Can't Get a Quote for a Small Concrete Work

Ldlin-me on 16/08/2017 - 20:56
Last edited 16/08/2017 - 20:56

So the drainage pipe was broken under our concrete driveway. We've got a plumber to fix the pipe which involved concrete cutting and excavation. Now the plumber has finished his job, we need to get someone to restore the concrete driveway. The driveway was cut with an opening of 60cm X 80cm in size. I would like to have the hole patched, ideally with matching colour and pattern with rest part of the driveway.

I understand why plumbers hate digging but what surprised me most is that it is much harder to get a tradesman to restore/patch the concrete driveway than getting a plumber to do digging.

I've called about 5 local tradesmen on YellowPages and also listed jobs in both Serviceseekings and Highpages. After 2 weeks, I am still not getting much luck.

After watching some DIY videos on youtube, I started to think maybe I can do it myself. But I really want to know why concreters are not willing to give a quote for this job. Is it too small or too hard ? If it is hard, what is the hard bit ? Any idea ?

An image of the site: https://tinyurl.com/y8mencjd

Home & Garden

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2017 - 21:07
    +1

    Is it too small or too hard ? If it is hard, what is the hard bit ?

    That's what she said.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2017 - 21:12
    +1

    Seriously though, It looks like stamped concrete. The stamps will be bigger than patch size. There's no way to match the color (like with car paint), because they throw a powder on while its drying.

    In hindsight, you would've been better off cutting a bigger section, when the concrete cutter was there. Easier to get a contrasting pattern/colour that might not look so bad.

    Where are you located? Unfortunately the housing boom has meant its impossible to get tradesmen for small jobs. Could try airtasker/gumtree as well, but I guess it's the same crowd as seekingservice.

    • thatonethere on 16/08/2017 - 23:32
      +1

      As sp00ker says - no way to get a match. Maybe just get a metal lid (or plastic if no cars going over it).

      I wouldn't even bother with Airtasker as they usually spot a tarpit job pretty easy (and if they don't they will cut and run).

  • PVA on 16/08/2017 - 21:23

    i doubt if you'll get something matched very well.
    try the local papers for a handyman, call and ask what they can do.

  • dlin-me on 16/08/2017 - 21:30

    Thanks, looks like colour matching is the hardest bit. I've got a quote of $1,000 so far, which I believe the tradesman overpriced it to turn me off. He did not even try negotiating/selling.

    • TheBilly on 16/08/2017 - 21:44

      It will take him one day - 8 hours at 65 per hour which is a normal charge out rate. Plus maybe $100 in materials if that which comes to $620 + $380 profit for being a business man. Yes you are right, he doesn't want to do it, and if he does get it he'll be making a good chunk of money for 1 days work.

      Why dont you just DIY? You can't get it wrong, its not like doing levels or ramped concrete, you quite literally have your levels set on each side of the cut so whatever you screed the concrete with just has to be a bit bigger than your cut. After that you just need to learn how to stencil.

      Plus you can also save $800 and learn something new.

      • dlin-me on 16/08/2017 - 21:56

        I will give it a try. The part I am not confident in is how to make the colour by 'throw powder on while its drying' . In fact, before reading the comments, I was thinking of mixing some colour agent with pre-mixing concrete from Bunnings. I will need to do some more research.

      • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2017 - 23:26

        Yes you are right, he doesn't want to do it, and if he does get it he'll be making a good chunk of money for 1 days work.

        This.

        But it's not that he doesn't want to do it, he'd rather look for a job that give him 5 days of work, even though the daily rate/profit might be lower.

  • madreece on 16/08/2017 - 21:39
    +2

    Be prepared for disappointment. There is no way they will get that to look okay. Sp00ker is on the money.
    Maybe get it set up with a fake grate over it.

  • qwerty on 16/08/2017 - 23:07

    Try air tasker , maybe theres a tradie that can help on that

  • Slippery Fish on 16/08/2017 - 23:35

    If you dont care what concrete find a concrete trickier tell him you'll give him a carton of piss to bring you what ever is left after a job (they usually have more than needed) so he won't need to wash it as much and he gets free alcohol.

  • Some Human on 16/08/2017 - 23:59

    If a tradesman doesn't think a small job is worthwhile, they will quote you a price that will make it worth their while.

  • coin saver on 17/08/2017 - 06:59

    Plumber could have taken that out n 4 pieces that you could have reused.

  • geek001 on 17/08/2017 - 08:45

    Does it have to be fixed? I don't think it looks that bad. The reason I ask is because it looks like the drain is the lowest point of your concrete area, so you have to take extra care not to make the concrete near the drain higher than the rest of the concrete, otherwise water will pool around there.

  • dlin-me on 18/08/2017 - 23:30

    @geek001 Thanks for reminding. will pay extra attention to this.

  • iand on 19/08/2017 - 16:03

    no one will take it on because it is to hard to match pattern and colour and when it doesn't meet expectations then people say they won't pay so not worth it for any professional to take the risk of 1: not getting paid 2: getting bad reviews on internet and social media sites

  • 87percent on 21/08/2017 - 16:16

    Go to a building site near your house and ask one of them to do it for you. Usually one of the junior members would just come after they're done for the day and do it for you

  • Euphemistic on 21/08/2017 - 19:50

    DIY. In order to get it to match better, cut the hole back to the existing 'joint' marks in the stencil. It will help it blend in. Then, if it looks too out of place you could paint the whole lot.

    • dlin-me on 23/08/2017 - 23:19

      Good suggestion ! thanks

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