A new concrete driveway is one of the biggest exterior upgrades most San Antonio homes get, and the crew you hire decides whether it lasts through clay soil and summer heat. This guide shows what to look for in driveway cement contractors, what the work typically costs, which city rules apply, and the red flags to walk away from.
- What should I look for in driveway cement contractors?
- Do I need a new driveway, or will repair work?
- How much do driveway cement contractors charge in San Antonio?
- How should a concrete driveway be built for San Antonio soil?
- Do I need a permit for a new concrete driveway?
- What happens after I hire driveway cement contractors?
- How long does a new concrete driveway take?
- What are the red flags when hiring driveway cement contractors?
- What should I ask before I sign?
- Where do we work?
- What else are homeowners asking?
Hire driveway cement contractors who visit the site, specify a 5-inch slab with rebar and compacted base, and put the price in writing. In San Antonio a broom-finish driveway typically runs about $7 to $12 per square foot. Clay soil and heat punish thin slabs, so call a pro before you accept a phone quote under $6.
What should I look for in driveway cement contractors?
Look for an insured concrete crew that measures your site, lists thickness, base, and steel on a written estimate, and knows San Antonio curb and HOA rules. The best driveway cement contractors talk about the base under the slab as much as the finish on top.
- A site visit, not a phone price: Soil, slope, tear-out, truck access, and how the new slab meets the garage all change the job.
- Spec on paper: Slab thickness, base depth, rebar or mesh, joints, finish, and cure time should be line items.
- Insurance you can verify: Ask for the certificate. Our service pages state $2,000,000 in liability coverage, which is the kind of number you should see in writing.
- Local driveway work to show you: Ask for recent San Antonio driveways, not only patio photos.
- Permit clarity: They should know when a Sidewalk-Curb Permit is required for the approach or curb cut.
Checked against our concrete driveway installation and concrete driveway service pages, our driveway cost guide, and the City of San Antonio permit sources listed below on October 9, 2026.
Do I need a new driveway, or will repair work?
Repair can fix localized cracks, joint failure, and small sunken spots. Full replacement is the better call when panels are heaving, the slab is too thin for today’s vehicles, or drainage sends water toward the house.
- Good repair candidates: Stable cracks, worn surface on a sound slab, or a few low spots that can be lifted.
- Replace instead: Widespread settlement, severe map cracking through the depth, or a driveway that pools against the foundation.
- Widen or add a pad: Extra parking often means a new pour beside the existing drive, not a surface patch.
Still deciding? Read when should you replace a concrete driveway? and our concrete driveway repair and replacement page.
How much do driveway cement contractors charge in San Antonio?
A standard broom-finish concrete driveway in San Antonio typically runs about $7 to $12 per square foot installed, so a single-car slab often lands around $2,800 to $4,800. Stamped finishes cost more, and tear-out is priced separately.
| Job | Typical cost in San Antonio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Broom-finish driveway | About $7 – $12 per sq. ft. | Local installed range with base and rebar |
| Single-car, about 240 – 400 sq. ft. | About $2,800 – $4,800 | Example 12×30 broom-finish slab |
| Double-car, about 500 – 800 sq. ft. | About $5,600 – $9,600 | Common 20×40 broom-finish range |
| Stamped concrete driveway | About $14 – $20 per sq. ft. | Pattern, color, and sealer drive the price |
| Demo and haul-away of old driveway | About $1.50 – $3.00 per sq. ft. | Added on replacement jobs |
Typical estimate ranges as of October 2026, in line with our concrete driveway cost in San Antonio guide, not a quote. National calculators often show $4 to $8 per square foot; local clay, base, and trucking push San Antonio broom-finish work into the $7 to $12 range. We give every price in writing after a free site visit.
