By Ray Henderson
Technical Services Area Manager
Essroc Cement, Nazareth PA

The best way to avoid problems in the field can be a pre-construction meeting. Managing expectations may be the most critical job in the satisfactory completion of a project.

How you go about troubleshooting is as important or more important than the problem itself.
The problem is never the problem, the solution is the problem. What went wrong technically usually has only a small part to play in the final resolution of a problem.

If the people involved can work together as a team, they can usually find an acceptable solution. If people are booking court dates the technical issues are the least of the problems.

The most important step is to deal with performance or aesthetic issues as soon as possible. Often the biggest problem on a job site is the fact that the original problem has not been dealt with. The small problem ignored can often be far more serious than the large problem handled quickly.

Small residential jobs with simple contract documents can be more difficult to resolve than large industrial jobs. Most of the look and performance of the product has been implied or presumed, not contractually specified.

The home owner needs to specify
What they feel the problem is
What they feel was promised
What performance from the concrete they expect

I always try to avoid recommending a specific solution to a problem. My expertise is not in repair and restoration of concrete. I also don’t usually know the particulars of a job. The more the owner has acted as a GC the more responsibility for the project they have. I also believe in getting good value for your money.
People who do patterned stamped concrete price their work fairly high in part, because the expectations are high. Normal flaws that would be expected in plain concrete would not be tolerated on architectural finish work. Expectations should match the value of the project, if you paid for a Chevy don’t expect a Cadillac.

The contractor needs to specify:
What the scope of the job was
What specifically was promised
What are his expectations
Options and possible solutions

If you promised a perfect job then that’s what you should deliver. If you promised a Cadillac and priced a Chevy, shame on you.

The ready mix producer needs to have:
Job tickets available including wait times and water added
Information on what was ordered
Performance information on the mix design

If the ready mix producer made a specific recommendation for a mix design he has assumed a larger portion of responsibility.

Color, cracks, pop outs , stains, and other surface defects are the most common problem I see in the field. Typically these problems are non-structural, meaning the problem is not with the concrete as a whole but with the surface layer only.

People talk about the need behind the need. I looked at a basement floor with cracks in it that the home owner wanted torn up and replaced. “The concrete was “obviously bad” because it was cracking.” I talked with the home owner who thought the concrete was going to continue cracking until it all fell apart. That was the reason they wanted the floor replaced. We could tear up the floor and replace it. In the end we would have a new floor with cracks in it. I can also guarantee the new floor would not be guaranteed against cracking. All normal concrete shrinks and cracks. Crack location can usually be managed with control joints.

Nine out of ten problems in the field are placing and finishing issues, I know that before I step out of my car. Blaming the contractor will surely make a foe of the one person most likely to help me solve the problem.

Before you spend several thousand dollars testing the concrete ask these two questions. Is the job worth the expense? Will I learn anything that will help solve the problem. Why would you spend several thousand dollars to find out exactly what went wrong on a job worth less than the cost of the testing. If I look at a problem, say a scaled slab, I know the two or three reasons why this could happen. If it doesn’t help to know the exact reason, A or B, why spend the money to find out. Assessing blame and solving a field problem are two different jobs. I avoid the first and concentrate on the second.

Work the problem. The first solution is easy. Rip it out, do it again. This solution is even easier if it’s not your money. Usually the best solution takes time to figure out.

What to do as the home owner. Try not to be emotional, but work out clearly what your expectations are and why. What you felt was promised contractually. The hard part will be to determine what solutions you will accept and what performance level you expect, (guarantees).

Problems with concrete are rare. Most surface problems can be treated or repaired. Many high quality products are now on the market that makes surface treatments over structurally sound concrete an excellent repair option.