Concrete estimate

[ace10]

... So far the 1 est I got was -get this- $9 sq ft.- that's $4,320.00...

Not surprised.

At this time of year, it's not a question of a contractor figuring a price based on some markup (overhead and profit) on materials and labor, it comes down to them figuring out how much money they can ask for. It's as simple as that... and everybody wants to hit a home run. You don't come across many who are ashamed of swinging for the fences on every single swing.

Good luck.

 

[6sunset6]

I am just about to do a 31.5 x 20' x 5.5" slab just under 11cy. I tore out the old slab ( talk about crushing later) graded, formed and laid out #4 rebar 2' centers on chairs. Placing 11 cy is not something I do myself. Got one price $1300 for concrete and $1200 to place and broom finish. I do the control cracks a couple days later with a diamond blade in a skill saw. Sounded ok to me I used to pay for placing about the price of material. Since I have a wife I had to get a second price. Guy came same deal told me $10 /sq ft . I had to get the zeros straight $6300 Amazing. I guess there are people who pay that. The only trouble I have seems to be getting the first guy to show up. He was here this morning and said Monday or Thursday. I hope. Now back to Crushing maybe a new thread.

Well the guy was a no show. Another guy I called never called back. This morning I called the concrete mix co and asked them for a guy who was dependable and did good work. They gave me a name and a cell. Called him. He called back in 5 min and said could I call his office as he forgets what is on his cell. So I did. I expect hope a call back tonight. Turns out he lives about 10 min from where I am. Maybe he will be interested in the job.

 

[kw22614]

Update; Other 2 estimates I was waiting on were both no-shows. One guy called me back 2 times rescheduling twice then never showed either time and the other one only once a no-show. Maybe I need to go by 7-11 to pick up some "day-labor" and crack the whip to make sure it gets done right. Wifey hates that prospect, having strange day-labor come to 'case out' our house. Between material, day-labor, and me doing the most of it it'd cost near $9 sq ft anyway, and I just don't have the funds. I need to come up with something though. Anyone know anything about asphalt millings? Does it make a nice patio? Cost effective?

 

[J F]

Find the "expensive" guy that does it right. :confused3:

 

[vtsnowedin]

Update; Other 2 estimates I was waiting on were both no-shows. One guy called me back 2 times rescheduling twice then never showed either time and the other one only once a no-show. Maybe I need to go by 7-11 to pick up some "day-labor" and crack the whip to make sure it gets done right. Wifey hates that prospect, having strange day-labor come to 'case out' our house. Between material, day-labor, and me doing the most of it it'd cost near $9 sq ft anyway, and I just don't have the funds. I need to come up with something though. Anyone know anything about asphalt millings? Does it make a nice patio? Cost effective?

Millings have there uses but for a patio NO.!!

 

[J F]

Millings have there uses but for a patio NO.!!

 

[vtsnowedin]

What is confusing about no they don't work for a patio? ( My opinion only of course but I do have considerable experience working with them).

 

[dodge man]

Yeah killings would make a crappy patio, better than gravel but not much.

 

[6sunset6]

Good things come to those who are frustrated. After ridiculous prices and no shows I called the ready mix guy and asked if they knew someone reliable who did good work. They gave me a name. I called the guy. He called right back said he was working and asked me to call his office no and leave a message so he would not forget. Did that He called in the evening and came out today to look right on time. We talked about the finish and he thought bull float a couple or times would do it. . We decided that if I wanted a broom finish I could do it myself in the afternoon . I will cut control cracks myself as soon as I can walk on it probably the next day . Double insulated skill saw with a diamond blade, a little water , and plugged into a gfi outlet. I cut 2" bluestone like that ,works great. Anyway place and bull float $325 and I pay for the concrete.
Sounded like a really good deal to me , I said done. It will be Monday 8am. Nice guy.

 

[Underdog57]

Make sure you cut it the very next day or it could crack where you don't want it to, and the concrete is still relatively "soft". Also make sure you cut at least 1/3 of the slabs thickness deep. A lot of people don't cut the control joints deep enough and it will crack where you don't want it to. Two things about concrete: 1. It will get hard and 2. It will crack! I would have the contractor edge it & broom it for you ( shouldn't cost much extra ). Good luck with the project and post some pics please.

