California gives homeowners more protection than most states when hiring a contractor, but only if you use it. Checking a licence takes two minutes. The facts below about state rules come from the Contractors State License Board, the CSLB.
How do I find a good concrete contractor?
To find a good concrete contractor, start with people who have had work done nearby and then verify. Look up each licence on the CSLB website. Ask for addresses of jobs at least two or three years old and go and look at them, since concrete shows its quality after a few winters. Get the scope in writing from each bidder so you can compare like with like.
Does a concrete contractor need to be licensed and insured?
Yes. In California anyone doing work with a combined labor and material price of $1,000 or more needs a CSLB licence. The CSLB states that from January 1, 2025 the unlicensed exemption covers only jobs under $1,000 that need no building permit and involve no hired workers. Concrete work falls under the C-8 Concrete classification. Contractors with employees must carry workers' compensation, and the licence record on the CSLB site shows the bond and workers' compensation status. General liability insurance is not shown there, so ask for a certificate. The Santa Rosa Concrete Company is licensed and insured.
What should I ask a concrete contractor before hiring?
- What is your CSLB licence number, and is the licence in the name on this contract?
- Can I see a certificate of liability insurance and proof of workers' compensation?
- How deep will you dig, and what goes down as base on my soil?
- How thick is the slab, and what steel goes in it?
- Where will the control joints go, and when will they be cut?
- Who gets the encroachment permit if the work touches the sidewalk or curb?
- Who calls 811?
- How will you cure the concrete?
- What is the payment schedule?
- What happens if you find bad soil or a pipe once the old slab is out?
That list covers what you should ask a concrete contractor on a first visit. Clear answers matter more than a low number.
What should a written estimate include?
A written estimate should state the dimensions and total area, excavation depth, base material and thickness, slab thickness, reinforcement, mix strength, joint layout, finish and color, tear-out and haul-away, permits and who obtains them, the start window, the payment schedule and what is excluded. The Contractors State License Board advises that all materials and expectations be spelled out in a signed written contract, and the licence number should appear on it.
How much deposit is normal?
In California the deposit on a home improvement contract is capped by law. The CSLB tells consumers to pay no more than 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. After that, payments should follow work completed or materials delivered, and should not get ahead of the job.
A contractor wants 50 percent up front in cash with no contract. Should I agree?
No. Asking for 50 percent up front is far over the legal limit in California, and working without a written contract goes against everything the state licence board tells homeowners. Cash with no paperwork leaves you with nothing to show if the work is poor or never starts. Treat the request as a reason to choose someone else.
What are the red flags when hiring?
- No licence number on the card, truck or estimate, or a number that belongs to another name
- A down payment above 10 percent or $1,000
- Cash only, or a discount for skipping the contract
- A price good only if you sign today
- Leftover concrete from another job offered at the door
- No mention of base, thickness, steel or joints
- Telling you a permit is never needed for work at the sidewalk
Any one of these warning signs is reason to slow down and check the licence.
What warranty should I expect?
Ask what the contractor puts in writing, because terms vary from one company to the next. A workmanship warranty normally covers faults in installation, such as settlement from a poor base or a surface that scales. It normally excludes hairline shrinkage cracks, damage from tree roots, ground movement and misuse. Have the warranty terms and length written into the contract. We explain ours at the estimate.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped answering. What can I do?
Write to the contractor by email and by post with a firm date for a reply, and keep copies. If the contractor has stopped answering for good, file a complaint with the CSLB, which can act against a licence and offers arbitration in some cases. A licensed contractor also has a bond that may respond to a valid claim. If the person was unlicensed, the CSLB still takes reports, and you can go to small claims court.
How do I know they have done stamped work before?
Ask to see finished jobs in person, not just photos. A contractor who has done stamped work before can give you addresses of projects a few years old, show sample boards of real color and release combinations, and explain how the sealer will be handled for grip. Stamping is timing and skill, and it shows.
What if the crew hits a hidden water line?
If the crew hits a hidden water line, the water is shut off and the line is repaired before work continues. Who pays depends on whether the line was marked. Lines belonging to utility members are marked through an 811 ticket. Private lines such as sprinkler mains are not, so the owner is expected to point them out. Agree in the contract how unmarked private lines will be handled.
Is a written estimate binding if they hit something unexpected?
An estimate becomes binding once it is part of a signed contract with a fixed price for a stated scope. Something truly hidden, such as buried debris or soft ground, is handled by a change order. A change order should be in writing, with the price, and signed by both sides before the extra work is done. Without that, you have good grounds to question the extra charge.
The real number for your property comes from a free on-site estimate with measurements and a written quote. Call (707) 385-5837, or text a photo of the area.