What changes the price
- Size and shape, including curves, circular approaches, and side pads
- Thickness: a 5-inch slab is the local standard; 6 inches for heavy trucks or RVs costs more
- Tear-out, grading, drainage correction, and tree-root work
- Finish: broom, exposed aggregate, stain, or stamp
- Curb cut, drive approach, and Sidewalk-Curb Permit work in the right-of-way
Pay for the base and thickness, not only the finish
How should a concrete driveway be built for San Antonio soil?
On a compacted crushed-stone base, with a rebar grid set in the slab, about 5 inches thick for cars, and joints and slope planned before the pour. Much of San Antonio sits on expansive clay that swells when wet and shrinks in drought, so the base matters as much as the mix.
- Remove soft soil: Turf, roots, and organic dirt come out so the base sits on firm ground.
- Compacted base: Crushed limestone or similar, typically several inches deep, compacted in lifts.
- Thickness and steel: About 5 inches for cars, 6 inches for heavy vehicles, with rebar on chairs, not lying on the dirt.
- Control joints and slope: Joints spaced for the slab width, and a pitch that sends rain away from the house and garage.
- Meeting the garage: Ask how the new slab ties into the garage floor and sidewalks so the two can move without cracking each other.
More on thickness: how thick should a concrete driveway be? Full install steps: concrete driveway installation step-by-step.
Do I need a permit for a new concrete driveway?
Usually not for the driveway slab itself if it sits inside your property line, because San Antonio’s No Permit Required List includes driveways inside the property line. Work that touches the curb, drive approach, or public sidewalk needs a Sidewalk-Curb Permit.
- Inside the property line: Replacing or pouring the driveway slab on your lot usually needs no building permit.
- Approach, curb, or sidewalk in the right-of-way: Pull a Sidewalk-Curb Permit and plan for inspection before the pour.
- Historic, Neighborhood Conservation, and Corridor Districts: Extra design rules can apply.
- HOA deed restrictions: Separate from city permits and can limit width, finish, and layout.
Confirm your address with Development Services at 210-207-1111. Areas outside city limits follow their own rules. A good contractor will tell you whether your job touches the right-of-way and who pulls the permit.
What happens after I hire driveway cement contractors?
A site visit and written estimate come first, then the permit check, tear-out or prep, base, pour, and cure. Here is how our driveway installation crew runs a residential job.
- Free site visit: Ted or a crew lead measures the drive, checks slope, drainage, soil, truck access, and any curb work.
- Written estimate and permit check: The price lists thickness, base, steel, finish, and tear-out. If the approach hits the curb or sidewalk, the city permit comes first.
- Tear-out and base: Old concrete comes out if needed, then grading and a compacted crushed-stone base.
- Forms, steel, and pour: Forms and rebar go in, then the pour, finish, and control joints.
- Cure and walkthrough: The slab is protected while it cures, and you get clear dates for walking, cars, and heavier loads.
“I hired them for a stamped concrete driveway, and the result was fantastic. The pattern was perfect, the color enhanced our curb appeal, and they were transparent about costs and on schedule.”
Driveway client, San Antonio · Google review shown on our driveway installation page
How long does a new concrete driveway take?
Most residential driveways take about 2 to 4 working days to tear out, form, and pour once the site is ready. A curb permit, heavy grading, or rain can add days before the truck arrives.
Curing takes longer than pouring. You can typically walk on new concrete after 1 to 2 days, drive a car on it after about 7 days, and put heavy trucks or trailers on it after about 28 days. Plan temporary parking before the old slab comes out.
Weather timing: how weather affects concrete driveways in San Antonio.
What are the red flags when hiring driveway cement contractors?
Walk away from a contractor who quotes without seeing the site, will not put thickness and base in writing, or says a new curb cut needs no permit. Those jobs end in cracked slabs and surprise change orders.
- Price given over the phone without a site visit
- No thickness, base, or steel listed on the estimate
- Quotes well under about $6 per square foot for a full local install
- Large cash deposit before materials are ordered
- No proof of insurance when you ask
- “No permit needed” for a new curb cut or approach in the right-of-way
Not sure about a quote you already have? Call (713) 504-2341 and we will walk your driveway for free.
