Editorial Policy: How We Research Our Guides
The Seattle Concrete blog publishes permit guides, cost guides and how-to articles for people planning concrete work in the Seattle area. This page explains where the information comes from, how we keep it current, and how to tell us when something is wrong.
Official sources first
Permit and code rules come from the agencies that set them, not from other contractors' websites. For Seattle, that usually means:
- Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), which issues Street Use permits for work in the public right-of-way, such as sidewalks and driveway approaches;
- Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), which issues construction and grading permits and enforces the Seattle Stormwater Code;
- Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), whose director's rules cover connections to the public drainage system;
- the municipal code and permit pages of other cities, such as Bellevue and Everett, for their own guides.
Permit guides, such as our Seattle driveway approach permit guide and the overview of Seattle concrete permits and inspections, list the official pages they rely on, with links so you can check the current rule yourself. When a rule depends on your lot, such as slope, drainage or how much area you disturb, we say so and point you to the agency instead of guessing. If we can't confirm a rule from an official source, we leave it out.
Review dates
Codes, fees and thresholds change. Each guide shows the date it was last reviewed or updated. When we check a guide against its sources and change anything, we update that date.
Cost ranges are estimates
Cost guides, such as the Seattle concrete driveway cost guide, give ranges to help you plan a budget. They aren't quotes. Real prices depend on the site: access, size and thickness, removal of old concrete, grading and base work, reinforcement, finish, permits and the time of year. An on-site estimate is the number to rely on.
Corrections
If you spot an error or an out-of-date rule, call (206) 552-9998 or use the contact form and tell us the page address and what you think is wrong. A link to the official source helps. We review every report, fix confirmed errors, and update the page's review date.
No paid placement
We don't accept payment for links, product mentions or placement in our guides. The guides are free to read. The site is supported by estimate requests made by phone or through the form, and that doesn't change what a guide says about permits or costs. For how we handle the information you send us, see our privacy policy.
