Get matched with top concrete leveling pros in Live Oak, CA

New concrete can crack within 12 hours of finishing, as it can be a common occurrence as the concrete dries and cures. Certain weather conditions and temperatures can slow or speed up the cracking. A concrete contractor plans for cracking during the drying process and keeps some of it at bay by installing control joints.

Concrete houses cost 10% to 20% more to build than stick-built homes, and maintenance on home systems is more invasive and expensive due to pipes and wires being buried in concrete. Concrete homes can also look more industrial and less comfortable if you don’t cover the concrete with finishing materials. It’s also more challenging to make changes to concrete, so reframing doors and windows or building home additions will cost more. Concrete needs time to cure, too, so the timeline to build a house out of concrete is a bit longer.

Yes—as long as the area has been properly prepped. Different self-leveling brands and compounds have their own specific instructions for preparation; some may require that you add primer or grind the surface. Without proper preparation of the surface, the compound will not be able to fully bond to the concrete and fill the cure as a separate layer, which makes it prone to chipping.

With an average lifespan of 30 years, concrete driveways last the longest of any material on the market. That’s why it’s the go-to choice for most contractors throughout the nation. Gravel driveways can also last up to 30 years but require much more maintenance—and regularly buying and adding more gravel—to make it that long.