A checklist for choosing who restores your driveway, garage or car park
A good restoration contractor explains the preparation in detail, tells you what they will not do, documents the work in photos, respects curing times and quotes with VAT shown clearly. Use the checklist below with any firm, including us.
Send us a photo and the m²What should a contractor ask you first?
A contractor should ask for photos, a rough size and how the surface is used before talking about price. If they quote a figure without seeing the surface, they are guessing.
Useful questions on their side include: is there water nearby, can vehicles be moved, are there steps, ramps or posts, is the property let, and is it private or communal? Those questions show they understand what affects the job.
Which questions should you ask them?
- How do you clean the surface, and where does the wash water go?
- Which defects will you repair, and how do you deal with cracks?
- What happens to an old coating that is peeling?
- How are edges handled along walls, posts, steps and gates?
- How many coats, and of what type of paint?
- When can cars return, and where does that time come from?
- What is not included in the price?
- Do I get photos of each stage?
- What happens if it rains on the planned dates?
- Who is my contact, and in which language?
- Is VAT shown separately on the quote?
- What should I do afterwards to look after the surface?
Good answers are specific. Vague answers to the preparation questions in particular are a warning sign.
Which answers should make you hesitate?
Answers that promise what nobody can control, or that skip preparation, should make you hesitate.
- A fixed lifespan promised in years with no reference to the product
- One coat offered as equivalent to two
- "We just paint over the cracks"
- No mention of what happens to wash water
- Cars back on the surface on the same day, regardless of weather
- A price given without photos or a visit
- No written list of exclusions
None of these automatically means a bad contractor, but each deserves a follow-up question.
What should the quote contain?
The quote should list the areas and approximate square metres, the preparation, the repairs, the number of coats, the exclusions and the price with VAT shown clearly. Spanish law requires that, when prices are given, it is clear whether taxes are included.
Our post on what drives the cost of a restoration explains the factors that should appear in any fair quote. For the orientative rate per square metre, see our pricing site's price per m².
What extra points matter for communities and businesses?
For communities and businesses, the plan for keeping access matters as much as the coating. Ask how the area will be divided into zones, how residents or customers will be informed and who handles a car left in the wrong place.
Also ask whether line marking is included. In our case it is not: a separate firm remarks the bays after the floor is ready. See our pages on communal garages and business car parks for how we plan these jobs.
What extra points matter if you live abroad?
If you live abroad, ask how communication works, who handles access, and how you will see the work. Photo documentation at each stage is the most useful thing a contractor can offer an absent owner, because preparation is invisible once the paint is on.
Ask also how the work fits around rental bookings and what happens if the weather moves the dates. For a private driveway restoration, these points shape the whole experience.
How do you compare two quotes?
Compare them line by line, not by total. Put the preparation, repairs, coats, exclusions and VAT side by side. A lower total often hides fewer coats, less repair or missing preparation.
| Item | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning method | ||
| Repairs included | ||
| Number of coats | ||
| Edges and cut-in | ||
| Exclusions | ||
| VAT shown | ||
| Photo documentation |
Fill in the table with each contractor's answers. The gaps tell you which questions to ask next.
Frequently asked questions
Should I always choose the cheapest quote?
Not without comparing what each includes. The cheapest quote may leave out repairs, offer a single coat or skip proper cleaning. A restoration that fails early costs more in the end than one done properly. Compare the details line by line, then decide on value rather than total alone.
How many quotes should I get?
There is no fixed number. Two or three detailed quotes from contractors who have seen photos or the site are usually enough to compare approaches and prices. More quotes are only useful if they are equally detailed. Make sure every contractor has seen the same photos and the same information, so the quotes are genuinely comparable.
Should a contractor visit before quoting?
Good photos often allow an accurate quote, especially for straightforward surfaces. For large areas, communal garages, ramps or surfaces with unclear damage, a site check is sensible. A contractor who refuses to look at the surface in any form before quoting is guessing.
What if a contractor promises the paint will last a set number of years?
Ask where the figure comes from. Durability depends on the product, preparation, sun, traffic and care, and any figure should be traceable to the product data sheet. A promise without a source is a sales line, not information. It is fair to ask a contractor to show you the relevant part of the data sheet.
Is it a bad sign if a contractor says no to my project?
Usually the opposite. A contractor who tells you that your surface needs structural work first, or that they do not do line marking, is being honest about their limits. That honesty is worth more than a quote for work that will not last.
Do I need a written contract for a small driveway job?
A written quote with scope, exclusions, price and VAT is the minimum, and it protects both sides. For larger jobs, communities and businesses, a clear written agreement on dates, phases and responsibilities is strongly advisable. If the job changes on site, any extra work and its price should be confirmed in writing before it is done.
What should I check about waste handling?
Ask what happens to wash water and paint residues. They should not go into the drains; in Málaga city, the sanitation regulation bans discharging paints and pigments into the sewer. A restoration involves no demolition rubble, but residues still need handling.
Should the contractor tell me about permits?
A good contractor will remind you that, depending on the municipality and area, a declaración responsable or a licence may be needed. The owner should confirm with the ayuntamiento. In Málaga city, coating or repairing slabs is generally a minor work under a declaración responsable.
Can I ask to see previous work?
Yes, and you should. Photos of real jobs, showing before, during and after, tell you more than descriptions. Our completed work page shows a Marbella villa driveway and carport restoration step by step. Ask also which stages the photos show, because preparation is the part that matters most and is easiest to leave out of a portfolio.
What should I receive when the job is finished?
Photos of the finished surface, information on when foot traffic and vehicles can return according to the data sheet, simple care advice and an invoice with VAT shown. For communities, completion photos the administrator can share with owners. Keep these documents together; they are useful when planning a refresh of the busy areas later.