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Masonry FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to pour concrete or install pavers in Florida?
In Orange County, FL, the answer is yes every time. Pouring concrete requires a building permit, and even paver installations require a zoning permit. A final inspection must be passed to confirm Florida Building Code compliance. Lake County has similar requirements through its Building Services division, and if your property falls within an incorporated city like Clermont or Leesburg, that municipality may have its own process on top of the county’s. We pull every required permit before work begins. Skipping that step can create real problems when you go to sell your home.
Florida requires masonry and concrete contractors to hold a specialty license through the DBPR the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. To get that license, they have to pass both a trade exam and a Business and Finance exam. You can verify any contractor’s license yourself at myfloridalicense.com. It takes about two minutes and tells you whether the license is active, what it covers, and whether there are any complaints on file. We’re fully licensed and carry both general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. Ask us for our license number — we’ll give it to you without hesitation.
Both hold up well in Florida’s climate, but they behave differently over time. Concrete is poured as a single slab, so if it cracks, the repair shows. Pavers are individual units — if one shifts or cracks, you replace just that piece. Concrete with proper base prep and control joints can last 25 to 50 years here with no freeze-thaw stress working against it. Pavers typically run 25 to 30-plus years and give you more design flexibility. The honest answer depends on your budget, your HOA’s requirements, and how you plan to use the space. We’ll tell you which makes more sense for your specific project — not just which one we feel like selling.
Some cracking over time is normal concrete is a rigid material and it moves slightly with the ground beneath it. But uncontrolled cracking is almost always a sign of poor installation, not an inevitable outcome. The two biggest factors are base preparation and control joints. A properly compacted aggregate sub-base prevents settling, and control joints give the concrete a designated place to relieve stress so it doesn’t crack randomly across the surface. Central Florida’s sandy soils make base prep especially important — a shortcut there will show up in your slab within a few years. We don’t cut corners on what you can’t see.
Color charts and website swatches don’t always tell the full story, especially in Florida’s light. A flake system where colored chips are broadcast into a clear base coat — gives you texture and depth and hides minor imperfections well. Metallic epoxy creates a marbled, high-gloss look that photographs beautifully but shows every footprint in certain lighting. Solid colors are clean and modern but less forgiving of surface variation. We walk you through actual samples before you commit, and we talk through how each finish holds up in direct sun versus shade. The goal is that what gets installed matches what you envisioned — not what looked good on a screen.
It depends entirely on the system. Budget consumer-grade epoxy can yellow and chalk within 12 to 18 months of Florida sun. Commercial-grade, UV-stable systems are formulated specifically for high-UV environments and maintain their color and finish significantly longer — typically five to ten years with proper care. The other critical factor is surface preparation. Epoxy applied to concrete that hasn’t been properly ground or shot-blasted will peel, regardless of product quality. That prep step is the most important part of any epoxy installation, and it’s the step that gets skipped most often when someone’s trying to cut costs.