How we build concrete that lasts
Two driveways can look the same the day they're finished and be worth completely different amounts. The difference is underneath. Here's exactly what we do, so you can hold any bid up against it.
The parts nobody sees
Every decision that matters in this trade is buried by the time you see the finished slab. That's why the cheap bid works so well: the savings come out of the parts you can't inspect. So instead of asking you to trust us, here's the list.
- Dig to real grade. Deep enough for the base, not just the slab. Pouring on whatever elevation happens to be there is how you end up with two inches of base at one end and none at the other.
- Compact a rock base. Crushed rock, compacted in layers, not dumped and raked. It's what keeps the slab off the clay.
- Put the steel in the middle. Rebar on chairs so it sits in the middle of the slab. Steel lying in the dirt under the concrete is just decoration.
- Air-entrain every mix. This is freeze-thaw country, and those tiny bubbles give freezing water somewhere to go.
- Leave the water alone. Adding water at the truck makes concrete easier to place and weaker forever. We order the right mix and don't water it down to save twenty minutes.
- Cut joints on time. About a quarter of the slab's depth, roughly every 8 to 10 feet on a typical slab, in the right window. Joints don't stop cracks. They decide where the cracks go.
- Finish at the right moment, then cure it. Troweling too early traps water under the surface, and that's what flakes off later. Then we keep the surface from drying out for days, not hours.
What this climate does to concrete
Dry air and wind
Our afternoon wind and single-digit humidity pull water off the top of a fresh slab faster than it can rise. The surface shrinks and cracks within hours. We pour early, screen the wind, use an evaporation retarder and start curing right away. On the worst days, we move the pour. More on that here.
Freeze-thaw and mag chloride
From November to March, slabs here freeze most nights and thaw most afternoons. Air-entrained concrete handles it. Concrete without it slowly flakes apart. The magnesium chloride on the highways rides home on your tires and makes it worse, which is why we ask you to skip ice melt the first winter and use sand. Winter tips here.
Clay, collapsible soil, cobble and sulfate
Spanish Springs and the north valleys have clay that swells. Parts of Fernley have soil that drops the first time it's soaked. Verdi and west Carson are river cobble. And east of us, some ground has sulfate in it that eats ordinary concrete. Each of those gets a different base, and sometimes a different mix. More on clay here.
Frost depth changes with elevation
Footings for steps and posts have to sit below the frost line, and that line is a lot deeper at Incline Village or in Truckee than on the valley floor. We confirm the depth with whoever inspects the job instead of using one number everywhere.
The season depends on where you are
In the valley we pour comfortably from April into November, and into December with warm water and blankets. At the lake it's roughly late May through October. Summer has its own limits: on a 100-degree day in Dayton or Fallon we start at first light and keep the concrete cool.
What we won't do
- Quote a price over the phone without seeing the job.
- Pour on bare clay to come in cheaper.
- Skip air entrainment, ever.
- Add water at the truck to make it easier to spread.
- Resurface a broken slab and call it fixed.
- Push you with a today-only price, or ask for most of the money up front.
Fair questions to ask any contractor
What should I ask every concrete contractor?
How thick? What base, and how deep? Rebar or mesh, and how is it held up? Is the mix air-entrained? When do the joints get cut? And what's your license number and insurance carrier? A good crew answers all of those without blinking, because those are the things they think about.
Should I get more than one bid?
Yes. Get three, and compare the specs, not just the totals: thickness, base, steel and air entrainment. Bids that are far apart on price are usually far apart on those four things.
Do you need a deposit?
A reasonable deposit when we schedule is normal, since materials get ordered and the date gets held. A big payment up front, cash only, or pressure to pay in full before the work is done are the warning signs.
Will new concrete match my old slab?
The finish and the joint pattern, yes. The color, not right away. New concrete is lighter than old for the first couple of years and closes the gap as it weathers. Anyone promising a perfect color match on day one is telling you what you want to hear.