Concrete patio construction in South Burlington VT - a slab poured for Vermont winters

A poured concrete patio in the Burlington area usually costs about $6 to $13 per square foot. A stamped finish costs more per square foot than a plain pour, and reinforced concrete costs more than a slab without steel. Your written estimate lists the work and materials for your yard.

The best time is when the ground has thawed and a freeze is unlikely soon after. A concrete trade group urges caution in late fall, winter and early spring, when fresh concrete can freeze while still wet. A slab on frozen ground is likely to settle and crack once the ground thaws, so we wait.

Choose poured concrete if you want one solid surface and can live with a repair that may show later. Pavers can be lifted and replaced one at a time, while patches on concrete are hard to blend and color-match, as one building guide points out. I'll walk through both with you honestly at the estimate.

The city's Planning & Zoning Department handles development review and permits in South Burlington. Its office is on the third floor of the library and City Hall building at 180 Market Street. Before we set a date, we check with them about your patio and help you prepare and file whatever is required.

Yes, when the job is worth more than $10,000.00 in labor and materials, Vermont requires the contractor to register with the Office of Professional Regulation before contracting with you. State law also calls for a written contract before a deposit is taken or work starts on a job that size. On a larger patio, ask any contractor about both.

A new slab can still crack, but most bad cracking starts with a base that was only raked level or water trapped underneath. That water softens the ground and washes out empty pockets as it freezes and thaws, which is why the base and the slope away from your house come first.