Has my concrete job been bodged???

[ripperuk]

Hi there,

About 6 weeks ago, I got some local landscaper to solidly concrete my back garden. To keep the story short, my job looked super. It dried in a couple of days, although on the 2nd day of concreting there was some rain.

After a week or so I noticed some sand. I thought its normal as the concrete might still need time. Its now been 6 weeks and the concrete has a lot of loose sand and I'm thinking if this is normal or has the job been messed up?

My questions are:-

1. Is this normal?
2. If the answer to question 1 is a NO, then could rain have caused this?
3. If the answer to question 1 & 2 is a NO, then could the landscaper have mixed the concrete to a wrong ratio?

any advice would be helpful

thanks!

 

[Thermo]

from the description sounds like it could be the wrong mix. If you dig at the concrete with a screwdriver does it go in or crumble away or is it solid? The rain wouldnt have caused it but 6 weeks ago would put you in early august and a few hot days could have that effect on the cement if its been badly mixed, but he should have damped it down as its drying to avoid this. Any pictures you can post, as that will show the exact problem?

 

[ripperuk]

hi and thank you for replying so quickly...when I use the screwdriver, it digs in easily. Infact i can scrape away the concrete with my nails!

If you still want the photo after this message, then I'll try and sort out out using my digital camera, although the colour may be different due to it raining out there.

 

[Thermo]

photo would be good, but it sounds very much like a weak mix, caused either by incorrect mixing, dead cement or it has dried out far to quickly. A photo would be good. What colour is it when its dry?

 

[ripperuk]

it looks not white, but more greyish..

also if it helps, he mixed 3 tons of ballast, with 13 bags of cement.

last of all, he has been around just 15mins ago...told him i was not happy and that he should do the job again...He's offering to place another inch of a cement and sand only mix (no ballast). Would that work?

 

[noseall]

...He's offering to place another inch of a cement and sand only mix (no ballast). Would that work?

no. definitely not outdoors.

he should have used a minimum of 20 bags of cement.

 

[Thermo]

An inch of sand and cement will do naff all to sort the problem. The fact that hes come back and offered to do something opens up his liability on it. As noseall says hes certainly used to weak a mix with that amount of cement. If tahts the case it sounds like it needs redoing properly. (money back and someone else springs to mind, however thats going to involve extra work in removing it and more hassle)

I got some local landscaper to solidly concrete my back garden

Some landscaper...use a reputable one

solidly concrete....no he didnt!

 

[ripperuk]

First of all, he won't pay me a penny...secondly, and I know this sounds daft, but I really can't stretch myself to spend loads of time and money doing it again.

He told me that its well know to do something called "screeding"...what is he on about?

 

[^woody^]

Look on the brightside .... it will break up easily when its replaced.

Tell him screeding will be OK for your lounge, but not the patio. It will last as long as his concrete surface has

Tell the guy you want it done properly or you will arrange for another builder to do it and reclaim the costs fom him via the small claims court.

Or just go straight to the court and claim. You may need a written expert opinion, but you will win the claim if it has not been done properly.

 

[ripperuk]

only one problem...and i am about this...i've paid him on the side...

...I just need the concrete to last me a couple of years and then i'm gonna move..do you think it'll last that long?

 

[^woody^]

only one problem...and i am about this...i've paid him on the side...

...I just need the concrete to last me a couple of years and then i'm gonna move..do you think it'll last that long?

How you paid him is irrelevant. If he does not pay his taxes then it's his problem not yours.

Even better, threaten to report him the HMR&C for tax evasion if he does not put it right - that will get him moving for sure.

It may last, but what will the prospective buyer think .... Don't like it, no sale? Asking price reduction?

 

[ripperuk]

thanks woody...i understand what your saying mate, but it was a big headache ripping up the old concrete when i moved into this house and I just don't want to have to do it all over again.

Since the concrete is approx 4 inches, if I somehow removed 2 inches of that concrete's top layer, can I replace it with another 2 inches of fresh concrete?

 

[Thermo]

its more effort to remove 2 inches than to remove the lot.

i agree with earlier comments, the threat of a call to the vat man should kick him up the arse. Im sorry but it goes back to my earlier comment about reputable, you pay your money and take your choice!

 

[JohnD]

Or you could treat it as well-compacted sand, and lay paving on top.

 

[2scoops0406]

it looks not white, but more greyish..

also if it helps, he mixed 3 tons of ballast, with 13 bags of cement.

last of all, he has been around just 15mins ago...told him i was not happy and that he should do the job again...He's offering to place another inch of a cement and sand only mix (no ballast). Would that work?

3 tons approx 3,000 kgs 13 bags of cement (assume 25kg bags) = 325kgs

(any sharp sand ??)

equals a 1:9 mix of cement to aggregate which is substantially less than an ST1 (C7.5) mix

As has been said it should have been a minimum of 20 bags of cement, there is nothing to be done other than remove it all and start again. As has already been said again, at least it'll be so weak it should come up easily. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't see the winter out. Sorry.