Concrete driveway difficulty

[BX23Seattle]

The actual cost of asphaul is less expensive as compare to the raw cost of concrete but when you add in the labor to hire someone to do the blacktop vs. doing concrete myself that is where the differance is. Most places want $1.15 sq to lay blacktop in my area. It goes up and down from there depending on how much prep and grading is required. If I was to hire someone to install the concrete I would be looking at another .95 cents per sq ft for labor alone.

 

[tomnky]

Don't forget the cost of re-sealing the asphalt as well.

A lot of expense and work on down the road. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 350 ft long x 12 ft wide x 4" deep = 52 yards of concrete
Concrete is about $62 yard = $3,224 plus metal grid, rebar, forms which I'm not sure how much that will pencil out to.

It would cost about $4,200 for blacktop if I can find someone to do it for $1 per sq ft.

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There are some huge price difference in your area compared to mine. Concrete at $62 a yard is extremely cheap. Are you sure on your pricing?

I just paid $74 a yard last month for 30 yards to do a foundation. They tried to charge me $82 a yard, but I complained and demanded the contractor rate I was quoted. They agreed, but prices are climbing quickly here.

It could be the huge demand for it with our economy going so well. Construction is out of control right now. Not sure how it is there.

The last quote I received for blacktop was .80 cents a foot for two inches thick. That was late last year. I'm sure it's gone up some with the price of oil going up also.

I like blacktop better because of it's smooth finish and it wont crack like concrete.

When you pour the concrete, be sure to do it in seperate pads. There is a special material used for expansion joints. This is a compostite mix of stuff that will not decay, but will allow the concrete to move. If you don't do this, it will buckle and crack within months.

Each pour is done one at a time. Start at your house and work your way down. This way the cement trucks can back up your drive without haveing to cross your concrete.

 

[Egon]

Have you priced paving blocks?

Egon

 

[deere755]

I priced concrete last month and it was $70 a yard.

 

[AntrimMan]

In August of '03 I was interested in pouring a retaining wall, 3.5 below grade, 3.5 above x 140' long. Concrete was quoted at $72 / yd. I sought, begged, paid for and obtained permits from the state and the town (this is within a wetland, actually right in the pond which was artificially lowered at the time). Every 40' a keyed expansion gap was required. I was granted a permit to proceed in late August '04. Concrete was requoted at $92 / yd for 4000# with fiber. Now I paid $47 for 3000# when I did my cellar foundation 20 years ago. I don't have a retaining wall yet. It seems the Chinese are more desperate than me. Concrete has gone through the roof in the NorthEast, they can keep it as far as I'm concerned. I had also thought of doing the driveway. My diveway is 400' of bank run gravel, yes it needs a little TLC now and then and the cars do carry some sand into the garage but simple folk like me can't afford cement or asphalt.
I have a broom to sweep out the sand.
I will be living with gravel for some time to come.
This was about concrete pricing, not about me.
Best of luck,
Martin

 

[willywildes]

That is cheep it would cost you 130 a yard here!! Going up $7 per yd next month.

 

[beowulf]

I am very interested in this topic. . . have 850 feet of now hard packed dirt drive way with about a 10% slope overall. . . concrete and asphalt would both be quite costly for this length and there is presently no rock base . . has anyone ever put in curbs with crushed rock fill in between - purpose of the curbs would be to give it a finished look and retain the crushed rock. . .Also, as may have heavy trucks once in a while, I would never have to worry about cracking. . . I would probably put french drains running perpendicular to the curb in several places to assist with drainage. . . One problem would be building all of the curb forms (or renting forms?).

 

[40Kchicks]

The beginning of last December I finished building a 23’X250’X8” concrete road leading from my poultry barns to my new compost barn. Since I have huge loaded semi’s running on it all the time the engineer for the project required 8” deep with ¾’ (#6) rebar 18” on center. The rebar was over kill. We should have used 1/2” (#4) 18” on center. I rented a saw and cut expansion joints across the road every 12’ the next day. The only time I was told to use smooth round stock was when I was joining the new concrete to an old sidewalk but then we didn’t even do that because the sidewalk was so week it couldn’t take any stress. We just used an expansion joint. We were lucky and had access to a power screed. This thing bridged the 23’ across the road and it had a motor that vibrated it and hydraulic wenches that pulled it along. All we had to do was keep the concrete at the right level under the screed.

Good luck
Eric

 

[Egon]

Yoou can go with slip forms for the curbing. Probably need a contractor with the equipment for this.

Sure beats holding a steel peg and having your buddy hammer on it!

Egon