Concrete · Checklists

Concrete checklists

Before you sign, your quote should specify slab thickness, base material and depth, concrete strength in psi, whether the mix is air-entrained, reinforcement type and placement, the joint layout and spacing, the finish, and the curing method and duration. On pour day, watch three things: that nothing is placed on frozen or unprepared subgrade, that finishing does not happen while bleed water is standing, and that joints are cut on time.

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Quote stage. Thickness in inches. Base material and compacted depth. Mix: psi, air-entrained yes/no, target slump. Reinforcement: type, spacing, how it will be held at the right height, and cover. Joint plan: spacing and depth. Finish: broom, trowel, exposed aggregate, stamped pattern and colors. Curing: method and number of days. Demolition and haul-away: included or not. Who pulls permits. Payment schedule and what triggers final payment.

Pour day. Subgrade clear of topsoil, snow and ice, compacted and sloped. Forms braced. Delivery ticket matches the quoted mix — ask for a copy. Note if water is added at the truck. Screeding followed promptly by bull floating. No further finishing while bleed water is on the surface. Curing started as soon as finishing is complete.

Joint day. Conventional sawcuts within 4 to 12 hours of finishing, or early-entry cuts 1 to 4 hours out. Depth at least a quarter of the slab thickness and no less than an inch. Spacing no wider than 24 to 36 times thickness, capped at 15 feet. Isolation joints at walls, footings, steps, and where the driveway meets walks or curbs.

Sign-off. Photograph the whole slab dated. Confirm curing ran the full 3 to 7 days. Confirm drainage — no ponding after a hose test. Get the written workmanship warranty, the permit and inspection paperwork, and the delivery tickets. Then hold your usage timeline: 24 hours to walk, 3 days for bikes, 7 days to drive, 28 days for heavy vehicles.

How to choose

Turn every verbal promise into a contract line: "We always use 4,000 psi" is worthless in a dispute. One added sentence in the scope is not an unreasonable ask.
Take timestamped photos at four moments: Prepared subgrade, concrete going in, joints cut, and finished slab. It costs nothing and settles most arguments.
Ask for the ready-mix delivery ticket: It states what was actually ordered and delivered. Contractors who did the right thing have no reason to refuse.
Hold final payment until after curing: Not until the crew leaves — until the curing period specified in your contract has actually run.
Hose-test for drainage before you sign off: Water should run off, not pond. NRMCA ties poor drainage to salt accumulation and worse deicer damage.
Write down the first-winter rule: No deicing chemicals the first winter; use clean sand for traction. Put a note in your calendar, not just your memory.

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FAQ

Concrete checklists — common questions

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What should a concrete quote include?

Thickness, base prep, mix strength and air entrainment, reinforcement, joint layout, finish, curing method and duration, demolition, permits, and the payment schedule. Anything missing is a variable the contractor controls and you pay for.

What should I look for on pour day?

No placement on frozen or uncompacted subgrade; no finishing while bleed water is standing; bull floating promptly after screeding; and curing started as soon as finishing is done. NRMCA identifies all of these as key to avoiding cracking and surface defects.

When is it safe to make final payment?

After the curing period in your contract has run — NRMCA's typical range is 3 to 7 days — and after you have the permit sign-off, warranty, and photos. Joints should already be cut and the surface uniform.

What should I not accept?

Placement on a frozen subgrade, finishing over bleed water, joints cut a day or two late, no curing at all, or a refusal to state the mix in writing. Each is a documented cause of the defects you will be arguing about later.

Sources

Where these figures come from

NRMCA CIP 4 — Cracking Concrete Surfaces · retrieved 2026-07-25
NRMCA CIP 6 — Joints in Concrete Slabs on Grade · retrieved 2026-07-25
NRMCA CIP 11 — Curing In-Place Concrete · retrieved 2026-07-25
NRMCA CIP 2 — Scaling Concrete Surfaces · retrieved 2026-07-25
Concrete Network — How Long Before You Can Drive on New Concrete · retrieved 2026-07-25