Finding an Oakland Concrete Contractor

Concrete is showing up in all sorts of new places these days. In recent years concrete has become a popular product for many uses from kitchen and bath countertops to the interior floors of our homes. Concrete is still the most logical choice for building foundations, driveways retaining walls and residential sidewalks. Concrete is thought to be a durable and earth friendly material in today’s environmentally conscious society. When considering any concrete installation, you’ll want the most skilled Oakland concrete contractor you can find.

When considering a concrete contractor for any project it's important to remember that concrete work encompasses a vast area of expertise. If you’re planning to install concrete countertops in your kitchen, you aren’t going to call in a concrete contractor that specializes in foundations. Your project will determine your choice of an Oakland concrete contractor. You need to be aware that your search should center on a concrete contractor that specializes in the type of work you want.

So How do You Find a Qualified Oakland Concrete Contractor?

When it comes to hiring an Oakland concrete contractor, the process is really no different than if you needed to hire any other kind of contractor. A good place to start is with your local phone book. Don’t be swayed by big flashy ads. It may be true that bigger companies will have the work staff to get the job done fast but a smaller hometown company may offer more attention to detail. Ask relatives, friends and next door neighbors if they have hired a concrete contractor in the past. One of the best methods of finding a quality Oakland concrete contractor is by word of mouth.

Do a search online. An online directory will have listing for concrete contractors local to you. You can usually get all the information for contacting the contractor as well as finding out his area of expertise. Pictures of past jobs along with customer ratings may be included with the contractor’s profile. If the Oakland concrete contractor is large enough they may even have their own web site. A website can give you a lot of info about a business and help you determine if you want to give them a call.

Talking with the Oakland Concrete Contractor

Having a few concrete contractors in mind you need to phone each one to ascertain if they can work on the specific job you have in mind. Remember there are areas of specialization within the field and you don’t want to have a foundation contractor drive all the way out to your home only to find out you want talk about a colored concrete kitchen floor. Once you do pinpoint an Oakland concrete contractor that seems right for the job ask them to do an onsite inspection to discuss your project with you.

Be precise. You need to be able to explain what you want in some detail to the Oakland concrete contractor or the end results of your project might not be what you expect. Having images from magazines or brochures of projects close to what you have in mind can always be helpful. Ask the concrete contractor if he has some samples you can look at to decide on the texture and color.

You’ll need to be sure that any Oakland concrete contractor you might want to work with has the proper licensing. Typically a state will require a license for any type of contractor. Working with a contractor that has a legitimate license gives you some assurance that you’re dealing with someone that is skilled within the industry. Write down the license number and call the state board of contractors licensing to verify that the license is legitimate.

The Oakland concrete contractor also needs to have workers compensation and liability insurance coverage. Any contractor that you have working on your property should be insured as should his workers. Any damage that might occur to your property could be at your expense if there is no liability insurance. The medical bills and other expenses could be massive if a worker is hurt while on your property. Don’t take that chance. Verify the policies by calling the insurance carrier as well as the department of workers compensation.

Requesting a Bid from an Oakland Concrete Contractor

After interviewing several concrete contractors it’s time to ask for bids from those you are most interested in working with. Each bid should be submitted in writing and include a detailed outline of the project and how it will be accomplished. Materials and labor should also be clearly spelled out. It’s easier to see which bids offer the best savings when you have an itemized list of what each part of the project will cost. For any project that can’t be completed on one day you’ll want a time frame for completion.

Go over all your bids to find out which Oakland concrete contractor shows the most promise. The low bid might seem like an obvious choice but you really don’t want to cut corners when working with concrete. Improper mix or an unskilled contractor can leave you with concrete that can chip and crack in no time. Money is always a consideration, but you need to be concerned about the quality as well. You want the Oakland concrete contractor bid that offers the best combination of price and service.

Don’t accept any bid until you’ve checked with the Better Business Bureau to ask if there are any complaints against the Oakland concrete contractor on file. An occasional complaint can happen but you need to learn the specifics and if the complaints were ever resolved. If a job was done poorly or the concrete failed to hold up you might have second thoughts about hiring a specific concrete contractor.

Concrete will almost always look flawless when it is new but how it holds up over time is what matters. A quality job should look good and provide many years of service. The outcome lies in the concrete mix and the know-how of the concrete contractor you hire to do the job. The success of your project depends on choosing the right Oakland concrete contractor