Exterior Concrete Work Costs Feedback

[FltEngCPO]

Hey gang,

I'm about to run my driveway out to the shop (15.5' x 72') add a pad behind the back garage door (10' x 20') and add 11' x 11' to my patio. I have been soliciting bids from local contractors and put an ad on craigslist as well. It is about 1500 square feet in total and the dirt work is what I would consider minor except for the ramp up to the shop needs a little tear down in one spot and buildup in another. I've got my first bid in at $4850.00 inclusive with 3500 psi mix but with no wire or rebar in any of it.

Does this seem like a good price to those who have already been down this road and I'd like feedback on the wire or rebar and strength of the mix? Also, what about drilling and pinning to the existing concrete on all three spots?

Thanks!

 

[Steevo]

The price seems more than reasonable for the concrete, but how much "prep" is included? Will they muck out and compact gravel for a bed before pouring, or is this just driveway over dirt? I'd want at least some 6x6 wire in it, especially if there is no sub-soil compacting involved first.

 

[HTGTS350]

How thick is that? That is about what I pay and I consider I get a very good deal as concrete here is $270 a yard, I go 4" thick, no rebar and no plastic liner. I pay the for the concrete myself and pay the concreter separately.

 

[FltEngCPO]

It is planned (so far) as concrete over dirt with no liner and 4" thick. I was thinking about adding a gravel base (3/4" stone?) but at a minimum, I will insist on compacting at least for the main driveway extension (probably all of it since they will have the tools there already) as there is some fill area and a slope that I don't want sagging. Here in Oklahoma, everything is red clay dirt and usually is pretty solid. Thanks for the feedback so far!

 

[Falcon67]

Last quote the neighbor got around here for flat work - driveway, parking, patio, etc - was $5.50 sq/ft turn key. YMMV.

 

[wssix99]

I'd like feedback on the wire or rebar and strength of the mix?

For a non-structural slab or one without a lift on it, the only thing this reinforcing will do for you is to reduce the width of the shrinkage cracks that form in any slab. So, if that's an issue for you, I'd ask the contractor to put mesh in the middle of the slab. (Putting it on the bottom doesn't do a thing for you.)

Also, what about drilling and pinning to the existing concrete on all three spots?

I wouldn't do it because it could make things worse. (If the slab was inside and was going to have a lift on it - that would be a different story.) If you properly compact the subbase, everything should be fine. If you got in to a situation where the pins had to act to keep the slabs together, you'd have a compacted subbase under one of the two sections. In that case, the part over the weak base could crack all to hell.

 

[FltEngCPO]

Thanks gang. I got four bids from ($4550, 4750, 4850 and 6300). I'm going with $4850. 4550 blew me off the first two times he was supposed to come look at it so I have a bad feeling about him. 4750 is two hours away and seems to be doing this on the side and well, 6300 is way higher than the rest and didn't give me a formal bid, just looked at it and called me the next day with a dollar figure.

I miss-typed in my first post, the 6x6 wire mesh will be in the middle not under the slabs. I'm also getting a trench drain installed on the driveway and putting another piece of 4" PVC under the driveway for yard and potential driveway draining issues.

This is turnkey bid except for the three sprinkler heads I need to relocate once they do the dirt-work. If the yard dries out this weekend, we will start next week. I will post a few pics when I can.

 

[brownbagg]

the 6x6 wire mesh will be in the middle not under the slabs.

you really believe that huh

 

[J Persons]

I just had my foundation and slab pored, the finishers charged me $970 for 2016 sq/ft. There were four guys on the crew and it took them all day. The concrete was around $5000 delivered. This was for a 6" floor and the foundation.

 

[tomroblee]

I would also consider having the fiberglass strands "reinforcement" added to the concrete. I've heard mixed comments about how much good it does, but it doesn't cost much extra.