sources: Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, Types of Licenses; Louisiana 811. Checked October 2026.
The real number for your address comes from a free visit and a written quote. Call (504) 732-1542, or text a photo of the area and we will tell you what we see.