Concrete driveway

[mothgrey]

Looking for a little info here. I'm thinking about having concrete poured for a driveway. Of course the pricing is off the wall. Now I get it's lots of work and I'm sure it's worth paying someone 3 to 4 times the cost of the concrete to do the work. (sarcasm) However I can't believe this can't be done by a home owner. Am I out of my mind? Ok yes, but that's besides the point. What do I need to know. School me. And have you done it yourself.

 

[thightower]

I've never done one that size, just walkways. The easy part is setting the forms and installing the rebar. The tricky part is finishing that size of slab. You could do the forms and rebar your self then have a pro finish the slab.

 

[Falcon67]

Big pouts require a crew. Concrete waits for no man. You can do the grunt work, but after renting equipment and paying retail for materials you might be surprised at how small the savings are, compared to the work. I figured what it would take to do my 24x40 with materials, machines and concrete delivered at (that time) $88/yd. The concrete guy quoted a turn key job that was about $600 more. I could not write the check fast enough.

 

[West Drenthe]

I don't think laying concrete is as easy as it looks BUT, go to You Tube and search for spin screed. Watch a few videos of guys using the spin screed tool. That looks like a great tool. Imagine you buy one for $2000??? and use it only on your driveway. Sell it for $1000 and you have still saved a chunk of money as compared to having the driveway poured. I think it would still be hard work but if you convince a few friends (or your bride and kids) to help...
If you do it let me know how it works because I too have a driveway begging for concrete.

 

[Cryptic1911]

If you can do the prep work, and setup the forms yourself, then you can save a bit of money. I would have a pro do the pours though

 

[buzz4041]

It can be done if you have skills required. It is more skill than you are thinking here I believe. I would hire it out to a professional for the difference in cost as it is not as much as you think as Falcon pointed out.

 

[WILD-BILL]

Everytime I think about redoing my driveway my self I cant help but remember that M*A*S*H episode about putting a cement floor in the OR.

 

[daveroy]

Everytime I think about redoing my driveway my self I cant help but remember that M*A*S*H episode about putting a cement floor in the OR.

So is that 2 parts cement, one part sand, and two parts gravel?

 

[cyamaha2007]

You can do the grunt work as in grading, forms and rebar. Then look for finishers I got 4 finishers and 2 laborers for a total of $750 for the day and they were legal. My pour was 2500sqft. I got my concrete price down to less than $3 a sqft for 7-8in thick 4000psi fiber mesh and rebar slab. That was with all cost added in. I sourced cheap leftover rebar for a deal so that helped. Concrete is not magic just back breaking work. Finishing would be a night mare but thats up to you.

 

[WILD-BILL]

So is that 2 parts cement, one part sand, and two parts gravel?

No, I said 2 parts cement, 2 parts sand and 1 part gravel

 

[camarotoolman]

You and 2 buds can pour it. A drive way does require alot of finishing sreet it off with a 2x4, bull float it, broom finish. Me, I would hire an experinced finisher of cl by the hour and be his helper on pour day. Also you don't have to de it all at 1 time.

 

[Al Bundy]

In a related question, not intending to hijack this thread, I have a fairly steep incline to my driveway. Would broom finished concrete being too slick a surface in the winter time? I know it's hard to say without seeing it. Just for reference let's call it about a 35 degree incline.

 

[O_M_Jeep]

a freind here in Wyoming just paid to have a floor laid in his 20X30 shop, he did all the work, they poured and finished, $6500 was the invoiced part. To me that seems expensive, but maybe it's because I need a lot of concrete work done and I know if I dont do it, it wont be getting done.

 

[dandan111]

Depends how nice you want it. You can form it up call the concrete place and tell them the size of the drive and how deep. They will figure how much you need,level with a board and broom finish. Make sure and rent a saw and cut lines.
I would shop for a better price contractor.

 

[speadphreak]

a freind here in Wyoming just paid to have a floor laid in his 20X30 shop, he did all the work, they poured and finished, $6500 was the invoiced part. To me that seems expensive, but maybe it's because I need a lot of concrete work done and I know if I dont do it, it wont be getting done.

Thats rediculous. Thats 7.4cy at 4 inches thick or 11.1cy at 6 inches thick. Were only paying $95-$110 per cubic yard of mix on site or redi-mix. So if you figure 6in, 12cy @ $110 is $1320 for the concrete. They charged $5180 for labor for what should have been a crew of maybe 4 guys plus equipment. You guys are getting screwed.

We just did a 5 inch floor that was roughly 12cy with a mix on site truck @$95 per cy. The concrete crew check our forms and grade pins, did the pour and finish, and the final finish. Our total for concrete and crew was $2800. This is the same crew we used three years ago for my neighbors pad. Both are super smooth finishes and the old one hasnt cracked yet(well just in the control cuts)