What concrete projects should I always hire a professional for in NB?

In New Brunswick, there is a clear line between concrete work a capable homeowner can tackle and work that should always be handled by a qualified professional. Crossing that line — particularly for structural and foundation work — can result in safety hazards, building code violations, structural failure, and costs far exceeding what the original professional work would have cost.

Always hire a professional for:

Foundation work is at the top of the list, without exception. Footings, foundation walls, grade beams, structural slabs — these are the literal base of your building. NB's frost depth of 4–5 feet means foundation excavations are deep, dangerous, and demanding. Improper footing depth, inadequate reinforcement, incorrect concrete cover, or poor consolidation can compromise a structure for decades. Trench collapse during excavation is a leading cause of construction fatalities. Foundation failures are among the most expensive repairs in residential construction, often requiring complete excavation, demolition, and reconstruction. There is no DIY justification for foundation work.

Concrete driveways are beyond what most homeowners should attempt. A two-car driveway involves 7–9 cubic yards of ready-mix arriving all at once and requiring immediate, coordinated placement and finishing. The crew must work the entire surface before the concrete sets — a race that professional crews manage daily with specialized equipment and practiced technique. A failed driveway pour is a permanent, highly visible, expensive result. The cost of professional installation ($5,000–$9,000 in Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John) is the cost of certainty.

Stamped and decorative concrete requires specialized tools (stamps, release agents, colouring systems) and — critically — perfect timing. The window between stampable concrete and over-hardened concrete can be as short as 20 minutes per section. Professional decorative concrete installers develop this skill over hundreds of pours. First-timers consistently produce uneven stamp patterns, blurred textures, and colour inconsistencies that are visible permanently.

Retaining walls over 2 feet resist significant soil and water pressure. Walls over 4 feet require engineered drawings under NB Building Code. An under-designed retaining wall can fail catastrophically, causing soil movement, property damage, and potential injury.

Foundation crack repair — if you can see a crack from inside your basement, professional assessment is required before any repair. Some cracks are cosmetic; others indicate active structural movement, hydrostatic pressure, or drainage failure. Filling a structural crack without addressing the cause is a temporary cosmetic fix on a progressing problem.

Concrete lifting and levelling (mudjacking or polyfoam injection) requires specialized equipment and significant experience. Over-lifting can create new cracks; incorrect foam placement can cause differential settlement.

New Brunswick Concrete can match you with qualified local contractors for any of these projects across NB.