Concrete Patio Contractor in South Jersey: How to Find the Right One for Your Project

Written By P Breen Concrtee

Every spring, thousands of South Jersey homeowners start looking for a concrete patio contractor. From Mullica Hill to Cherry Hill, Washington Township to Voorhees — most of them make the same mistakes: hiring based on the lowest bid, not checking licenses, or choosing a contractor who subs out the actual work to whoever's available that week. Here's how to avoid those mistakes and find a contractor who'll actually build you a patio that lasts.

What a Concrete Patio Contractor Actually Does

Not all concrete contractors do the same type of work. Some specialize in foundations and footings. Others focus on commercial flatwork — warehouse floors, parking lots, loading docks. What you want for a residential patio is a contractor who specializes in decorative concrete — specifically stamped concrete, colored concrete, and hardscaping.

A good patio contractor handles the entire job: demolition and removal of existing surfaces, excavation, grading and drainage, base preparation, forming, pouring, stamping or finishing, coloring, detailing, and sealing. If a contractor tells you they "just pour" and someone else handles the prep work or finishing, that's a red flag. The best results come from one crew managing the project from start to finish.

How to Vet a Concrete Contractor in New Jersey

Check Their NJ Home Improvement Contractor License

This is the single most important step, and it's the one most homeowners skip. New Jersey requires all home improvement contractors to be registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs. The license number format is 13VH followed by a series of numbers.

You can verify any contractor's license at the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs website. If a contractor can't provide their license number or tells you they don't need one, walk away. An unlicensed contractor means you have zero legal recourse if something goes wrong — and your homeowner's insurance may not cover damage caused by unlicensed work.

Verify Insurance

Any legitimate contractor should carry both general liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance. General liability covers damage to your property. Workers' comp covers injuries to crew members on your job site. Without workers' comp, you could be liable if a worker gets hurt on your property.

Ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurance company to verify it's current. This takes five minutes and can save you from a catastrophic situation.

Look at Their Actual Work — Not Stock Photos

This is where a lot of homeowners get fooled. Some contractors' websites are full of stock photos or images pulled from other companies. Look for a portfolio of completed projects with location details. Better yet, ask if you can drive by a past project in your area to see it in person.

Pay attention to the details in their photos: Are the edges clean and straight? Are the stamp patterns aligned and consistent? Do the colors look uniform? Are there visible cracks or settling? The details in the photos tell you a lot about the quality of the work.

Read Google Reviews — But Read Them Carefully

A 4.5-star rating with 200 reviews means something very different than a 5.0 rating with 8 reviews. Look at the volume of reviews, how recent they are, and whether the contractor responds to negative reviews professionally. Also look for specifics in the reviews — "they did a great job" is nice but "the ashlar slate pattern came out perfectly and they matched the color to our house exactly" tells you more. Check reviews on Google, Facebook, and sites like Angi or HomeAdvisor. For South Jersey specifically, ask around on local Facebook groups for Mullica Hill, Washington Township, and Gloucester County — neighbors are usually happy to share who they used and whether they'd hire them again.

Ask How Long They've Been in Business

Concrete work is unforgiving. You can't fix a bad pour after it sets. It takes years of hands-on experience to learn how to handle the variables — temperature, humidity, wind, sun exposure, soil conditions, concrete mix consistency — that affect every pour. A contractor with 5+ years of experience has seen enough to handle problems when they come up. A contractor with 20+ years has likely seen everything.

What to Ask Before You Sign Anything

"Who actually does the work?"

This is the most important question most homeowners never ask. Many contractors — especially larger operations and general contractors — subcontract the actual concrete work to whoever's available. That means the people pouring and stamping your patio might be a crew the contractor has never worked with before.

The best patio contractors do their own work with their own crews. The people who show up on day one are the same people who stamp, color, and seal your patio on the last day. That consistency matters enormously with decorative concrete.

"What PSI concrete do you use?"

For a residential patio in South Jersey, you want 4,000 PSI concrete minimum. Some contractors will pour 3,000 PSI to save money — it's cheaper per yard. But 3,000 PSI is designed for interior slabs and light-duty applications. For an outdoor patio that needs to handle freeze-thaw cycles, furniture, grills, and foot traffic, 4,000 PSI is the standard.

"What's included in the base prep?"

This is where corners get cut most often. Proper base preparation for a concrete patio in South Jersey includes: excavation to proper depth (typically 8-10 inches below finished grade), installation of 4-6 inches of compacted crushed stone (process gravel), proper grading for drainage away from the house, and compaction with a plate compactor.

The soil conditions across South Jersey vary significantly — the clay-heavy soil in Washington Township and Deptford holds water differently than the sandier soil in Hammonton or Egg Harbor Township. A contractor who knows the area will adjust their base prep accordingly.

If a contractor tells you they're going to pour directly on existing soil or doesn't mention base prep at all, find someone else. Poor base prep is the number one cause of cracking and settling in concrete patios — and it's invisible once the concrete is poured.

"How do you handle drainage?"

Water is concrete's worst enemy in South Jersey. Every patio needs to be graded so water flows away from the house — typically a minimum of 1/8 inch per foot of slope. For patios that are close to the house or below grade, you may also need a French drain or channel drain to manage water runoff. This is especially common in areas with higher water tables like Swedesboro, Woolwich, and parts of West Deptford.

