Some useful guidelines for the calculation of concrete costs

Besides, considering the price of concrete per yard (or meter), cost calculation of new concrete includes other items like surface prep, formwork, reinforcing materials, and finish work, as well as the cost of the ready-mix concrete, that will be included to the total price of the concrete work. The Costs for specific items differ location wise or from site to site, but an approximate estimate can be prepared with some average amounts.

Cost Per Yard of Ready-Mix Concrete

The most vital item refers to the price of concrete, whether ready-mix concrete or other concrete material are utilized. Local ready-mix concrete suppliers can provide you the quotes based on the project specifications and the job location. Concrete pricing is generally stated per cubic yard or cubic meter (metre). For an average estimating purpose, utilize $77 per cubic yard.

Cost of Concrete Sub-Grade Work

When the concrete is set over soil, it is required to grade or make the surface ready for the concrete. Pricing for this includes the expenses associated with grading, compacting soil, excavating, trenching, and other components. As a good average, it is recommended to utilize $65 per hour of work required to set up the surface, supposing that the surface is leveled over 75 percent and no special work is necessary to make the site ready.

Costs for Extra Sub-Grade or Site Work

If the surface is unleveled, it is required to incur expenses for additional site work like excavating and filling with proper material or eliminating a soft spot on the terrain to prepare it for resisting structural loads. Based on the distance from where the sand will be arranged or any other proper fill material, it could put in over $10 per cubic yard or meter to your estimate. Another cost may incur for polyurethane plastic or vapor barrier essential to be set up prior to concrete placement.

Cost of Concrete Formwork

Developing concrete forms generally indicate a vital part of the total cost of concrete work, since it is one of the most time-consuming tasks of the job. It is required to recognize the type of formwork to be utilized as well as how it will be set up, and whether the form materials will be purchased or rented. Other related costs may contain a crane or other equipments which are applied to shift the form materials, form release product, re-processing form materials, and the cost to repair forms after various applications.

On average, formwork costs at $1.10 per square foot of the concrete area. It is calculated for a square or rectangular area. The cost is increased for concrete, if the formwork is rounded or contoured.

Cost to Finish Concrete

Concrete prices change considerably based on the type of finishing stated in the design. Concrete is finished several ways like smooth surface, exposed aggregate surface, or stamped concrete finish. Some surfaces may need only a strike-off and screed to perfect contour and elevation, whereas for others surfaces, a broomed, floated, or troweled finish should be specified. To calculate the finishing in your concrete pricing analysis, add $0.75 per square foot or perhaps more, based on the intricacy of the specified finish. The cost of any curing compound or testing services required should also be considered.

Cost of Concrete Reinforcement

Most concrete comprises of some type of reinforcement, like rebar, wire mesh, plastic mesh, or fiber which are included to the concrete mix to make the strength and crack-resistance better. Standard reinforcing materials can include roughly $0.18 cents per square foot. This number is greater for large-diameter rebar or other special reinforcement.



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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Decorative concrete ideas on walls

With the emergence of advance technology, the color, texture and patterns can now be added to concrete to make it decorative and stylish product.

Given below, some useful tips on how to utilize aesthetic concrete in designs.

1. Stamped concrete: Emulating nature and reiterating the appearance of natural materials like wood grain textures or rock patterns, or even brick outlines and other creative designs, stamped concrete offers huge scopes for making decorative concrete surfaces. Now, advance technology makes it possible to provide decorative art effects on both walls and other vertical surfaces, both interior and exterior.

2. Lightly etched concrete: Now, lightly etched concrete surfaces are also becoming popular. These types of surfaces do not contain any joints and produce seamless surfaces. Usually, it is formed with sandblasting or acid wash. To develop a light surface with approx thickness of 0.25 mm, extra-light surface retarders are utilized. This dry-shake powder can is integrated with fresh cast-in-place concrete and new-generation stencils rather than stamps. Different types of designs are formed with diverse colors.

3. Shaped (precast) concrete: With shaped concrete, it is possible to develop attractive vertical surfaces. With the application of formwork or moulds to cast concrete panels, various types of shapes or designs can be produced which one can visualize with concrete from gently flowing structures, curves, edges and more.

4. Colored concrete: By applying an extensive range of color pigments, both ready-mix concrete and dry-cast products are colored to diverse intensities, shades and brightness. One can only select to color the surface or to indicate integral coloring, which permeates the concrete throughout in order that the color won’t wear away with the existence of abrasion.

It should be kept in mind that the same cement from the same plant should be employed to provide a persistent color because portland cement can change from light to dark grey. The color of pigmented concrete can also be changed with the cement content, aggregate color and texture, as well as the total water content.

In order to color or decorate existing concrete as well as repair faded colors, the concrete dyes, stains are used or it can be done with an overlay of pigmented concrete.

5. Metallic coatings: Metallic coatings are also used to produce unique dazzling textures and effects. They are suitable for industrial interiors where two surfaces do not appear exactly same. Metallic epoxy coatings are normally utilized with a coating knife and softened over the vertical surface or smeared with the help of creative blending methods. It is possible to apply in excess of one metallic color, with or without an accent background color, and can even create textured surfaces.

To get more detail, go through the following video tutorial www.buildinganddecor.co.za



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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