Doing your own concrete work, huh? Well, good for you! Concrete flatwork, such as pouring a driveway or constructing a patio, can be a rewarding DIY project, but it also comes with its own set of serious challenges. Before you head to the hardware store to buy bags of concrete, or call your local concrete plant, you should consider these PROs and CONs…
PROS of DIY Concrete
- Cost Savings One of the biggest advantages to a diy concrete project is the potential cost savings. Although hiring an experienced concrete contractor is easier and faster, it can come with a hefty price tag. By doing the work yourself, you may be able to save several hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
- Flexibility: When you handle your own concrete work, you have the flexibility to work at your own pace and on your own schedule. This can be a huge pro if you’re working with a shorter window of opportunity in high-demand concrete seasons like spring and summer. You can also make adjustments on the fly, or add last minute details, without having to consult with or wait for a contractor. Although, you may still be at the mercy of local concrete suppliers if you’re going the ready-mix route versus bagged concrete. [Note: “Pacing yourself” does NOT apply to placing the concrete. Once you start pouring wet concrete, you’ll need to finish the formed section to avoid structural issues and/or cold joints.]
- Personal Satisfaction There’s a sense of accomplishment and pride that comes from completing a concrete project with your own hands. For many, the DIY process is rewarding in itself, but it may be exceptionally beneficial to you if you’re considering a career in, or related to, the concrete industry. After all, practice makes perfect!!
CONS of DIY Concrete
- Physical Demand Concrete work is labor-intensive and requires a lot of physical effort. Mixing, pouring, and finishing concrete can be exhausting, especially for larger projects, and time is of the essence. Concrete requires efficiency during the pouring and finishing stages to avoid cosmetic and structural errors. In hotter weather, 5-8 person concrete crews sometimes struggle to work the concrete before the heat begins to set it!
- Skill Level Properly mixing, pouring, and finishing concrete requires specific skills and knowledge. Without experience, there are an abundance of issues that a DIY homeowner could face including improper mixing ratios, inadequate curing, or poor surface finishing which can affect the durability and appearance of the concrete. Experienced concrete contractors have often faced these same challenges head-on and have adapted their processes to provide exceptional quality control through prevention, preparation, and planning.
- Time Consumption DIY concrete projects often take longer than expected (after all you are learning!), especially for those new to concrete work. Mistakes in concrete work can lead to weaker than expected concrete strength and/or noticeable aesthetic damage. In the end, you may have to put in an exponential amount of additional time and labor into your diy concrete project to achieve your desired results.
- Equipment and Materials You’ll need access to specific tools and materials, such as concrete mixers, rakes, screed (or a 2×4), trowels, a concrete vibrator, broom, and maybe even a concrete saw. Smaller concrete projects, such as sidewalks and small patio extensions, may not require much more than tools you can find at your local hardware store. With concrete, it’s important to have all of the right tools ready to go, because there won’t be much time for another run to the hardware store before your concrete begins to set (and become less workable). Larger projects – like driveways, pool decks, building foundations, and larger patios – often call for heavy equipment and ready-mix from a concrete supplier. These kinds of equipment and materials will increase the cost of your project immensely, and are likely to bring the in-experienced DIY-er more headaches than rewards.
Long-term Quality and Durability Without professional expertise, there’s a risk that the finished product may not be as durable or well-finished as it would be if done by professionals. This can affect the long-term value and functionality of the concrete structure.
A popular saying among contractors is that customers get to choose two out of these three things: Speed, Price, and Quality. However, this charming little anecdote is true regardless of whether you choose to go with a professional concrete contractor, or to dig in your heels to do the diy concrete thing. It goes something like this…
You can do it quickly and cheaply, but it likely won’t be a quality project (either in design or integrity).
You can do it cheaply and of good quality, but it will likely require a LOT of research and labor on your part.
Finally, you can do it quickly and of good quality, but you’ll likely need to spend a lot of money on equipment and materials that may not be of use to you in the future.
Our advice? Find the balance between what you need from your concrete project and the resources you have available to complete it.
If you need a small project (200sqft or less) for everyday residential use, and you have the time, and/or means, to complete the project, then sure – diy is probably your best choice!
If you need a medium to large project (greater than 200sqft), you’ll want to consider time and means, but you’ll want to consider bigger factors like load capacity, reinforcements, water drainage, weather preparation, etc.
If you decide to take on concrete work yourself, it’s crucial to thoroughly research and prepare to ensure the best possible outcome. Finally, we strongly recommend that DIYers start with smaller projects (around 100 sqft or less) before trying to take on any larger projects.
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