Concrete Work in Irving, TX: Planning and Hiring

Choose the scope after a site assessment

Show the contractor the problem you want to solve: an uneven walking surface, broken driveway panels, water near a doorway, or space for a patio. Bring photographs and a sketch of the proposed boundaries. Ask the contractor to explain the observations behind a recommendation for repair, leveling, partial replacement, or a new pour.

Request a description of the investigation before approving the remedy. Ask what the contractor plans to address beneath the surface and what remains outside the contract. For steps or a patio, discuss finished elevations at doors, connections to existing concrete, and the intended route for water. Seek a separate professional assessment before adding foundation or structural work to the scope.

Resolve permits and the proposed footprint

Irving accepts permit applications and payments through its Online Permit Portal. Its Planning FAQ identifies driveway and sidewalk construction or replacement as projects that typically require a building permit and directs project questions to Inspections at (972) 721-2371. Describe the complete scope, including demolition, widening, and changes near the street. [1]

For a driveway extension, give Planning your address and a dimensioned sketch before approving demolition. Ask staff to confirm the current rules for the proposed footprint, driveway design, and street-facing yard. You can reach Planning at (972) 721-2424. Obtain an address-specific answer before asking bidders to commit to a final layout. [1]

Name the person responsible for permit submission, responses to city comments, and inspection scheduling. Irving identifies platting, zoning, incomplete submissions, contractor response delays, and civil engineering requirements as possible permit delays. Ask the contractor to distinguish the intended construction date from any date that depends on city approval. [1]

Separate private concrete from public access work

Have the contractor mark where the proposed work reaches the public sidewalk, curb, or street. For construction within the public right-of-way, ask the city which approvals and construction details apply to your scope. Irving's right-of-way ordinance requires an approved traffic control plan whenever work requires a sidewalk or traffic lane closure, regardless of whether a permit is required. [2]

The city also requires prior approval for a street or sidewalk cut under its right-of-way construction standards. Ask the contractor to include the approval process, pedestrian arrangements, removal limits, and restoration work in the bid. Confirm who will speak with city staff before the crew starts work at the street. [2]

Compare the full written price

Give bidders the same sketch and ask each contractor to verify measurements on site. Request separate descriptions for demolition and disposal, excavation, base preparation, slab thickness, concrete strength, reinforcement, joints, finish, and drainage. Have each bidder state the proposed specifications and explain the selection for your intended use.

Separate optional decorative finishes from the basic installation. Record who will move obstacles, protect nearby surfaces, repair irrigation damage, and restore disturbed ground. Ask for a written process for approving additional work after demolition or excavation, including how the contractor will price it.

Review exclusions, payment stages, insurance documentation, and warranty terms alongside the total price. Request examples of comparable projects and ask references about communication, cleanup, and the handling of problems. Have the contractor describe the response you should expect if you report standing water, surface defects, or renewed movement.

Arrange access and return to use

Agree on truck access, material staging, parking, and a walking route before construction. Point out gates, irrigation, buried private lines, and features you want protected. Assign utility locating, concrete washout arrangements, and debris removal in the scope.

For regional weather context, the National Weather Service reports DFW normal high temperatures of 95.6°F in July and 95.8°F in August for 1991–2020. Use those averages to discuss the contractor's weather plan. Ask who will decide whether to proceed or reschedule based on the forecast and site conditions. [3]

Obtain written curing and return-to-use instructions for walking, furniture, and vehicles. Ask for these before the pour so you can arrange access and parking. At handover, walk the area with the contractor, record unfinished items, and confirm responsibility for any required final inspection. Keep the agreed scope, changes, receipts, and warranty together.

Nearby DFW monthly normal highs for weather-planning discussions

Choose the next step for your concrete project

Your hiring checklist

1. Prepare photographs, approximate dimensions, and a sketch of the proposed footprint.
2. Describe the full project to city staff and record their permit and layout guidance.
3. Identify any public sidewalk, curb, street, or access affected by the work.
4. Ask the contractor to explain the proposed remedy and its exclusions.
5. Compare matching preparation, concrete, drainage, finish, and restoration scopes.
6. Agree on payment stages, change approvals, insurance documentation, and warranty terms.
7. Obtain weather contingencies and written curing and return-to-use instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to replace my driveway?

Irving lists driveway construction and replacement among projects that typically require a building permit. Contact Inspections at (972) 721-2371 before construction. Put responsibility for applications, fees, and inspection scheduling in the contract. [1]

Can the crew close the public sidewalk during the work?

Confirm the arrangements with the city before scheduling the closure. Irving's right-of-way rules require an approved traffic control plan for work requiring sidewalk or traffic lane closures, regardless of whether a permit is required. [2]

How should I compare concrete quotes?

Ask bidders to price the same measured scope. Compare removal, base preparation, concrete specifications, drainage, finish, and restoration. Have each contractor explain exclusions and the process for pricing and approving work discovered after excavation.

How long will I lose use of my driveway?

Request separate dates for removal, placement, and vehicle access. Ask for written instructions tied to the proposed concrete and site conditions, plus a contingency for weather and city coordination. Arrange parking around those instructions.