Pouring the driveway was an education in itself. Call it Concrete 102, whereas the Foundation was Concrete 101. My professor was Mike Fitzgerald, a 60s'ish bearded biker with a big old soft spot for dogs (especially German Shepards) and Miller Genuine Draft beer. I came highly recommended but I had a hard time reaching him (was in divorce court then on a road trip--think Easy Rider). Anyway, he gave me a price, then we negotiated. I guess the guy liked us since we were doing a lot of the work ourselves, so we cut a deal involving some labor on my part & cash. Apparently, he's not inclined to make many more fiscal donations to the ex. After the deal was made, I called him and said I'd also like to pour a little pad for a shed in the back before the driveway went in. I formed it up and put the wire mesh and rebar in place. He came out, helped pour it and finished it off. I asked him what I owed him and he wouldn't say, but in the long run a case of Miller evened the score.
About the driveway concrete. Normally, you'd spec a standard concrete mix. That is 5 bags of cement per yard (cubic) and 3/4" aggregate (crushed is best). However, in Kala Point exposed aggregate driveways are popular and look really good. The downside is they are more expensive and sweeping them off is a pain, so most everyone has one of those hideously noisy leaf blowers. Looks like I'll be buying one, perhaps the electric (quieter) version. Our formula for the exposed aggregate went this way: 6 sacks of concrete, pea gravel (<3/8"), fiber, and heat. The fiber acts as a binder for strength and heat, in the form of sodium phosphate, quickens the initial cure so the concrete can be worked in cool weather. After the mud is poured (concrete talk), you spray the surface with sugar water to retard the curing of the surface. Coke, 7Up, molasses, etc. all work, but sugar water is cheap and easy to make. Depending on the mud mix and amount of heat added, it'll take 2-5 hours for the mud to set up enough to get on it. Then you take a stiff brush and hose and wash away the top layer of cement, thus exposing the aggregate. The result is a pebbly, dark concrete surface. Easier on the eyes and it has good traction.
Mike told me to negotiate the concrete price with our local supplier (to remain anonymous, for soon to be obvious reasons). So I made a visit to the local mix master, and you'd think I'd stepped into the 60's. A bunch of 60-70 year old guys in a plywood shack, chewing. I suspected that there was a poker game going on in an adjacent room. After a few warm up comments, I asked my familiar question: What sort of a deal can I get. Well, he said, for multiple loads I can get 5% off, and if I pay cash I can get another 8.4% off (that's exactly the same rate as the tax, what a coincidence). Well, I ordered 24 yards and went away smiling. When I went to pay yesterday, I handed over $2500 in cash, the mix master tore up the load tickets, and we called it even. No receipts, just like 24 yards (48 tons) of concrete evaporated.
So it pays to negotiate, ask a few questions, and be willing to supply the green stuff. If I'd used my first concrete guy, the bill would have been about $10.8k for labor and tax and another $2.8k for concrete, for a total of $13.6k. That's quite a driveway, I'd say. In the end, we spent $4.6k for labor, $20 for a case of Miller, and $2.5k for concrete, for a total of $7.12k. That makes up a bit for the $37k foundation last November at full price.
PS. We stayed away from Wednesday's committee meeting, but later on a neighbor came by and said that since we were so close to making the deadline that the committe had granted us another month extension. (Nov. 5). That was easy, but we're still not done with the shingles and painting. However, Nancy has dipped her final shingle (about 5,000), everything from here on will be sprayed thanks to Ken Olsen and his old airless sprayer (Happy Birthday, Ken). We've asked for a 6 month extension on the rental house (until May 1), and figure it will take most of that time to complete the interior (paint, trim, doors, hardwood floor, tile, showers, cabinets, and final electrical). The new schedule gives us some breathing room and time off to travel to California after Christmas and maybe a little side trip to warm water. Oh boy, we'll need it. Ciao for now.
