fox's2oz

Hi guys, just had soil tests back on land, told its relactive, builder says that still happy to to build but will not do drive way, paths and patio. Told i need to get a contractor to complete concrete work. Can any one recommend a concreter that is reasonable and reliable!

Has any one else had this propblem!



Sorry should say that i am living in Caloundra Sunshine Coast

sassie

Hi there. I assume you mean "reactive". When we were building, our soil test came back Highly Reactive. which from the builders perspective determines the level of slab. they were quite happy to do our driveways, etc, in fact it was all part of the contract.

Hope you get it sorted.

matt-and-jenny

My brother's best mate lives up there! He's a concretor! But he's neither reasonable nor reliable

Sorry. Not much help.

J.

JackTheLad

We had our driveway concrete recently but we are south of the river so I can't recommend anyone for Sunshine Coast. We got quotes from a few concretors and the price varied hugely from $60/sqm to $120/sqm for plain concrete. We went for someone in the middle of the range, concrete was 15mm thick, 25mpa, SL62 mesh. We're happy with the result so far but only time will tell when cracks start appearing...

I'm attaching an article which has lots of information on concreting, what to look out for etc. Hope it may be of help to you. I memorized some of the jargons before talking to the tradies so that I didn't sound like an idiot!

Mrs JTL

fox's2oz

Can i ask? Which builder did you use, we are going thru Coral Homes.

sassie

We used Richards Homes on the Gold Coast. I am not sure if they do work on the Sunshine Coast or not.

We have a Coral Homes being built right next door, so I imagine their soil test would be the same as ours, i.e. Highly reactive. As far as I can tell, they have had no problems.

charleyg

I have heard so much bad feedback from people who have built with Coral homes? Usually the builder completes the driveway etc aswell. Be careful with Coral some of the driveways I have seen have been cracked, unraked (slippy when wet) and just a very poor show really. Might be better getting a contractor in anyhow. Just try the white pages, thats what I did and they normally do a good discount for cash!!!

Good luck

jad n rich

Problem with paying cash is you cant hold them liable for the work they have done, say the tradesman is licenced and you sign a work order/contract, driveway cracks and they are up the BSA for rectification. Cash they will just deny they poured it. Probably not the best move with reactive soil.

sassie

and just to add, at the back of our place along the fence line we put in some AG piping for the water to drain through. We hadn't actualy fnished connecting it up, because our side fence was was not finished, so there was about 2 metres or so of this ag pipe protruding out from the ground, the intention was to get a corner piece to run it up the side, which we were going to do when the fence was completed. A couple of weeks ago, one sunday, their were some blokes working on site at the Coral Home next door, digging a trench along the driveway and he went walkabout, around all the building sites, (ours was the only completed house at the time), obviously on the scrounge for something. We then had to go out for a couple of hours, when we got back, being nosey as we are, we like to go around the new builds and see what progress has been made, and we discover a piece of ag piping laying in the newly dug out trench, together with the connector thingies (that we bought at bunnings). When we went home, we discovered that our piece of ag pipe had been cut off, and just to clarify it wasn't protruding on the vacant block next door it was well inside our boundary, so under cover of darkness, we took it back, and surprise surprise, both the severed ends join perfectly. The cheek of some people. I know we have no solid proof, but that is obviously what happened.

wanderingwombat

Reactive soils are not impossible to build driveway, paths etc on. There must be something more as to why the builder wont do them.

Reactive soils shrink/swell due to changes in moisture in the soil. The strength for the house is in the footings not the slab.

I'd be asking some questions.

WW

lesleys

Consider alternatives to concrete, eg bitumen/asphalt drive, pavers for patio.
These eliminate cracking problems and may be cheaper.

wanderingwombat

In QLD??? Err no. Waste of money unless you build it to freeway $tandard$, which doesnt happen on residential sites. There have been many unsuccessful attempts to build businesses based on bitumen driveways in QLD

It moves (reactive soil), cracks (weeds) and breaks up where there is heavy wheel turning.

Also damn hot in summer.

WW

Mandy&Cliff

We are looking at some land in the Caloundra area, can I ask where you are building.

fox's2oz

Sunset Estate off Sugar Bag Road.

gjs

Our land was apparently the most reactive that our builder has ever come across.(Reflected in the cost of our footings!!)However they are still building our paths driveway etc.Have been advised to use smaller pavers,so that they can be replaced if necessary if one cracks in the long term.