One of the most difficult processes in building foundation walls which also causes delays and cost in inspections is the use of Standard Rebar Steel. Even with ICS construction the use of standard half inch rebar is built into the forms because it is required by code.
First to understand the differences you need to understand why rebar is used in any concrete application. Concrete in and of its self is a hard surface that …
A friend is asking about his basement and considering putting down some type of flooring to finish off the basement. He hasn’t asked about all other tasks that come along with finishing your basement but he is at the point where he has asked a few contractors what they think and we thought it would be a good time to go over what materials work best in your basement.
For many people the concrete flooring …
A Friend is asking about a concrete job they just contracted for. They live in a Southern State and the driveway will be 16 feet wide and 70 feet long with an additional slab near their carport at the home for additional parking.
The contractor was suggested to them by other contractors that are backed up with work. He has said he is licensed and insured but hasn’t provided proof of it yet and even …
A friend asks about some water damage he found along his foundation when he removed his deck and he is wondering just how hard it will be for him to do the work himself or if he needs to hire a structural engineer and a contractor.
The problem is pretty common on homes that have attached decks where the contractor didn’t take care to make sure the home was waterproofed before he attached the deck …
A Friend asks us how can they clean up the pathway in their backyard to make it look better and to improve its condition. Its a 3 foot wide concrete pathway that was placed on the back of the home to help with diverting rain away from the home. There is actually a pretty big grate in the path on the side of the home which diverts water out into the street and their …
One of our friends asks about a project they have trying to increase the height of their basement ceiling. The problem they are having is that they are in a very rocky are and the foundation was built around boulders or ledge that the original home builder decided was too difficult to remove and this resulted in a basement that isn’t really usable.
This situation is pretty common in older homes and I have seen outcrops …
From time to time we get questions about how to repair a foundation wall that is failing. Sometimes the wall is cracking because of settling and other times it is collapsing in on the basement because of water pressure in the dirt that surrounds the foundation. Unfortunately in some areas with clay soil where moisture is a very big problem you will find that a concrete block wall will fail and sometimes a poured foundation …
A friend asks about a new home they just bought. It is a 1950’s home that was built on cement block and the home is in general good condition for its age. Obviously there needs to be a lot of upgrades performed to bring it up to today’s standards but it is livable and most of the upgrades will be performed as time allows and not because they are required.
The problem they are having is …
A friend asks about their garage floor that they are using as an exercise room and is wondering what is the best method they can use to level the floor with a new slab placed on top of it. The existing job was performed maybe 40 years ago along with deterioration there are many cracks and unlevel areas. They are also wondering about a smooth vs brushed finish for the floor. They have talked with …
One of my final fall projects is to pour a small concrete slab for my trashcans to sit on. Until now I have been placing them in the same spot that the slab will go but once winter comes I will need something more substantial to place them on and I will also need some type of fencing to hold them in place during the harsh winter winds.
Probably the hardest thing about this project has …