Use this page as a checklist for any contractor, including us. Florida gives homeowners some specific protections, and they only help if the paperwork is right from the start.
How do I find a good concrete contractor in Miami?
To find a good concrete contractor, look for someone who visits the site, measures and asks where the water goes before talking price. Ask to see recent jobs nearby that are at least a year old, since new concrete always looks good. Get two or three written quotes for the same scope. Check the licence and insurance yourself instead of taking a card at face value.
Does a concrete contractor need to be licensed and insured in Florida?
A contractor who pulls a permit in Miami-Dade needs a licence that the building department accepts, so the short answer to licensed and insured is yes for permitted work. Florida licenses contractors at state level through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and its Construction Industry Licensing Board. Miami-Dade County also licenses local contractors. A 2021 state law, House Bill 735, took away the power of cities and counties to issue many local specialty licences, and notices from the county and the City of Miami list concrete finishing and concrete forming and placing among the affected categories. The City of Miami's notice says a contractor still needs a Miami-Dade County or State of Florida licence to obtain a permit. Ask any contractor which licence they hold, look it up on the state or county search, and ask for a certificate of liability insurance and proof of workers' compensation cover or an exemption.
What should I ask a concrete contractor before hiring?
- Which licence do you hold, and under what name can I look it up?
- Who gets the permit, and is the fee in the price?
- How thick is the slab, and what base goes under it?
- What steel do you use, and how is it held up off the ground?
- Where will the joints go, and when will they be cut?
- Where will the water run when it rains?
- Who requests the Sunshine 811 ticket?
- What happens if you find muck, rock or a pipe under the old slab?
- What is the payment schedule, and what do you warrant in writing?
What should a written estimate include?
A written estimate should let a stranger understand the job. It needs the measured area, slab thickness, base material and compaction, reinforcement, joint spacing, concrete strength, finish, removal and disposal of old concrete, permit and inspection, cleanup, start window, price and payment stages. It should also say how unexpected conditions are priced. Our estimates are free, done on site, and come with a written quote.
How much deposit is normal?
A modest deposit to book the job and buy materials is normal, with the rest tied to progress and a final payment on completion. Florida does not set one cap for every job, but section 489.126 of the Florida Statutes sets duties once a contractor takes more than 10 percent of the contract price as an initial payment on residential work. The contractor must then apply for the needed permits within 30 days of the payment and start work within 90 days after all permits are issued, unless the contract says otherwise in writing.
A contractor wants 50 percent up front in cash with no contract. Should I do it?
No. A demand for 50 percent in cash with nothing in writing removes every protection you have. There is no scope to hold anyone to, no proof of what you paid and no licence record to check. Pay by cheque or card, to the business name on the contract, and only after the contract is signed.
What are the red flags when hiring?
- No written contract, or a one-line quote.
- Cash only, or a large payment before any permit.
- Asks you to pull the permit as owner-builder so they do not have to.
- Cannot name the licence they work under.
- Price is good only if you sign today.
- No mention of base, steel, joints or drainage.
- Says a permit is not needed without checking your address.
What warranty should I expect?
Expect a written workmanship warranty that says what is covered and for how long. Terms vary between contractors, so read the document itself. Typical exclusions are hairline shrinkage cracks, damage from tree roots and damage from vehicles heavier than the slab was built for. A spoken promise is not a warranty. We do not print a warranty term on this page. Ask us for it with your quote.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped answering. What can I do?
Act in writing and quickly. If the contractor took more than 10 percent and has not applied for permits or started within the times in section 489.126, the statute describes a written demand letter, sent by certified mail, that gives the contractor 30 days to apply for the permits, start the work or refund the payment. Keep copies of everything. Report a licensed contractor to the agency that issued the licence, and consider small claims court or an attorney for the money.
How do I know they have done stamped work before?
Ask to see it in person. Anyone who has done stamped work before can give you addresses of jobs that are a few years old, so you can judge how the color and sealer have held up in Miami sun. Ask who on the crew does the stamping and how many people will be on your pour, because stamping is a race against the set time.
What happens if the crew hits a hidden water line?
First the water gets shut off and the line repaired. Who pays depends on whether the line was marked. Public utilities mark their lines after a Sunshine 811 ticket. Private lines, such as sprinkler pipe, pool plumbing or a water line to an outbuilding, are not marked by anyone. Tell the contractor about every private line you know of, and have the contract say how damage to unmarked lines is handled.
Is a written estimate binding if they find something unexpected?
A signed contract with a fixed price is binding for the work it describes. An estimate by itself is usually only an estimate. Hidden conditions, such as muck, solid rock or buried debris, are dealt with by a change order: a written note of the extra work and price, signed by both sides before the work is done. Do not accept a surprise bill at the end for something you never approved.
Should I ask for a release of lien?
Yes, it is a sensible habit on any sizeable job in Florida. People who supply labor or materials to your property can have lien rights if they go unpaid. Ask for a signed release with your final payment, and ask your building department or an attorney how the state's construction lien law applies to your job.
For a price on your own property, ask for a free on-site estimate with a written quote. Call (786) 705-4727, or text a photo of the concrete to the same number.