Top 5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Denver Concrete Contractor

Most homeowners go into a concrete bid process without knowing what to ask. They get a price, maybe look at a few photos, and make a decision. That’s how you end up with failed concrete in three years. These five questions will tell you everything you need to know about whether a contractor is worth hiring.

1. What PSI mix will you use and what’s the water-cement ratio?

A contractor who knows their trade will answer this immediately: minimum 4,000 PSI with a 0.45 water-cement ratio for any Colorado exterior concrete. If they look blank, can’t answer, or say “whatever the ready-mix plant sends,” you’re talking to someone who doesn’t understand the material they’re working with.

2. How do you handle sub-base preparation?

The correct answer involves excavating to proper depth, removing any organic material, adding compacted gravel base (minimum 4 inches), and verifying grade before forming. Any contractor who skips sub-base preparation is setting you up for heaving and failure — Denver’s clay soils require proper base work, full stop.

3. Will you pull the permits?

The answer should always be yes for any project over 200 square feet or any work in the public right-of-way. A contractor who suggests skipping permits to save money is exposing you to code violations, failed inspections, and potential forced tear-out. The permit cost is small. The risk of skipping it is not.

4. What does your warranty cover?

Legitimate Denver contractors offer at least a one-year workmanship warranty. Some offer longer. Get it in writing. Understand what voids the warranty — some contractors will try to exclude freeze-thaw damage, which defeats the purpose in Colorado. A contractor who offers no warranty on their work is telling you something important.

5. Can I talk to two recent customers in my neighborhood?

References from the contractor’s website or marketing materials are cherry-picked. Ask for two recent customers in your area specifically — ideally on a similar project — and actually call them. Ask about communication, timeline, whether the finished product matched the quote, and whether they’d hire the contractor again. Five minutes on the phone with a past customer is worth more than a hundred online reviews.