FAQ
Do you have a specialty?
What is concrete flatwork?
Do you charge for estimates?
Do you have a job size minimum?
Do you require a down payment?
How long do I have to wait once I sign your contract?
How does bad weather affect the process?
Will my concrete crack?
What is slump and why is it important?
How thick will the concrete be?
Who will actually be doing the work?
When is it too cold to pour concrete?
I see spots and blotches on my new concrete, why?
Can I use salt or deicers on my concrete in the winter?
When can I drive or walk on newly poured concrete?
How long will my job take?
Can you provide references?
Do you stamp concrete?
What can be done to preserve my concrete?
Do you have a specialty? Yes, concrete flatwork, although we do all kinds of concrete work.
What is concrete flatwork? Flatwork is a term that describes a broad definition of concrete slabs that are poured on a horizontal surface such as: driveways, patios, sidewalks, basement and garage floors, etc.
Do you charge for estimates? No, there is no charge for estimates and consultations.
Do you have a job size minimum? No, every project is different and we have done jobs for as little as $25.
Do you require a down payment? No, when the job is completed and you are satisfied, then payment is made.
How long do I have to wait once I sign your contract? It depends, generally 3-8 weeks. The sooner you are on the schedule the better. Often, your place on the schedule can be moved ahead due to unexpected circumstances and weather conditions.
How does bad weather affect the process? Greatly, it is the most important factor to staying on schedule. We cannot pour and finish concrete in the rain. Careful planning and execution is how we deal with bad weather.
Will my concrete crack? Yes, all concrete cracks. In the vast majority of projects, the cracks will occur in the planned control joints if they are laid out correctly. However, even when the control joints are properly done, concrete can crack in places that were not intended. This small percentage of cracks are unavoidable and impossible to predict. Once again these facts underscore the importance of a knowledgeable and experienced contractor. Pouring high slump concrete is another major cause of excessive and unplanned cracks.
What is slump and why is it important? Slump is the way of measuring how much water is initially added to the concrete mix. In the field, low slump concrete is called “stiff” or “dry” when it is poured with less water. High slump concrete is called “wet” or “sloppy” when the concrete mix is diluted with too much water. The strength of high slump concrete is dramatically weaker as is the durability of the surface. Far too many contractors add too much water to their concrete as an everyday course of business. Concrete that is poured to wet can look good for a while, (it is a forgiving material but only to a point) but long term these facts do not go away. We all have family and friends who have new concrete that begins to fail after a few short years and certainly did not live up to the promise of the 30-50 year expected lifespan of quality concrete. All of the water that is added to the concrete mixture displaces solid materials in the concrete, and when the concrete hydrates (gets hard and cures) this space creates a void and shrinkage occurs. Like a mud puddle that dries up on a hot day, it’s easy to see how high slump concrete leads to excessive shrinkage cracking.
Every concrete redi-mix supply company knows this all too well. This is why they require the contractor or customer to sign off on each and every load of concrete they purchase. This confirms what slump was ordered and how much additional water they added on the job site.
The quality of their concrete is at the mercy of a contractor or customer who may like to pour wet concrete. They need to protect the integrity of their product becoming sub-standard. We all have heard of the adage “Oh that was just a bad load of concrete.” This is rarely true as the redi-mix companies must be hauling a lot of “bad loads” to explain all the defects we all see on a daily basis. More quality concrete is compromised in this fashion than most any other building material in the entire construction industry.
How thick will the concrete be? This depends on the job. Concrete that is 4” thick is used for sidewalks and patios. Driveways start at 4” for economy situations with 5” as the most widely used. 6” thick or greater is needed for commercial or industrial use.
Who will actually be doing the work? I am personally working all day, every day on the job. Any questions or concerns can be immediately addressed anytime they arise.
When is it too cold to pour concrete? As long as the ground is not frozen and the temperature is above freezing, we are pouring concrete. Driveways need to be completed by the middle of October. Driveways need to fully cure before winter.
I see spots and blotches on my new concrete, why? As the new concrete cures, you will see variations in color for several days and weeks. This is normal and the color will go from dark to a lighter gray. The color may also vary between different loads of concrete. These will usually fade away over time.
Can I use salt or deicers on my concrete in the winter? No, you should not. These chemicals attack concrete in at least two ways. They chemically corrode the surface of the concrete. The second way of damage is by increasing the number of freeze and thaw cycles which are the natural enemies of concrete. Sand is always safe. The best defense against damage is to remove the snow as soon as possible.
When can I drive or walk on newly poured concrete? It takes about 30 days for a full cure. You may walk on your concrete the next day. Depending on the weather, you may drive on it in 5-7 days.
How long will my job take? Many small projects are completed in one day. The average driveway replacement takes 3-5 working days, depending on the weather and the size of the driveway.
Can you provide references? Yes upon request. You may already know someone who used our services. Word of mouth is our most important method of advertisement. Approximately 75% of our work involves repeat customers and their family and friends.
Do you stamp concrete? No, not at this time. We do offer color and other options that are less expensive than stamping.
What can be done to preserve my concrete? We seal concrete surfaces and this is important. Your best defense is pouring quality concrete in the first place, this is by far the most important factor to the long term durability of your concrete. We also recommend resealing the surface after 2-4 years with a long term penetrating type sealer. We provide this service or you can do it yourself.
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