Concrete patio construction in Delray Beach FL - a slab that stays level and drains

In 2022 figures, a concrete patio in West Palm Beach usually cost about $6 to $13 per square foot. That's the going rate in that area, not our price, and stamped or reinforced slabs cost more per square foot than plain ones, while taking out an old patio can add a demolition charge on top. I'll measure your yard and give you your own number in writing.

Yes, concrete poured in hot weather generally holds up about as well as concrete poured in mild weather, when the mix is strong enough and the surface is kept from drying out while it cures. What hurts it is a top that dries too fast, so we plan how we'll keep it damp before the truck shows up. A guide from the Australian concrete industry adds that watering down the mix to make it easier to work weakens it, so it's fair to ask any crew how they keep the mix workable on a hot day.

Hot-weather guidance from 2018 says moist curing, which keeps the surface from drying out, should start as soon as the slab is finished and run for at least 7 days. Plan your pour date around that week, and save the cookout and the heavy furniture for after it. I'll go over the timing with you at the estimate.

In Palm Beach County, only homeowners and qualified contractors can pull permits, and Delray Beach also has contractors register and keep a current license on file before they apply. The city's Building Division handles plan review, permits and inspections, so that's who to ask whether your patio needs one. When a job does need a permit, we handle the filing and the inspections, and I'll tell you at the estimate if we need a survey or your parcel number.

Florida has two kinds of contractor license, and a certified one is good anywhere in the state, while a registered one only covers the cities or counties where the contractor holds a certificate of competency. Palm Beach County's licensing board sets and enforces contractor qualifications here, so ask any contractor which license they hold and where it's good. We're fully licensed and insured.

Start under the slab, because a patio settles with whatever it sits on, and dirt that was only raked level will sink. One contractor's guide for sandy ground elsewhere in Florida says to strip the topsoil and soft fill and pack the soil in thin layers, since sand can drain fast and still settle under foot traffic. We strip the soft topsoil and pack the ground well before the forms go in, then cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a straight place to crack, while the concrete is fresh.