Define the removal area
Share whether the patio meets the house, steps, a pool surround or garden walls. Photograph changes in level and any roof posts or fixed structures on the slab.
Check what sits outside the scope
Attached posts, covered patios, retaining features and structural connections need assessment before removal. Pool-shell work and replacement landscaping are separate scopes.
Prepare the access information
Measure the usable side gate and show the entire route to the front of the property. A narrow gate can change the equipment and the amount of material handling.
What shapes an estimate
Area alone does not describe a backyard job. Add access width, distance, elevation changes and any known steel reinforcement to the estimate information.
Agree the sequence
Ask for the work to be described in a written estimate: the removal limits, the access method, loading and hauling, and the condition expected at handover. Resolve permit, structural and utility questions before work starts.
If another contractor will build on the cleared area, share their requirements during the estimate discussion. Base preparation, replacement concrete and drainage work need their own agreed scope.
Do I need to empty the patio first?
Move portable furniture, pots and other belongings before the agreed work date when safe to do so. Flag fixed plumbing, electrical connections and heavy objects for assessment instead of moving them yourself.
Is replacement concrete included?
Removal and new concrete construction are separate tasks. Ask for each part of your project to be named in the written agreement.