Frequently Asked Questions

The property owner. The City Engineer cites Ordinance 9-107, which requires owners of property along a public street to construct, pave and curb the sidewalk and keep it in good repair. For questions about a specific sidewalk, the city lists 3-1-1, or (717) 255-3040 from outside the city.

Yes. Chapter 9-103 of the city code requires a permit from the City Engineer before any public sidewalk or street is cut, and curb, sidewalk and driveway cuts are applied for by the owner or a contractor acting for the owner. The code sets a $25 application fee for sidewalk and curb-only work plus inspection fees. We file it for you and include it in the quote.

Look at slab thickness, base depth, whether the concrete is air-entrained, steel, joint layout, and who pulls the permit. Make sure demolition and hauling are included. A bid that only gives one total number makes it hard to know what you are paying for.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General's consumer brochure says contracts for home improvement work over $500 must be in writing, that you can cancel within three business days of signing, and that a contractor may not take payment before the contract is signed. Read the whole contract before you sign it.

HomeGuide's national cost guide lists standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 per square foot installed, or $2,400 to $6,000 for a 20 by 20 foot two-car driveway. Removing the old one adds $2 to $6 per square foot. Your measured, written estimate is the actual price.

Flaking, or scaling, happens when water in the top layer freezes and expands, and salt adds more freeze-thaw cycles. Older steps poured without air entrainment are especially prone. Shallow scaling on solid steps can sometimes be resurfaced; steps that are crumbling, settling or separating from the house are usually better rebuilt.

Usually, yes, but visible exterior work in Harrisburg's Historic Overlay District may need a certificate of appropriateness before a permit is issued. We check with the city for your address and plan the design to fit.

Walking is usually fine after a day or two. HomeGuide says to keep cars off a new driveway for at least seven days and heavy vehicles off for about 30. We give you exact dates for your job.

HomeGuide's cost guide gives 30 to 40 years for a well-built, maintained concrete driveway. The base, the air content of the mix, sealing and the de-icers you use decide where a driveway falls in that range.

If the work cuts the public sidewalk or curb, yes. Chapter 9-103 of the city code requires a City Engineer permit for curb, sidewalk and driveway cuts. Work fully on private property may have other requirements, which we check for your address.

We rarely recommend it. An overlay on a cracked, sinking driveway picks up the same cracks, and it raises the surface at the garage and the street. Removing the old slab and rebuilding the base is more reliable.

HomeGuide says at least seven days for cars and about 30 days for heavy vehicles. We give you the dates in writing.

HomeGuide's patio guide says plain and stamped concrete patios generally last 30 to 50 years with regular maintenance. Good drainage and periodic sealing matter most here.

HomeGuide lists 4 inches as standard for residential patios and 6 inches with more reinforcement for hot tubs or outdoor kitchens.

Usually, yes. Depending on access we use buggies through a gate or alley, or a pump. We work that out at the estimate and include it in the price.

Yes. We remove the old material and the sand or soil under it, build a proper stone base and pour the new slab.

All concrete cracks somewhere. We put control joints in stamped slabs just like plain ones and place them along pattern lines so cracks follow the design.

Sealed stamped concrete is slicker when wet than a broom finish. A textured pattern and anti-slip grit in the sealer help on steps, walks and pool decks.

Every few years for most patios, more often on walkways. If the color looks dull or water soaks in instead of beading, it is time.

If it is solid and level, a stamped overlay may work. HomeGuide lists them at $7 to $15 per square foot for one pattern. A sunken or badly cracked slab should be replaced.

The City Engineer cites Ordinance 9-107, which puts construction and repair of the sidewalk on the owner of the abutting property. For questions about a particular sidewalk, the city lists 3-1-1, or (717) 255-3040 from outside the city.

Chapter 9-103 sets a $25 application fee for sidewalk and curb-only work, inspection fees of $60 for up to three square yards plus $30 per additional square yard, and a bond or per-square-yard security. We confirm current amounts when we apply.

A panel that has been pushed up by roots usually has to come out, because the roots are still there. A panel that has sunk can sometimes be lifted back into place; see our repair and leveling page.

HomeGuide's sidewalk guide notes most walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick. Any part that crosses a driveway should be as thick as the driveway.

HomeGuide puts typical step repair at $300 to $800 for small cracks or sections. If the steps have sunk, pulled away from the house or have uneven risers, replacement is usually the better choice.

HomeGuide lists poured steps at $200 to $500 per step and $1,000 to $2,500 for five steps. Removal, a landing and railings add to that. Your written estimate is the price.

Yes. We cut the old steps free at the property line, protect the neighbor's steps and the brick, and form the new steps to meet them cleanly.

Visible exterior work in Harrisburg's Historic Overlay District may need a certificate of appropriateness before a permit is issued. We check with the city for your address before the design is final.

Both lift slabs. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 per square foot and foam at $8 to $25, and notes foam is often the longest-lasting method. Mudjacking typically lasts 5 to 7 years with good drainage.

Small cracks can be cleaned and sealed. HomeGuide says cracks wider than 1/4 inch usually point to deeper problems and can return through a new surface, so those sections are usually replaced.

HomeGuide says resurfacing lasts 8 to 15 years before it needs repairs, if the slab under it is sound.

Water is the usual cause: a downspout, a leak or soil washing out under the slab. In limestone areas, ground movement can also play a part. We check drainage and the ground before lifting it again.