A good contractor will evaluate your property's drainage situation during the estimate and build a grading plan into the project. A contractor who never mentions drainage is either inexperienced or planning to skip it.

"What's your sealer and do you include non-slip additive?"

Every stamped concrete patio should be sealed after curing to protect the color and surface. But not all sealers are the same. Ask what brand and type of sealer they use — solvent-based or water-based, high-gloss or matte. More importantly, ask if they include a non-slip additive. Stamped concrete can be slippery when wet, especially with a high-gloss sealer. Non-slip additive provides traction without changing the look.

Concrete Patio Costs in South Jersey

Pricing varies based on size, pattern, number of colors, and site conditions. Here are typical ranges for South Jersey as of 2026:

Plain broom-finish concrete: $8 to $14 per square foot. This is your basic gray concrete with a brushed texture. Functional but no decorative value.

Single-color stamped concrete: $14 to $20 per square foot. One integral color with a contrasting release agent. This gives you the decorative look at the most affordable price point.

Multi-color stamped concrete with borders: $18 to $28 per square foot. Two or more colors, accent borders, and more complex patterns. This is where you get the full custom look.

For a typical 400 square foot patio, that translates to roughly $5,600 to $11,200 for stamped concrete. Larger patios get a slightly lower per-square-foot rate. Add-ons like fire pit pads, seating walls, steps, and outdoor kitchen foundations are priced separately.

These prices should include everything: demolition and removal of existing surfaces, excavation, base prep, forming, pouring, stamping, coloring, sealing, and cleanup. If a quote seems dramatically lower than these ranges, ask what's being left out.

Red Flags to Watch For

No written estimate or contract. Any legitimate contractor provides a detailed written estimate that includes scope of work, materials, timeline, payment schedule, and warranty information. Verbal agreements are worthless if something goes wrong.

Asking for more than 1/3 upfront. New Jersey law limits deposits on home improvement contracts to 1/3 of the total price or the cost of special-order materials, whichever is less. A contractor asking for 50% or more upfront is either breaking the law or doesn't have the cash flow to buy materials — both are problems.

No physical address or NJ license number on their website or business card. If they operate out of a P.O. box and won't give you a license number, keep looking.

Dramatically lower prices than everyone else. If one contractor quotes $6,000 and three others quote $10,000-$12,000 for the same job, the low bidder is cutting corners somewhere — thinner concrete, no base prep, cheaper materials, or unlicensed/uninsured workers.

Pressure to sign immediately. "This price is only good today" is a sales tactic, not a business practice. A good contractor gives you time to make a decision because they know their work speaks for itself.

No portfolio or references. If they can't show you examples of past work or connect you with past customers, there's a reason.

Stamped Concrete vs. Pavers vs. Plain Concrete

Most South Jersey homeowners considering a new patio weigh three options. Here's how they compare:

Stamped concrete gives you the look of natural stone, brick, or slate as a single monolithic slab. No joints to grow weeds, no individual pieces to shift or settle, and typically 20-40% less expensive than a comparable paver installation. It requires resealing every 2-3 years but is otherwise very low maintenance. A well-installed stamped concrete patio lasts 25-30 years.

Interlocking pavers look great and offer a wide range of design options. The downside is higher upfront cost, joints that invite weeds and ant hills, and ongoing maintenance — re-sanding, re-leveling, and repairing shifted or sunken pavers. Premium paver brands like Techo-Bloc and Belgard carry manufacturer warranties, which is a plus.

Plain concrete is the most affordable option. It gets the job done but adds no visual impact to your outdoor space. For an additional $4-$8 per square foot, stamped concrete transforms a plain gray slab into a decorative feature — making it the best value for most homeowners who want both function and style.

When to Book Your Patio Project in South Jersey

The ideal window for concrete work in South Jersey is April through November. Concrete needs temperatures above 50°F to cure properly, and our climate gives us roughly a 7-8 month pouring season.

Spring is the busiest booking season. Most reputable contractors start filling their spring and summer schedules in February and March. If you want your patio done by Memorial Day weekend, you should be getting estimates in January or February. Waiting until April or May often means a June or July installation — or later. This is especially true for contractors who serve high-demand areas like Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Voorhees, and Washington Township where backyard renovation projects are constant.

Fall is an underrated time to pour. September and October offer ideal curing conditions — warm days, cool nights, low humidity — and contractors are often more available than during the spring rush.

South Jersey Towns We Serve

Our shop is in Mullica Hill, which puts us within 20 minutes of most of Gloucester and Camden counties:

We also serve Mount Laurel, Moorestown, and parts of Burlington, Atlantic, and Salem counties.

The Bottom Line

Hiring a concrete patio contractor isn't complicated, but it does require some homework. Check the license, verify insurance, look at real photos of real work, get multiple estimates, and ask the right questions about base prep, materials, and who's actually doing the work.

The difference between a patio that lasts 5 years and one that lasts 30 years comes down to the contractor you choose. Take the time to choose the right one.

Patrick Breen Masonry & Concrete is a third-generation, family-owned concrete and masonry company based in Mullica Hill, NJ. We've been building stamped concrete patios, driveways, pool decks, walkways, and outdoor living spaces across South Jersey since 1983. Every project is poured, stamped, and sealed by our own crew — no subcontractors. NJ License #13VH00144300.

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