How to Vet a Concrete Contractor in Austin

Not for general contracting work. The City of Austin puts it plainly: in Texas anyone can be a general contractor, including homeowners, and a state license is not required. What Austin does require is registration: before construction on a building permit starts, general contractors and homeowners acting as contractors register with the city's Building and Trade Contractor Services. General contractors register once and don't renew yearly, so registration shows the company can be assigned a permit, not that its work is good.

Only a company with an Austin Right-of-Way Contractor License, which the city requires for Driveway/Sidewalk work in the right-of-way. For that permit type the city's table lists insurance, a $10K bond and the license, and the license stays valid only until the bond or insurance on file expires. The city publishes a list of active license holders; check the name on your quote against it. The permit guide explains which work counts.

Each suburb runs its own registration:

• Georgetown registers general contractors at no cost through the city's online permit system.
• Leander requires all contractors and subcontractors to be registered before a permit is issued.
• Kyle requires contractors pulling permits to be registered and to carry and provide proof of liability insurance.
• Pflugerville handles permits and right-of-way applications through its own portal.

A quote you can hold a company to names:

1. Area, thickness and concrete strength (PSI) for each part of the job
2. Reinforcement: rebar size and spacing, and what holds it at mid-depth
3. Base and bedding under the slab
4. Tear-out and haul-off of old concrete, priced as its own line
5. Finish, color and sealer
6. Control and expansion joints
7. Who applies for any Driveway/Sidewalk or city permit, and the inspections
8. Start date, curing time and cleanup

If you want a benchmark for items 1 to 3 at the street, Kyle's driveway standard is specific. Prices to check the numbers against are in the Austin concrete price guide.

Be careful with a company that offers to skip the permit for an approach or sidewalk in the right-of-way, can't be found on the city's license list for that work, won't put the thickness and steel in writing, or asks you to pull a permit in your own name for work it will do. Ask for the permit number before the forms go in and keep the inspection results with your paperwork. For timing and heat questions, see Austin concrete questions. How we vet our pros lists the checks we make before a pro receives any request.