Freeze-thaw is the test
Driveways, patios and sidewalks in Fayetteville go through repeated freezing and thawing. NOAA's engineering weather data for Drake Field lists an average of 62 freeze-thaw cycles a year. Water that soaks into concrete and freezes expands, and over many cycles it scales and pops the surface. For exterior flatwork, ask your contractor about air-entrained concrete, which contains tiny air bubbles that give freezing water room to expand. Ask what mix strength they'll order, and ask to see the ticket from the ready-mix truck.
Deicers and new concrete
New concrete is most vulnerable during its first winter. Avoid putting deicing salts on it that first season; sand gives traction without damage. Ask the contractor when the slab should be sealed, and with what. A penetrating sealer applied after the concrete has cured helps keep water and salt out.
Rain, slope and drainage
NOAA lists a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.7 inches per hour for Drake Field. A driveway or patio that holds water, or sends it toward the house, causes problems for years. Ask how the slab will be sloped (commonly about a quarter-inch per foot away from the house), where water will go at the bottom of a driveway, and whether a trench drain or swale is needed. On a sloped lot, ask how the base will be built up and compacted so the slab doesn't settle at the low end.
Pouring in the heat
NOAA's 1% summer design temperature for Drake Field is 92°F. Hot weather speeds setting, which can lead to cracking and a poor finish if the crew isn't ready. Ask how they'll handle a summer pour: an early start, dampening the base, sunshades or windbreaks, and a curing compound or wet curing right after finishing. Curing matters as much as the pour. In winter, ask how they'll protect fresh concrete from freezing with blankets and when they won't pour at all.
Joints, reinforcement and base
All concrete cracks; joints decide where. Ask how the contractor will space control joints (a common rule is no more than two to three times the slab thickness in feet), and whether the slab will have rebar, wire mesh or fiber. Ask about the base material, its thickness, and how it will be compacted. Ask how thick the slab will be, since driveways that carry trucks need more thickness than a walkway.
Licensing and paperwork
In Arkansas, work on a single-family home costing more than $2,000 in labor and materials needs a license from the state Contractors Licensing Board. Most driveways and patios cross that threshold. Ask for the license number and look it up on the board's search, and ask whether the job needs a city permit, particularly for driveway approaches that meet the street. Get the scope, mix, thickness, reinforcement and warranty in writing before the forms go up.