Locating a Reliable Las Vegas Concrete Contractor

Concrete isn’t just for garage floors anymore. In recent years concrete has become a popular product for many uses from kitchen and bath countertops to the interior floors of our homes. Concrete is still the most logical choice for building foundations, driveways retaining walls and residential sidewalks. Concrete is strong, versatile and in today’s eco conscious world, concrete is considered to be very environmentally friendly. You need to find a reliable Las Vegas concrete contractor if you’re planning a concrete project.

When deciding on a concrete contractor for your specific job, you need to keep in mind that concrete work actually covers a wide area of knowledge. You certainly aren’t going to call a concrete contractor that pours foundations to build you custom concrete countertops. The Las Vegas concrete contractor you choose will depend on the work you need done. So keep in mind that you need to find a concrete contractor that specializes in the type of work you need done.

Where to Search for a Las Vegas Concrete Contractor

Finding a Las Vegas concrete contractor is really just the same as looking for any contractor. Your local phone book is a good place to start. Don’t be swayed by big flashy ads. While big companies might have the manpower, a smaller company may have the time to give special attention to your project. Ask relatives, friends and next door neighbors if they have hired a concrete contractor in the past. One of the best methods of finding a quality Las Vegas concrete contractor is by word of mouth.

Do a search online. You’ll find several websites that maintain a directory of qualified local concrete contractors. This is one place you can find almost everything you need to know about a contractor including his areas of skill and his contact information. There may even be some pictures of completed projects as well as statements for happy customers. If the Las Vegas concrete contractor is large enough they may even have their own web site. This can be very useful in obtaining some information about the company before you actually contact them.

Interviewing the Las Vegas Concrete Contractor

Once you have a few concrete contractors in mind, you should call each one to verify that they can handle the type of project you have in mind. Remember there are areas of specialization within the field and you don’t want to have a foundation contractor drive all the way out to your home only to find out you want talk about a colored concrete kitchen floor. When you do find a Las Vegas concrete contractor that you’re interested in working with, set up an appointment to talk about your project with them.

Explain what you want in detail. If you can’t explain exactly what you want, the Las Vegas concrete contractor may end up giving you something completely different than what you envisioned. It can be helpful to have a few pictures of something similar to what you want. Of course the concrete contractor will have his own set of questions so you can also determine such things as color and texture and he will probably show you some actual samples.

Make certain the Las Vegas concrete contractor is licensed. Almost every state has laws that require anyone working as a contractor to have the appropriate license. Knowing a contractor is licensed can help you avoid scams and give you some assurance the person you hire is a skilled professional. Write down the license number and call the state board of contractors licensing to verify that the license is legitimate.

Ask the Las Vegas concrete contractor if he carries liability insurance and workers compensation. It’s imperative that anytime someone else is working on your property that they be covered by workers compensation. If there is no insurance you may find it impossible to recover a loss for any damage to your property. If an employee is injured while on the job, you could be held liable for medical bills and other expenses which could run into millions of dollars. You just don’t need to take the chance. Call the insurance carrier and the department of workers compensation to make sure all necessary policies are in place and up to date.

Asking the Las Vegas Concrete Contractor for a Bid

Once you’ve talked with a few concrete contractors you’ll need to get a bid on your project. Every bid needs to detail the aspects of the job and the steps included in getting it done. There should also be a list of materials and labor costs. When you have an itemized list of what each part of the project will cost you can see which bid offers the best value for your money. You’ll want a time for the completion of the project going to take longer than a couple of days.

Compare your bids to determine which Las Vegas concrete contractor is going to be the best choice for your project. The low bid might seem like an obvious choice but you really don’t want to cut corners when working with concrete. Improper mix or an unskilled contractor can leave you with concrete that can chip and crack in no time. Money is always a consideration, but you need to be concerned about the quality as well. You want the Las Vegas concrete contractor bid that offers the best combination of price and service.

Check with the Better Business Bureau to find out if any customers have filed a complaint against the Las Vegas concrete contractor that you are considering. Due to the large amount of work that a contractor takes on an occasional complaint can occur but you need to know the specifics and if the complaints were taken care of. If any complaints about poor workmanship have been filed you should think twice about hiring the concrete contractor responsible for the work.

Concrete will almost always look flawless when it is new but how it holds up over time is what matters. Inferior concrete can crack and flake in a very short time but a professionally done job can last for years. The materials and the knowledge of the concrete contractor can greatly affect the quality. You need to know that your choice of a Las Vegas concrete contractor is the right one for your job.