Going to build a new garage/shop, a 14x18

You could set the forms and put in the mesh and rebar then hire someone to finish the concrete. I would have it delivered on a truck. I have done this before. I have had people order the ready mix on the truck and I paid the bill that the driver presented. Setting forms is hard time consuming work but it has to be done sometimes and if you know how to do it well, then do it. If you hire someone they would probably have the forms and that would save some money. You could also rent the forms. There are a lot of options on the table. I would price the job as a turn key then I would price the comcrete, mesh rebar and form rental then you could see how much they are making. Price it out to just do the pour and finish work. You will have the numbers. It is difficult to say since prices vary all over the country. I have learned that I could buy the concrete delivered on a truck as cheap as I could mix my own and I usually get a better mix.

I agree with Gandpa. Pouring a foundation is not what I would consider a fun job. I love to help – but not do it myself. That being said, I usually hire someone with the equipment (forms, form nail stakes, Ditch Witch, etc.), then give them a hand. More often then not, especially if we are actually digging the foundation by hand, they are happy to have another person breaking their back with them.

When it comes to the concrete – truck it in. Even if you have a mixer, unless you are going to use only three or four bags, it’s not worth the time to do that yourself. By the time you factor in set up, working, and cleanup – you’ll be happy you called a truck in. Depending on how much you are using and how far away from the plant you are, you might want to rent a small concrete trailer from the company.

Like Grandpa says – you have a number of possibilities. If you don’t mind all of the back-breaking work, have access to all of the equipment (or plan to purchase and use again), then you might want to do everything yourself. The way things are going these days, you might be surprised at how cheap you can find someone to do everything for you (or at least do most of it).

-- No matter how many times I measure, I always forget the dimensions before I cut.

Yeah! what Billyj said. I have done it all and I have hired it all. I have mixed it and I have bought it by the truck load. Order it in and it will all be in one big pour. otherwise you will be mixing and working it at the same time. Forms are not cheap to build. Most concrete people have their own. Save your back for the framing. It is more fun. Good luck on this project. give us some photos when you get into it.
Something else to consider is the siding. Build it to some dimensions so you don’t have a lot of short waste when you cut your siding. Why build it 14’ if you use 16’ siding or 14’ if you use 12’ siding. Something to consider. the concrete can be the cheap part.

I was thinking just to buy the concrete and wire. And hire someone to pour it.

-- CJIII

I just built my own forms, set my own rebar, got the inspection, and then hired a guy with a pump, and my neighbor (a contractor) and his helper to pour and finish.

Pouring and finishing didn’t look that hard, but:

• You will need an assistant to screed the concrete as it comes off the truck or out of the pump.
• There seems to be a lot of experience in seeing how the concrete changes color and texture, when it’s ready for what stage of finishing.
• You get one shot at it.

One thing I’d do different: Carefully mark out all of your J-bolt locations before the pour, and have some way to find them after the forms are covered in concrete.

I was quoted about $5,500 by two different people to do the entire job, cutting out the concrete of the old patio, digging the foundation, running the rebar, and doing the pour. I ended up paying $350 for the pump, $2,200 for the concrete (15.5 yards!), and another $550 or so for the help finishing. I also had to rent a concrete saw, about a hundred bucks, and my neighbor lent me his power tamper. And rebar (although I ran at 1’ centers rather than the 16-18” that I’d spec’d for the quotes) and form materials and such ran me another $500. So I saved about $1,900. Note: Before you have a heart attack, this is for a building your size, but with a living roof at 120 lbs/sq.ft., so the foundation is way overbuilt..

That was a lot of digging and a lot of rebar. On the other hand I’m now seriously vested in my shop.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/

Ok, I might just rebuild my old 10×12 shed with a slab on grade foundation since I live in the south. I only need 2 yards of concrete.

-- CJIII

You can do it! I have to fix my pavage asphalte, entrée de garage and other stuff in my house, and now I have a tons of ideas to choose from.

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