Anybody in the concrete biz
 

Well I have been pricing contractors and it comes to about $2.50 sq ft.

Anybody poured their own?


I am looking to do about 1,200 sq ft at 5 inches deep (30' X 40") for a garage. How much savings is there to order and have the truck come dump it and a person doing their own rebar and forms?

This seems a bit more than just digging a hole and pouring some cement in.

If $2.50 sq' includes poly, #57 stone, form boards, rebar, rewire or fiber, 3000 psi readymix, digging footings, and pouring/finishing, you're getting a great deal. I pay $2.90 for a turnkey slab, $1.55. for driveways, sidewalks, and patios.

$250 HOLY COW!!!!
 

For $2.50 have them do the whole Damn thing. Im a Contractor in Albuquerque New Mexico and you are getting a hell of a deal for $3.00 over here. With the amount of work you have to do you'll be wishing you had them do the whole thing about 1/2 way through. :eek:

Jason,

When Ginny gets home I'll have her look up thr number of the crew that did our patio and get you the number. Or, call Jack and Barb. I used their guy. Good price and service.

Mike

Concrete ain't a first time do it yourself project. I charge $4.50+ per sq.ft., depending on specification and site work required. You guys must have cheap labor avaliable. ps, what's a yard of #4000 go for in AZ? $100., with tax here in PGH.

A garage floor of that size is not the place for a do-it-yourselfer if you want the floor smooth, level and for water to run to the drains. if you use drains out there.

Mr Bruce
Do the guys driving your concrete trucks wear tailored Italian suits and talk like they have cotton balls in their cheeks?

$100/yard is tough!

Around here it will cost you about $120.00 for 10 yrd.:CRY:
Mike

here in ky it is running about 175 a foot poured and finished,,less in a pole style building,thats 3500 lb test which is all you need in a garage,,,does not include the cost of rebar,,but it is next to nothing, 3500 lb test is about 70 a yard delivered.
I poured 900 sq feet of drive and sidewalk last spring ,a nice broom finish,lots of steel,if memory serves it cost me about 1400,but I paid fpr materials and subbed the labor.was a suoer job too,,it is easy to pay more if you dont shop around,I had the same job estiimated at 2400 bucks,that was for maybe 60 less square feet.I wouldnt try it myself,,just not worth it unless you plan to get into the biz,go to the unemployment office,find an out of work laborer you can supplement his unemployment check with a few hundred bucks and save a bunch,Tim

mr bruce is correct you just don't roll up a 30x40 slab set it out for the garbage truck if you mess it up.
Get a couple of bids let them do it
Ken

Sounds like you're planning a nice sized garage. You might want to check for advisability of some thicker areas or footers if you ever plan on putting in an above ground hoist. I don't know if a 5" slab would safely support the concentrated weight of the uprights supporting a vehicle. It would be pretty nasty to have the concrete give way with something up in the air. Just a thought.

I think the first thing you will need to do is see if you are allowed. There are cities and twps where you need to have a licensed pro do the work.

Any way, it's not that bad. Personally I would never try to mix my own if I can get ready-mix.

Here's a quick list.
1. remove material from the site so you can have about 4 to 5 inches of sand.
2. fill with sand and level. compact with machine until hard ( walk on it and there are almost no foot prints )
3. Place expansion paper ( 3 x 3 ) against all fixed surfaces the mud will be against. Use aluminum roofing nails to secure it.
4. This next step you need to check in your state/city/county. place 6 mil plastic over the sand.
5. Unroll grid mesh wire ( 4 x 4 ) and place on floor raissed with metal raisers you get at the cement store.
6. secure path or cart to deliver mud. If you can have a truck back right in, GREAT! If your drive is paved, you will need a cart or Whitman buggy. You drive it out to the truck, they fill it with mud and then you drive it back. dump and do it all over again.
7. start at the back and work the mud to the back walls first. Bull float every four to five feet.
8. Bull float and level entire slab and wait. once it is hard enough to work, a finisher or two will get out on it and do wonderful things to the cement. If they have a power trowel, it can be really smooth.
9. Pull your forms and clean up.

You will need a minimum of :
two people as grunts
two finishers
two rolls of 4 x 4 mesh wire
19 yards of 4000 or 6000 PSI mud with 21A rock or limestone
expansion paper
roofing nails
tools for both construction and cement.
transit and levels
Mason's line
beer :cool:

Should take about two days to prep if by hand.
should take about five hours to pour and finish

Remember to slope everything to the big door.

rebar or rerod is used more for transitions, steps and mud going up. I do not think you have any of these. The mesh will hold fine.

Crack or cut your slab at 8 feet block, 3/4" down. the day after you pour. The mud will still be green and the saw will not have to work as hard.

One last thing, I can not spell, but I do know cement.

call around to find out what 19 yards of 4000 or 6000 psi mud cost, with cartage. 3500 psi mud is that bag stuff you use to put posts in the ground.

Good luck.
:3DSMILE:

I should point out that 6000 PSI cement is good for machine bases, very heavy trafic areas and garage floors where lifts and big pressure items are placed.

Dont worry about the test weight of the concrete,3500 lb test is more than sufficient for a garage floor,and if you ever want a car hoist,a wood floor will support that,it is so distributed that thickness is not a factor,,4 inches is plenty with a good back fill,make sure it is sawed properly,this is the life of concrete,if it is done right, and the joints filled with silicone you will have little to no cracking.but I agree with the have it done theory,,,Tim