The right choice depends on what the slab carries, the look you want and the ground under it. Around Southfield, salt, frost and clay decide most of these answers.
Every price on this page is a national figure published by HomeGuide for 2026. None of them is a quote from The Southfield Concrete Company. Local labor and material costs, access for the truck, the state of the ground under the slab and the finish you choose all move a real price. Checked October 2026.
Concrete or asphalt for a driveway?
Both are common in Southfield, and each gives something up. HomeGuide's national figures put a 20x20 asphalt driveway at $2,000 to $4,800, or $5 to $12 or more a square foot, against $6 to $15 for concrete. Asphalt is cheaper and salt does not flake it, but it needs sealing every few years and the edges break down. Concrete lasts longer and stays cleaner, but salt can scale it and a poor base cracks it. On clay, the base matters more than the material.
Poured concrete or pavers?
Poured concrete costs less and has no sand joints for weeds and ants. HomeGuide lists installed pavers at $10 to $17 a square foot, or $3,800 to $6,800 for a 20x20 patio, compared with $4 to $12 for a plain poured patio. Pavers heave with frost too, but single pavers can be lifted and reset, which is a real plus here. Snow shovels and plows catch paver edges. Stamped concrete gives a paver look in one slab.
How thick should a concrete driveway be?
Four inches is the usual minimum for cars. Where pickups, trailers, campers or delivery trucks park, 5 or 6 inches is common. On Southfield clay, we spend first on a deeper compacted stone base, steel and an air-entrained mix, then add thickness where heavy loads sit. The approach at the street usually takes the heaviest wheels.
Do I need rebar or wire mesh?
We use one or the other in Southfield. Rebar or wire mesh does not keep concrete from cracking, but it holds the pieces together and level when frost and clay move the slab. Rebar on chairs is stronger and stays in place during the pour. Mesh helps only if it ends up in the middle of the slab, not lying flat on the base.
What PSI concrete do I need, and what is air entrainment?
Home driveways and patios are normally poured with concrete in the 3,000 to 4,000 PSI range, measured at 28 days. In Michigan, air entrainment matters as much as PSI. It puts tiny air bubbles in the mix that give freezing water room to expand, which protects the top from salt scaling. Ask for an air-entrained exterior mix for any outdoor slab. Building slabs follow the plans, and extra water added on site weakens any mix.
Is stamped concrete worth it?
Stamped concrete is worth it if you want a stone or brick look and accept the upkeep. It runs $8 to $19 a square foot by HomeGuide's figures, against $4 to $12 for a plain patio. In Southfield it needs resealing every few years, it should never see rock salt, and repairs are hard to match. It does best on patios and walks that get less salt than a driveway.
Should I seal new concrete, and when? How often does it need sealing?
Seal new concrete once it has cured, usually after about a month, on a dry day above the temperature the product calls for. Sealing helps keep water and salt out of the surface. If the pour was in late fall, seal it in spring. How often to reseal depends on the product, traffic and salt; every few years is typical, and stamped work more often. HomeGuide lists cleaning and sealing at $1 to $3 a square foot, or $575 to $1,700 for a two-car driveway.
Broom finish or smooth finish? What about a steep driveway?
Choose a broom finish outdoors. It gives grip on wet, icy and snow-packed concrete, while a smooth troweled slab outside is slick in winter. Smooth finishes belong in garages and basements. Steep driveways are uncommon in Southfield, but some lots slope toward the Rouge River or down to a walkout. On a steep drive, we use a deeper broom texture across the slope for grip.
What does a hot tub pad need?
A hot tub pad needs a level surface, enough thickness for the weight and a compacted stone base. A filled tub with people in it is very heavy for its size, and the maker's manual lists what it must sit on. We build to that. On clay, a thin pad tilts as the ground freezes and thaws, and a tilted tub strains its shell. Plan the electrical line and drainage before the pour.
What does a shop slab need for a vehicle lift or heavy equipment?
For a vehicle lift, the slab needs the thickness and concrete strength the lift maker specifies in writing for its anchors. Choose the lift before we pour, since the only way to thicken a finished floor is to cut it out. For heavy equipment, we also look at the base and the footings, and an engineer may need to design a thicker section.
Do I need gravel under a slab? Do I need a vapor barrier?
Yes, you need gravel under a slab here. A compacted layer of crushed stone or gravel drains, while clay holds water that then freezes and heaves. The depth depends on the site. A vapor barrier goes under any enclosed slab, such as a garage, addition, basement or shop floor, to keep ground moisture from coming up through the concrete. Open driveways and patios do not need one.
I need a pad that takes delivery trucks. What changes?
A pad for a delivery truck, a garbage truck or a loaded trailer needs a thicker slab, more steel and a deeper compacted base than a car driveway. The spot where trucks turn their wheels and brake wears fastest. Spring thaw is the riskiest time, because the clay under the pad is soaked and at its weakest. Tell us what vehicles use the pad and how often.
My pool deck is worn. Resurface, pavers or new concrete?
Resurface the pool deck if it is still level and solid. HomeGuide lists pool deck resurfacing at $3 to $6 a square foot nationally. Replace sections that have heaved or tipped toward the pool. Pavers can work well here because heaved ones can be lifted and reset. Whatever you choose, use a textured, light surface for grip and keep the deck sloped away from the pool.
The patio will be poured against the house. What goes between them?
An isolation joint, also called an expansion joint, goes between the patio and the house. It is a compressible strip that lets the slab and the foundation move separately. A patio on Southfield clay moves with frost while the house stays on its footings, so a patio tied tight to the foundation cracks or pushes up on the trim. The top of the joint is sealed so water does not run down the basement wall.
To get a price for your own property, book a free on-site estimate. Call (313) 789-3411, or text a photo of the concrete to that number.