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In most cases, you will need a building permit for cement work on your property. You need a permit for any project that adds a permanent foundation on your property—which, in most cases, includes even a flat slab of concrete poured directly on the ground. Building permits for concrete projects usually cost between $100 and $500, although this can get higher for larger projects. You can always ask your cement company if a permit is necessary for your project, and the expert will typically pull the permit for you to save you time and energy.

While most of the grass below newly poured concrete will die, some will grow through the cracks and around its edges with ease. Some grasses and weeds can even widen hairline cracks in your foundation, particularly the inevitable concrete cracks that form during the curing process. This is just one of the reasons it's best to remove grass before laying concrete.

Yes, you can pour concrete if it rained the day before, but you’ll need to drain the construction site to ensure there isn’t standing water where your slab will sit. You might need to manually remove any puddles and set up drainage on your site to dry it before pouring. Moist soil won’t be an issue, but standing water will throw off your concrete mix ratios. Additionally, ensure there isn’t more rain expected in the near future before you pour.

A concrete floor is just an indoor finished surface on a concrete slab, which a local concrete flooring company will polish or coat for aesthetics and stain resistance. A concrete slab is more often an unfinished slab of concrete that serves as a foundation for a structure, like a shed or home. However, they can also be finished for outdoor use, as in the case of a decorative concrete patio or walkway.