 

[6sunset6]

All done. under 3 hours. Only problem was it was 13 yd instead of 12. First truck had 12 1/2 on it so second truck was 1 yd min. Better than the bulk trucks though. $120 cy for 4000 psi mix. I really like the power screed.
I am going to leave the float finish and not broom it. Control cuts go in tomorrow.

 

[LD1]

Nice Job.

A power screed is like a $45 rental where I rent from. ALWAYS money well spent.:thumbsup:

 

[6sunset6]

I got the control cuts in today almost 2" deep , wide enough to look like a saw cut , which they are. They will fill up with dirt and other things and grow green stuff that will then need round up. But what happens in the winter when they fill up with water and freeze. Should they be calked?

 

[roadhunter]

I got the control cuts in today almost 2" deep , wide enough to look like a saw cut , which they are. They will fill up with dirt and other things and grow green stuff that will then need round up. But what happens in the winter when they fill up with water and freeze. Should they be calked?

Yes. NP1 is one of the more common products used. There are others, DOW 888 is the best IMO..

If you liked the power screed you would really like a laser screed. We have a small one we use on our bigger pours. We had to bring in a much larger laser screed the other day on a large pour for the basketball arena at the local college. It was pretty cool. Was able to screed 300+ yards of concrete in a few hours and be extremely precise. .

 

[like2wheel]

Make sure you cut it the very next day or it could crack where you don't want it to, and the concrete is still relatively "soft". Also make sure you cut at least 1/3 of the slabs thickness deep. A lot of people don't cut the control joints deep enough and it will crack where you don't want it to.

I was wondering what happens with the rebar or wire when deep control cuts are made.

 

[6sunset6]

I planned the cuts to avoid the high bars as much as I could. They were 1/2 on 1 1/2 " chairs so the top of the crossing bar was at 2"
The forms were 5 1/2 . So 2" deep would be at 3 1/2 off the base at least an inch of concrete over the lowest bar. All that said I sawed 2 21 foot cuts and 1 32foot cut and never hit a bar. Wire mesh usually ends up at the bottom of the pour I think.

 

[Underdog57]

With all that re-bar in there you have a nice heavy-duty slab, should be super strong. Nice job, looks real good.

 

[kw22614]

Nice looking job, sunset. I'm jealous!

 

[6sunset6]

I forgot to mention that this project started because I wanted to do some blacktop. 17 years ago we put down 3.5 inches of dense binder. Maybe 8000 sq ft . The idea was to put something down that would hold up to tri axle dumps for a while till we were done with hardscape etc. Still not done but the dense binder has held up well. It is a little course in some places and the snow plow pulls stones out of it. The base is all fill , all of it that was down for 6 years before we paved. There are depressions along the wheel tracks and some cracking. I decided it was time for 1.5" of top mix. The concrete in front of the barn door looked pretty bad , it was left over in the readymix truck when we did the house floors and had fiber in it but no steel. It lasted 18 years. SO the new pad is to prevent hydraulic oil and diesel from holing the blacktop as well as a nice flat surface for projects. It also ,for the first time lets me wheel a welding bench out side. The original slab never reached the door. I have been down on the dirt on my knees.. I was trying to hold the slab at 11 yards , one truck, missed that . But I need a little bigger paved space so the end of the pad , straight out from the door will have a 10' apron of blacktop . Also a strip tying the existing blacktop to the near side. You can see that in this picture. There is also a new apron added to the other end of the barn, that has to do with snow management and access to skids of firewood. I do not want to discuss the sticker shock I got when I got the blacktop price only to say it was double what I paid 17 years ago. The guy is very reliable and does very good work so I do not have to go thru no shows again.
I must say that although I consider myself reasonably experienced with construction and fabrication I always have questions and so far have always gotten good answers from people on this site. Thank you all.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I do not want to discuss the sticker shock I got when I got the blacktop price only to say it was double what I paid 17 years ago. .

I'm surprised it was only double.
In 1997 crude oil cost $18.97 per barrel Today it is $102.00 Asphalt cement comes from crude oil and is priced accordingly and the rocks are crushed and screened using big diesel engines then heated up and dried with either a big natural gas or oil fired burner. (Think four foot diameter flame twenty feet long). Then trucked to your site in large trucks getting 4 mpg of diesel. Small area job with a lot of hand work I'd want to get $175 per ton complete in place.