Ohio doesn't license concrete contractors. Here's what applies instead

Ohio licenses five construction trades at the state level: HVAC, refrigeration, electrical, plumbing and hydronics (Ohio Revised Code chapter 4740). Concrete, masonry and general contracting aren't among them, and the Ohio Department of Commerce says plainly that residential contractors are not required to be licensed by the state and that homeowners should check with the local building department. So any concrete contractor in Cincinnati who shows you a "state licence number" is showing you something else. Here is what does apply.

What does apply

1. Cincinnati's street-contractor licence, from the Department of Transportation and Engineering, for any work in the public right-of-way: driveway aprons, public sidewalks, curb cuts. DOTE keeps a searchable list; a contractor not on it can't legally build your apron inside the city. The permit guide.
2. Local permits. The Street Opening Permit for aprons and sidewalks; building permits for slabs that carry structures, retaining walls above a certain height, and steps in some jurisdictions. Cincinnati's Department of Buildings and Inspections, each suburb's own, or Hamilton County Buildings and Inspections (513-946-4550) for the townships.
3. Insurance. A certificate of general liability and workers' compensation, sent by the insurer, naming the contractor, current. Ask for it from the insurer rather than from the contractor's file.
4. Ohio811. Utilities marked before any dig. A crew that doesn't call is a crew that will hit something.
5. A written contract. Scope, thickness, base, reinforcement, mix, finish, joints, the apron under its permit, removal, schedule, payment terms, change-order process and warranty. For larger home construction jobs, the Ohio Home Construction Service Suppliers Act (Revised Code chapter 4722) requires a written contract on jobs of about $25,000 and up, with the supplier's name, address, phone and taxpayer ID, the owner's details, the property, a description of the work, start and completion dates, the total estimated cost, a certificate of insurance showing at least $250,000 of general liability, and dated signatures, plus a written estimate before unforeseen costs over $5,000 are incurred. The Act's definitions are about one- to three-family homes and construction incidental to them, and it doesn't name driveways or patios, so we don't claim it governs every slab; for a job that size the estimator explains how it applies.

What the Department of Commerce tells homeowners to check

Proof of insurance, references, a written contract with scope, timeline, payment schedule, change orders and warranty, and caution about large down payments. Complaints about residential contractors go to the Ohio Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section, 1-800-282-0515.

Money

A modest deposit at signing to cover materials, progress payment on larger jobs at defined points, and the balance on completion. Be wary of most of the money up front, a discount for signing today, or a price matched without seeing the job.

Questions that sort contractors

• How thick, on what base, with what reinforcement, in what mix? Is it air-entrained?
• Who's doing the apron, and are they on DOTE's list?
• Which permits does this job need, and are they in the price?
• Can the insurer send me the certificate?
• When are the joints cut, and how is the slab cured?
• What's the warranty, in writing?

We answer all of those on the price without being asked. Any contractor should.

Questions