What should I ask before I sign?
Ask how thick the slab will be, what goes under it, who handles the permit, and when you can drive on it. The answers should match what is written on the estimate.
Your driveway cement contractor checklist
Use it with every crew you compare.
- Measure the driveway and decide if you also need a pad or widening.
- Check HOA rules before you get quotes.
- Ask for proof of liability insurance.
- Get thickness, base, and steel in writing.
- Ask who pulls any Sidewalk-Curb Permit.
- Confirm walk-on, car, and heavy-load cure times.
- Ask what the workmanship warranty covers.
- Compare at least two written estimates side by side.
Related reading: how to choose a concrete driveway contractor and hiring driveway contractors in San Antonio: what to ask.
Our service pages: concrete driveway installation in San Antonio, TX and concrete driveway repair and replacement. Free site visit and a written quote before any work starts. Call (713) 504-2341 or request a free estimate.
Need driveway cement contractors in San Antonio?
Free site visit, thickness and price in writing before work starts, licensed and insured crew.
Where do we work?
Affordable Concrete San Antonio works across San Antonio and nearby areas from our shop at 1247 W Thompson Pl, San Antonio, TX 78226.
Our driveway installation page lists San Antonio plus Helotes, Leon Valley, Shavano Park, Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights, Converse, Universal City, Schertz, Boerne, Cibolo, Fair Oaks Ranch, Bulverde, Spring Branch, New Braunfels, Pleasanton, Floresville, Castroville, Lytle, and Von Ormy. Not sure about your address? Call (713) 504-2341.
What else are homeowners asking?
These are the short answers people want before they book a quote.
What should I look for in driveway cement contractors?
An insured crew that visits the site, lists thickness, base, and steel on a written estimate, shows local driveway work, and knows when a Sidewalk-Curb Permit is required.
How much do driveway cement contractors charge in San Antonio?
A standard broom-finish driveway typically runs about $7 to $12 per square foot installed. A single-car slab often lands around $2,800 to $4,800; stamped work costs more.
How thick should a new concrete driveway be?
About 5 inches is the local standard for cars, with rebar and a compacted base. Pickups, trailers, and RVs usually need about 6 inches.
Do I need a permit for a concrete driveway in San Antonio?
Usually not for the slab inside your property line. A new curb cut or drive approach in the public right-of-way needs a Sidewalk-Curb Permit. Confirm with Development Services at 210-207-1111.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can usually walk on it after 1 to 2 days and drive a car on it after about 7 days. Wait about 28 days before heavy trucks or trailers.
What are red flags when hiring driveway cement contractors?
Phone quotes without a site visit, no thickness or base on the estimate, no insurance proof, large cash deposits up front, and claims that a new curb cut needs no permit.
Sources used in this article:
- City of San Antonio, No Permit Required List (driveways inside the property line; historic and conservation district note), checked October 9, 2026, sa.gov
- City of San Antonio, Sidewalk-Curb Permit Application, checked October 9, 2026, docsonline.sanantonio.gov
- Affordable Concrete San Antonio, concrete driveway installation service page, checked October 9, 2026, affordableconcretesanantonio.com/concrete-driveway-installation-san-antonio/
- Affordable Concrete San Antonio, concrete driveway cost guide, affordableconcretesanantonio.com/concrete-blogs/concrete-driveway-cost-in-san-antonio/
- Affordable Concrete San Antonio, concrete driveway service page, affordableconcretesanantonio.com/concrete-driveway-san-antonio/
This article is general information for San Antonio homeowners. Prices are typical estimates and can change. City and HOA rules can change too, and the City of San Antonio is the final authority on permits. It is not a quote and does not replace a site visit.
What should I read next?
Start with our driveway installation page, or keep reading if you are still budgeting or comparing crews.