Concrete Resources Inc.

What to Expect Before the Pour

• The potential for permit applications depending on your area and type of project.
• "Call Before you Dig" Hotline to notify where utility pipes and cables are located.
• If Utility lines, fences, irrigation piping, sprinklers or septic tank lines interfere with excavation, it is the homeowner's responsibility to arrange their movement before work can begin.
• Your approval of an Installation Start Date.
• Our estimate of project completion date. Weather and other unexpected problems can prolong installation.
• Excavation and grading of the job site to a depth of 4″ or more depending on project.
• The project area formed for the concrete to be placed.
• The possibility of some lawn damage due to the use of equipment for excavation.  

What to Expect During the Pour

• Be prepared to keep children and pets away from the installation area.
• Inclement weather may delay installation schedule.
• A concrete pump, power buggy, or wheelbarrow will be used to transport the concrete from the truck.
• During the installation, concrete has the potential to be dusty and messy.
• The concrete truck driver will need a small area to rinse out the chute.

What to Expect After the Pour

• We will return to remove form boards.
• A final clean-up to remove all equipment and debris.
• Your signature on a Job Completion Form confirming that the project has been completed to your satisfaction as specified in your Home Improvement Agreement.
• Minimum Cure Time Before Using-
  • 15 hours for foot traffic
  • 2 weeks for cars on driveways.

If this is your first time getting concrete work done, Please read below to help clear up potential problems before they occur-

    Your driveway is like the welcome mat to your home, so it is important that it makes a positive statement by providing a durable and attractive surface for you and your guests. It's also important that you have a good understanding of what's reasonable and obtainable when it comes to buying your concrete project. If your expectations are significantly higher than what most contractors expect to deliver the stage is set for disappointment and conflict for both parties.

    As a homeowner, you have a right to expect your concrete to present a clean, attractive appearance, and to serve with little or no maintenance for many years. You can reasonably expect the edges of the concrete to be straight and level, the surface of the concrete to have a consistent texture and appearance, and for the joints to be installed at the proper spacing and depth to control random cracking. With regards to materials and workmanship, you should receive a finished project that contains a quality concrete mix that is handled, placed, finished and cured according to recognized industry specifications. The concrete should be laid out according to your plans and should have a minimum, consistent thickness of at least 4 inches.

    Your contractor also has expectations and requirements that you need to be aware of. The contractor has a right for the project to be clearly defined so that a proper proposal can be prepared. If you make changes in the project, no matter how small they may seem, your contractor has a right to adjust the proposal. Your contractor expects not to be held hostage by issues that were no clearly expressed in the proposal prior to the commencement of they project, or by conditions that are not under his direct control such as weather, existing or discovered jobsite conditions.

    As the project owner, keep in mind that concrete is installed in less than laboratory conditions, and that your contractor is working with literally tons of material. Conditions may arise that neither you nor your contractor can control, like a thunderstorm, that will affect the contractors ability to perform the project as planned. In such cases, you need to recognize that the contractor cannot be to blame. In this rain example, the contractor will cover the surface with plastic to prevent major damage, but this could lead to an inconsistent surface texture that is less than your original expectation.

    Sometimes problems may occur even when the contractor has followed all  the proper guidelines and procedures. For residential concrete, the most common problem in this category is random cracking. While proper jointing procedures will control cracking in the vast majority of cases, even properly jointed concrete can crack in places other than joints. Homeowners need to understand that such cracks are not indications of serious problems in most cases. Most of these cracks are simply un-planned joints- they are no more a threat to long-term service and durability than the joints that were intentionally installed. If you decide that random cracks are something you cannot live with, tell your contractor up front and specify this in your agreement with him, as well as what actions will be taken if random cracks occur.

*Source: TRMCA

Common Questions Before Signing a Contract for Concrete Work

    What standard specs should I know or understand regarding information received from a contractor in anticipation of signing a contract to have my concrete driveway replace? What is better- rebar, reinforcement mesh, (both?), fiberglass reinforced cement? What should the depth poured be- 2 inches, 4 inches or more? How far should expansion joints be put in to handle heat and cold?

    Reinforcement steel in flatwork is strictly for crack control. The best crack control is affected by putting the steel in the upper half of the slab. If your contractor can guarantee he will keep the wire mesh in the upper half of the concrete, that will do as well as rebar. Make sure he gives at least ¾″ cover to whatever reinforcement is used.

    The standard driveway depth is 4″, but that doesn't mean that depth is right for you. It depends on the soil conditions and the load you will be putting on the concrete.  Thickened edges are highly recommended for the outsides of the driveway. This will enable the edges to take that occasional load on the edge or coming onto or off of the edge. Normal Portland Cement concrete like to crack every 10-12″, so jointing in all directions no more than 10″, with joints being a minimum of  of ¼ the slab depth, should help the expansion/contraction problem.

    There are two types of joints: contraction and construction. Contraction joints are usually installed with a concrete saw after the concrete gets hard or a jointing tool while the concrete is still fresh. Construction joints are preinstalled dividers such as redwood strips, aluminum keyways, or other physical barriers. Either type of joint will allow for expansion/contraction, so if you don't want redwood every 10', you don't have to have it. The joints should be as square as possible. Try to avoid rectangular jointing sections.

    The main thing is sitting down with the contractor before you sign a contract, and tell him how you want the thing to look when he gets finished. Discuss whether visible cracks are acceptable or not. Discuss a warranty. Tell them what you want in the end, put it in your contract, then get out of his way and let him give you what you want. If he doesn't give you what he says he would in the contract, you have legal standing for a remedy. Also, let him buy the concrete so he can't blame you for buying an inferior product that he couldn't work with.

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Send mail to info@concreteresourcesinc.com with questions or comments.
Copyright © 2007 Concrete Resources, Inc.
Last modified: 02/21/08

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