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Newly poured concrete is prone to small, fine cracks within the first 30 days of installation, but most noticeable cracks will disappear within that time frame. If a crack is greater than 1 inch, consider contacting the person who installed your wall to inspect the job.  

It’s possible to pour concrete if the temperatures are expected to dip below freezing at night, but you need to take some special precautions before you do. Most importantly, you need to make sure your concrete won’t freeze, so the best thing to do is enclose the area and heat it. You should also make sure you’re using cold-weather concrete that’s designed for pouring in cold weather. Use accelerants to help speed up the curing process and avoid cold temperatures from resulting in weak concrete.

Unfortunately, concrete cracks happen, so there’s no surefire way to avoid them long-term. To slow down the cracking, apply a sealant every two to three years and use sand rather than salt to melt snow or ice. Using salt speeds up the freeze-thaw cycle, which may increase the likelihood of cracking. Additionally, keep vehicles and heavy machinery off of your concrete, as the weight can lead to more cracking.

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.