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When I asked for a concrete slab, I thought these guys would use standard procedure. I got them through a reference. They were not cheap. They charged me $2000. I was told by someone else that there was about 400$ worth of concrete. And it is true, I’m stuck with this and it’s a lesson learned
You do not need a written contract to follow thru on a legal recourse. While it would be nice !
Garner photos . Get a professional opinion of cost to fix this mishap.
People may sway you that it's not worth the effort to go the legal route. I disagree.
When found in your favor : three positives can be achieved: legal fees paid by the business in question. Business is often required to fix it at no further cost to you or refund. The choice is yours to use a completely competent contractor and present that quote as reason to be reimbursed.
This current ' referred' entity is banking on you not following the court route because...it's such a hassle .
Like almost every thread in this section it is mainly people that have no idea what they are talking about posting.
BBB is like telling your Mom about it only your Mom has a way better chance of doing something about it. Yes the BBB is a joke at best.
Adding fiber DOES add strength along with many other benifits.
No contract usually means you have zero recourse. Only exception is if there is a local building code that covers the work done.
Work is done different in every area because of local weather conditions. Nothing worse as a contractor than someone who watches those beyond silly home improvement shows that think they are real and not a for entertainment TV show. I would actuall at least double my bid for anyone who mentions they watch them because I would have to explain to them the show DOES NOT take into account the location of the work.
This is a learning experiance on how not to do something in the future.
Just a FYI almsot every contractor will tell you the other one done it wrong and their way is the correct way.
Contact the Better Business Bureau for your city or county or area and file a complaint. Get your $$ back.
BBB is worthless. So are the other so-called "consumer advocates". I wrote to all of them and received not even a canned, automated response. Same with our congressmen, etc.
Sorry this happened to you. We've poured a lot of concrete by ourselves over the years and the prep is back-breaking hard work. The concrete itself is the easier, more "fun" part.
- Remove all turf grass and dig down the appropriate distance
- Put in the correct fill (in most cases this is going to be gravel, then sand)
- Build form boards around the slab
- Moisture barrier if appropriate
- Put reinforcement - for light duty this can be a heavy mesh (as in, 3/16 dia wire in 4" squares), for heavier duty it'll be actual re-bar. Reinforcement generally needs to be raised up off the top surface of the fill with little plastic stands, so the concrete when poured will flow around it and surround it rather than just pushing it down onto the top of the fill. The rebar/mesh needs to be up IN the concrete to do its job.
- Pour concrete
- Level it, strike it off so it's got the right amount of slope for the application (an outdoor slab certainly shouldn't have a low spot in the middle), edge it around the form boards
- After cured, remove forms, backfill dirt up to the edge of the slab.
rabbit33, I notice you didn't mention compaction. Is that an oversight?
People! This thread really doesn’t need more input or discussion. The OP has admitted to the his/her mistake(s) and is living with those consequences.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Janeway 1
And it is true, I’m stuck with this and it’s a lesson learned
More than 30 years ago I had a 12x16 slab poured for back yard utility shed. They may have dug a few inch trench around the perimeter to thicken the edges but the bulk of the slab was poured right on the grass. It may not have been the best practice but the slab served it's purpose for a utility shed. I don't remember any unsightly cracks showing up in the slab. We sold the house last year so I can't go out for a closer look. I paid $800 for that 12x19 slab in 1992.
So it will probably be alright.
No prior written contract. I think what they are using as a contract is more of a receipt. I should have known better.
The fact that you didn't know any better doesn't make it all right for this jerk to rip you off. No matter the construction, a concrete slab shouldn't sag in the middle and hold water. The BBB may not be what they should be, but at least go through the motions, with pictures, and put it out there for other people to know about. There's Yelp, too. And NextDoor and just plain word of mouth. And if he scares you or threatens you, call the police.
The least you could do is get some of your money back.
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