How We Vet Our Concrete Pros in Chicago
Before a concrete company receives a single request from this site, we check three things: that it holds the license or registration the city, suburb or state requires for the work, that its paperwork such as insurance is in place, and that an interview leaves us willing to recommend it. That is the whole process, and this page explains each step.
Reviewed by: Patrik Lorentzson, Editor, Chicago Prime Concrete · Last reviewed
General information only, not advice for your project. Chicago Prime Concrete does not advise on, design or manage projects; the contractor you choose does.
Which license or registration do we check?
The one the job's address requires. Inside Chicago that usually means a City of Chicago general contractor license, which we look up in the city's public licensed-contractor lookup; work on the apron or curb cut also needs a licensed sidewalk contractor for the driveway construction permit. In the suburbs it means the town's own contractor registration: Joliet, Aurora and Des Plaines each keep one, and a registration in one town doesn't carry over to the next.
What paperwork do we look at?
Proof that the company's insurance is current, plus any other paperwork its license depends on. In Chicago the two are linked: a Class E general contractor license requires $1 million per occurrence in insurance, and the city automatically inactivates the license if that insurance lapses. Aurora similarly asks contractors to file insurance naming the city before they work there.
Why do we interview every pro?
Because a license and a certificate say nothing about how a company treats the people it works for. We talk with each concrete company before it joins, and only companies we are comfortable recommending to a Chicago homeowner receive requests.
What does this mean for you?
Your request goes to one pro who has passed those three checks, and to nobody else. Until our vetted local concrete pro is confirmed for your area, your request is held and not shared with anyone. The pro is an independent local business, and your contract is with that pro: under Illinois law, a job over $1,000 needs a written contract stating the total cost before work starts, and you can re-check any Chicago license yourself in the city lookup. The hiring guide lists what else to ask.
Sources
- Chicago Department of Buildings: general contractor license, September 17, 2026
- City of Chicago: licensed contractor lookup, September 17, 2026
- Chicago Department of Transportation: driveway permits, overview and policy, September 17, 2026
- City of Des Plaines: contractor license and bond requirements, September 17, 2026
- City of Joliet: building code and contractor information, September 17, 2026
- City of Aurora: contractor licensing, September 17, 2026
- Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act, 815 ILCS 513/15: written contract (FindLaw), September 17, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Do you inspect the work or guarantee it?
No. We check the license, the paperwork and the company before it joins; we don't visit sites, price jobs or supervise work. Questions about the job itself go to the pro, under your written contract.
Old driveway cracked, or a garage slab to pour?
Fill in the short form and our vetted local concrete pro follows up about your job.