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Planning a backyard project around an unclear timeline creates scheduling conflicts that compound the disruption an outdoor installation already causes. Furniture gets stored, access routes are blocked, and outdoor routines are suspended for a defined rather than open-ended period. Knowing how each phase of the work actually runs helps homeowners prepare their homes for what’s coming. This is rather than adapting reactively as the project moves forward.
Initial assessment phase
The concrete patio contractor visits the site before any physical work begins to assess the conditions. During that visit, the ground conditions, drainage patterns, access routes for equipment and delivery trucks, and site-specific factors are examined. Design preferences are also confirmed using the assessment conversation. Following the site visit, the contractor prepares documentation that the project runs from:
- Written scope detailing dimensions, finish type, and sub-base specifications confirmed at assessment
- Material order placement for concrete mix, reinforcement, and any decorative materials required
- Equipment scheduling, confirming when compaction and finishing tools arrive on site
- Permit application submission where local requirements apply to the project scope
- Project start date confirmed once all preceding elements are in place
This phase runs anywhere from several days to a few weeks, depending on permit processing times and contractor scheduling availability in the current season.
Ground preparation days
Physical work opens with site preparation rather than concrete. Existing vegetation, topsoil, and any previous surface materials are cleared from the project area down to a depth that accommodates the sub-base and slab thickness combined. This stage moves at a pace set by what’s being removed and how accessible the area is to machinery.
Grading follows clearing. Before any base material is installed, contractors establish the slope that directs water away from the house. It is built up in layers of compacted gravel, with each layer compacted before the next. Rushing this stage produces a base that settles unevenly under load. This creates surface cracking that appears within the first year or two of regular use. A typical residential patio requires one to two days of ground preparation.
Pour and finish day
Forming goes up the day before or the morning of the pour. Contractors set perimeter forms that define the slab edges and lock in the finished thickness, then position reinforcement within the formed area. Concrete arrives by truck and gets placed, screeded, and brought to grade across the formed area in a continuous operation that the crew manages from placement through to surface finishing. Finishing work begins immediately after screeding and continues as the surface reaches the right consistency for the chosen technique. A broom finish wraps relatively quickly. Stamped patterns require sustained handwork as sections of the surface reach the workable stage at different times, depending on temperature and humidity. The pour day runs long on decorative projects regardless of how efficiently the crew works.
Curing and handover
Foot traffic becomes possible within 24 to 48 hours after pouring under typical weather conditions. Furniture placement and regular outdoor use follow after seven days on most residential projects. After a final walkthrough, the contractor confirms that the surface, edges, and drainage perform as specified. Sealer application occurs after curing, rather than right after pouring. Timing that application correctly protects the surface finish and extends patio appearance through seasonal exposure.
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