Concrete contractor delimia

[C Body Bob]

Way back last year this time I got a deal on a metal carport. Guy took it down & delivered it to me. It's been sitting in the back yard lying on the ground. I planed on getting a slab poured & just couldn't get the time. So finally in late February I had cars cleared out of the way & started calling contractors. First guy didn't want to come out & give me a price quote because it was too cold. Ok so I waited a week. Weather improved greatly. Called back now he says he is too busy & would call me in a few days. Never called. Waited another week & we set up a time. NO SHOW he called a few days later. We set up another time. NO SHOW. So on to a different company. This company #2 advertises a lot around here. Called. Set up a time 2 weeks out for their guy to come give me a quote. He did show but was clearly a salesman. More worried about his sales pitch than listening to me & what I wanted. He was standing over by the door of my shop & kept talking about a trip hazard & yada yada yada. So finally I ask what are you talking about. Sure enough he was thinking I wanted the slab in a different area than where I wanted. So we wasted all that time because he didn't hear me when I said I want the slab poured to the right of the door. Not in front of it. He gave me a price that sound way too high likely because he was figuring a different grade than where I wanted it. I asked for a written quote & he said he would E mail it to me. Never have received that e mail. 2 weeks have gone by. Company # 3. They too finally showed up to give me a quote. He also said he would get back to me with it. I have called him twice asking if he had worked it up yet. Just yesterday even. Still nothing but excuses. There is so much construction going on around here that these company's don't want to mess with a private home owner. I'm going to try one more. If I can't get it done I guess I will put the darn carport up on the dirt

 

[zombiedog]

Same issue with getting my basement taped n textured. Not worth their time for some of these bigger companies. Try and find a smaller crew, someone who does it for themselves day in, day out. The price will be better and it will get done alot quicker IMO.

 

[bluefury361]

Frame it and rent a mixer ......... or a liner and gravel.

 

[C Body Bob]

Frame it and rent a mixer ......... or a liner and gravel.

I don't have time

 

[Wollfen]

My wife knew a private guy, Ill ask her when she gets home and let you know.

 

[Rwc]

Bob, there is a difference between an estimate and a quote. in the small construction world an estimate is free and a quote has a cost. the is usually reimbursed at last payment. Guys always are concerned that once they give you the written quote you will take it shopping and someone else can just undercut by 10% and get it. ask for an estimate with a plus or minus 10% cap.

 

[C Body Bob]

Bob, there is a difference between an estimate and a quote. in the small construction world an estimate is free and a quote has a cost. the is usually reimbursed at last payment. Guys always are concerned that once they give you the written quote you will take it shopping and someone else can just undercut by 10% and get it. ask for an estimate with a plus or minus 10% cap.

I agree with that. I just want something to see if I can afford to do this. I can't tell them to get started without some kind of price.

 

[thrashingcows]

Thank you for the info Bob....I'm in the planning and quote gathering stage for my new shop. And RWC...Thanks for the advice, will keep that in mind as well.

 

[pomonamissel]

just had some dealings with contractors on a water damage in a rental . the job was to small for anyone to bother with , finally i hired sub guys instead of one contractor for the whole job , pain in the rump to get it al set up . a job that should have been a couple of weeks with moving and drying time . took over two months to complete . but it was nov-dec , bad time for the tenants to be put out . did it with them staying in the house , but my point is get a guy from each part of your project .

 

[LatPeahy]

I'm sorry to hear that bob. I myself am a general contractor in California. I always try to at least show up to look at a job no mater how big or small and if I can't make it or am too busy I will give referrals to other contractors in the area. That's just how we do it around here. If I was in your area I'd love to pour the slab for ya. Especially a C body guy!!!

 

[polara71]

Do it yourself Bob. I know you don't have time but the mark up on concrete work is insane. Gotta be equal to a lot of parts cars in total $.

It's really simple work, here's an idea. Go to the local home depot and grab the first Mexican you see in the Concrete isle...offer him a flat rate for the job. Him and 11 other Juan s will be there Saturday for a couple hundred

 

[thrashingcows]

Do it yourself Bob. I know you don't have time but the mark up on concrete work is insane. Gotta be equal to a lot of parts cars in total $.

It's really simple work, here's an idea. Go to the local home depot and grab the first Mexican you see in the Concrete isle...offer him a flat rate for the job. Him and 11 other Juan s will be there Saturday for a couple hundred

I'll be pricing out having a contractor come in for the concrete foundation, as well as renting the forms and doing it myself.

 

[C Body Bob]

The last concrete slab I did myself looked like the surface of the Moon when I was done.

 

[polara71]

You gotta float it Bob.

 

[Rwc]

Pour it as late in the day as possible and make the driver make it as loose as you can stand. Also make it 2" thicker than recommended. You'll be happy with it

 

[polara71]

Bad advice, if he pours it at 430 it won't set up till dark . I would pour it as early as possible he'd be troweling by 10

 

[Rwc]

And if it's in the Carolina a sun he will have to keep putting water to it to keep it fromay drying to fast. It's a slab for a carport, nor a finished floor. Won't be smoothing that long

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Your not listening to what Dave iz saying Bob. Go to any construction site in your area and talk to the guy that wears the white safety helmet. Watch the guyz when they dig the footings(OR RAT WALL IF YOU PREFER TO CALL IT THAT) and when they build the forms for the pour, If you want the whole slab to drain? set the forms over a 24' run with a 2" drop, or 1" per every 12' No big deal. You want a 6 bag mix plus Re-bar or, you can pay a bit more and get fiber glass mixed into the mud and NO RE-BAR and you can calculate 92 SQ.FT. Per SQ YARD when you float 4"s thick and those mud haulers carry 'bout 11 SQ.YARDS in those mixers they drive down the road with. I've found thru' experience that they don't really want to deliver less then half ah load and you can adjust the thickness for your needs pretty easily but 4"s iz pretty standard for garages. All the tools AND the upside down helicopters for floating that slab can be rented from any of the rental places and any guy named Pedro or not that's worth $10 an hour knows how to float mud 'til its mirror smooth. The tip here iz to be your own contractor no matter how busy you are. BTW, If you do go fiber Glass in the mud mix you will have some fiber glass "Hairs" sticking up out of your floor 'til you break them all off over time when you sweep the floor! Again no big deal, Jer

 

[thrashingcows]

I have been doing some research and from what I have come across....and remember I am no expert, nor have much in the way of concrete experience....but the addition of fiberglass to the mix does not negate the use of re-bar? The fiberglass helps with the concrete strength and cracking, but you should still have some re-bar in the pad regardless.

 

[polara71]

And if it's in the Carolina a sun he will have to keep putting water to it to keep it fromay drying to fast. It's a slab for a carport, nor a finished floor. Won't be smoothing that long

Ok....you win, I've never done this before