Concreters Tweed Heads

Number one, be sure you are ready to go ahead. If your site will not be ready for a few weeks or months it is best to wait until you are in go-ahead mode before calling us. That way we won’t have to re-quote your project and our price remains firm, as prices may vary upwards of half a dozen times a year. If engineers’ drawings are being utilised, please make sure you have these at hand at the time we call in or email them to us beforehand.

Consider your access. Keep in mind there will be large machinery involved. Is there room at the roadside to park up to four 20 to 50-tonne trucks? Or is there only room for one or two? Is your entrance wide, surfaced and smooth? Or unsurfaced, full of holes and washouts, narrow, winding with overhanging trees, cliff drop-offs and hazardous water crossings? How far from a central location is your site? All of these aspects will impact your final price because time is a commodity. Tricky access jobs are not impossible but they will take more time.

A definite, functional design. Make sure you have a firm idea of what you want done, such as the area, size, shape and planned uses of your project. Consider, for example, if it’s a driveway. Do you want to back out of your garage and remain on the concrete? Do you require two cars to be able to pass each other? And know which way water runs off your property. We will discuss with you all drainage issues that need to be addressed plus the remedies required.

What colour/style do you want? Determine your most suitable option such as plain grey concrete, coloured, concrete or aggregate finish relevant to its purpose, existing structures and desired aesthetics. If price is a main factor, plain grey concrete is the most popular, economical option.

Council requirements. Check you have your council permissions (such as a DA) in place. If you believe a DA is not required, please ensure you have confirmed this with the council before we call in. Be warned, the council can and will have you remove your job if it is not to local council specifications and these specs can vary considerably from shire to shire and from soil type to soil type (a soil test may be required as this determines pier and footing depths). Even driveways can be subject to council approval, especially the part that runs off the kerb (lay back) and over the nature strip. This part is council property. Additionally, be confident you know where your utilities, plumbing etc. lay underground so that we don’t accidently damage them.

Changes on the day of the pour. Please try to avoid this. The day we first meet with you then mark out and measure up your job, is the day you need to have a good idea of where you want your concrete to go. We will closely discuss with you what you want and then assess the site relevant to your requirements. We will work out solutions to any foreseeable obstacles with you. We will estimate the amount of concrete required exactly and quote from these markup measurements. We don’t over-order on concrete. Also, we cannot foresee what is below the surface of your ground. Discovering large rocks and tree roots can add considerable earthworks prep time, so keep that in mind. Hitting a piece of unidentified plumbing or a phone line can add to your costs if it's damaged.

Variations. Any later variations to the written quote specifications are added to the original price. Minor adjustments can usually be accommodated (such as more or less fall) but any changes that require more concrete, materials, wait time or excavations than what was quoted will incur extra charges.

We quote free of charge. Otherwise known as drive over hill and dale, discuss, measure, take details, drive home, phone suppliers for prices, work out numbers and quantities, type it all up and email to client, x 20 + times per week.

It’s all part of the job. We absolutely love meeting new people but quoting on and revisiting jobs where the client is not yet fully committed or simply wanting to kick around ideas or has changed their layout requirements a dozen times can be a huge waste of all of our time and resources. We will give you the best price on your job without compromising materials or workmanship. Once, free of charge. So, it’s best to make good use of the time we spend together and be prepared.

Lastly, we also don’t usually supply insurance or bank loan application quotes. But let us know your circumstances when you contact us and we’ll see if we can help.

Yes. But be aware that small jobs (anything under 6 x 6 m) can work out to be as expensive as a job twice the size, even in an easily accessible, central location. Travel time, materials delivery and plant mobilisation cost are the same no matter how much concrete is involved. Contact us for advice.

It depends. The amount of concrete you need is only one small element of the price calculation process. Measurements, which also must include laser levelling your heights and falls, need to be accurate.

It is always best to have the expert measure up your job, as running short of concrete on pour day can add considerable expense for you. Other considerations are site access, distance from closest suppliers, topography and prep time i.e. Will you need earthworks, base added, spoil removal, dump trucks, pumps, etc?

We can quote off plans but we will still need to see the site to be able to include earthworks and pump in a firm, written quote/contract.