Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Tony ana Paul, a couple of Italians did our driveway. Two decades old and still looks great. Italians are subject matter experts when it comes to "chament".
Concrete contractor delimia
- Thread starter C Body Bob
- Start date
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
That's the way it used to be.
Italians and Irishmen.
And they usually worked for the Boston Fire Department and they banged out the job on their days off.
And this is not racist by stereotyping. It's the way it is/was.
And it was The Greeks down at the Shell station who fixed your car.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
You could tell the pride they had in their work. I remember discussing the grade of concrete to use and the edge profile they recommended. True experts. The slope out to the street is ever so slight and is still perfect and not a crack anywhere.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
We get what we pay for....
I wonder if the Egyptians were mad that the Israelites were used to build the Pyramids beause they were cheaper.
I wonder if the Egyptians were mad that the Israelites were used to build the Pyramids beause they were cheaper.
Last edited:
300rag
It's Not Going to Shift Itself
Reminds me of a joke from years gone by. How do you stop an Italian wedding? Shout out "Da cement, she's a here".
Rwc
Senior Member
I wouldnt argue the quality, but it is always a great situation when a municipal employee getting generous retirement and health insurance goes out and under bids the guy trying to run a legitimate business.
bluefury361
Old Man with a Hat
It always seemed you needed to be part of the Italian network to use the Italian network. Mexicans are a lot more approachable.
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
Well an update. I called a female contractor I hired 2 years ago to have 11 trees cut down. She sent her crew out & they made quick work & where polite. So I called her & she said she had a crew that did small slabs. So she sent a guy out & he was pretty good. Seemed to know what he was doing. She called me a few days later & gave me a quote that I thought was a bit high but how could I know for sure. The others wouldn't give me anything. So I was going to hire her & yesterday while sitting in my driveway waiting for traffic to clear a F250 pulling a trailer with a bobcat loader on it came by. On the side of the truck he had listed all the things he does & a website. Checked out his site. Pretty neat looking. So I called him & he lived just 2 miles away. Suppose to be here in the morning to give a quote. Now we are talking. Maybe I can get this job done finally
Just don't have them make you a pair of "shoes".
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
Well contractor # 4 showed up. He was clueless. Didn't know what a footer was. Didnt know where to dig the footer. You can't make this stuff up. He was WAY cheaper than the others so I hired him. I told him I wanted to be here when was doing the job. I need to supervise. If he does what I tell him I just might throw a nice tip his way. He seemed to have a good handle on the grading part, but he was lost when we where talking about the slab. I'll stay here and over see the work. Educated him LOL. He's a landscaper & pours pretty patios & walkways. I have no idea why he came out to see this job. But he's my guy. The price he gave me were going to pour a slab even if I have to help
Good luck, I would have reservations... but who am I kidding... I don't trust much of anything to someone else's hands.
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
Yea that's why I need to be there. Make sure it's done right. In my younger days I poured a couple of patios myself. So I have a basic understanding of what's going on.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Yes, but will he listen?
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
At least you are able to let somebody else do it. I can't let anybody do anything then I have to do it myself, but at least I have a list to keep me busy for a couple of years, after I die.
We have similar mindsets... I poured about 17-18 yards of fiberglass reinforced footer/slab several years ago (before my gut issues sidelined me) to rebuild a poorly built addition. Actually, I did all of the prework cutting the old slab (no footer), digging the new, a ridiculous amount of rebar (the inspector asked if I was going to build a two story). I have a friend who has a concrete company and usually does new construction, occasional road work (culverts and such) and the occasional crazy job for the Mouse. He rented me his crew one slow morning and gave me his cost on the concrete (2 trucks) for about $2k... I had never shopped around, so I didn't realize just how good a deal that was. Plus he lent me his walk behind concrete saw and rebar cutter/bender... which saved my *** working 5/8 bar and trimming the old slab.
Let me tell you how slow and bad I am at laying block... the first course took me almost a month and countless redo's. I have a whole new respect for folks in construction trades. I may be able to do the work (sort of), but I could never make a living out of it. I hope to ready for drywall (finally) after Carlisle and before the holidays. I still have as much to do as it looks like you have. I find it a huge source of embarrassment, but this is who I am. I have an admiration for anyone who has the sack to take on projects they don't really know what their doing with, just to be certain the job is done right.
I'm now in too deep to even consider trying to bring in a contractor to finish. So I plug away when I can.
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
Your friend did you real good
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
I'm stupid enough to look at something and say "I can do that" then I make the mistake of actually doing it.
I knew that he did me right... he actually handed me the concrete invoice from the truck and I handed him $... he let me buy my block and lintels through his pro supplier on his account plus tax... and much of my mortar too (which was too close to the HD price too bother with later when I needed more).
I just had no clue this stuff got marked up that hard...
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
Well the contractor I hired is supposed to be here today. I took the day off. He sent me a text msg last night that he would be here at 7am. Young Mexican fellow named Norberto. Has a strong northern accent. And lives just two miles down the road. I spotted his truck in town & called him. Wish me luck. I called the first contractor way back in late February & just now looks like this job will go. What a ridiculous journey.
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
Good luck......
Similar threads
