Is this exposed aggregate normal?

inexp_user · Oct 29, 2018 8:42 pm

I am not sure where to post this so I have also posted in driveways...

We have recently had our driveway laid with exposed aggregate. It was a big job 213m2, and a couple of trucks were required. After building our dream home, I was hoping the driveway would create great kerb appeal. I am really disappointed with the final product. I am after some advice as to whether this is a normal occurrence with exposed aggregate. The aggregates we chose were 14mm Tarrawingee Stone (95%) and bluestone (5%).

Up against the house and garage the exposed aggregate is great and this is what I expected across the entire job. Throughout the job there are patches that have barely any exposed aggregate and certainly not exposing 14mm stones. It isn't that they are different batches because the patches are within the same area that was poured from one truck.

We also have these sweeping arcs that are very noticeable when the sun is low because they cast shadows on the concrete. The owner of the company has said they are trowel marks. I thought with exposed aggregate the top layer was blasted away so I don't understand why there would be trowel marks.

One of the squares has a number of cracks but they have said they will be filled so not as worried about this. The guy that came to do the acid wash said he isn't sure what happened but events acid wash wasn't doing what he expected and has left marks on the concrete.

When they say you can get variance in appearance is it usually this big a variance?

Here are some photos
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I wish it all looked like above but reality is 50% of it is patches like below.
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Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ This is what happened when they acid washed.

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brokenstick · Oct 30, 2018 6:59 am

That looks pretty bad to me, I would not accept it. There a few houses around me with similar exposed aggregate driveways, and none of them look like that - they are all pretty even.

Corallake · Oct 30, 2018 7:11 pm

Sorry about your driveway...that is not normal or acceptable. Whoever did it needs to come and see it. Not sure what state you are in but if they are making excuses like that and will not rectify it get on to Fair Trading (or your equivalent) and get an independent inspection.

inexp_user · Oct 31, 2018 6:58 am

Thanks Corallake.

I have years of experience and training as an incident/problem manager and it has been bugging me that I can't work out what the issue is. Anyway at 2.45am this morning it came to me. The main guy did the blasting by the side of the house and to the front of the house which is where the aggregate is nicely exposed while a younger lad took off all the wood framing and pickets from around the edges. They stopped and had a break and then the younger lad took over the blasting. I am confident that he hasn't take enough off the top off the concrete to expose the aggregate and it is the reason why we have the sweeping arcs. I have photos of the concrete before it was blasted and each arc does correlate with the trowel mark. He hasn't lasted away enough of the top layer to remove the trowel mark!

It can't be the concrete mix as the issue would be across the entire mix from the truck and it is not likely to be the retardant as the same retardant was used across the entire job.

Although working this out doesn't help me get the driveway I hoped and have paid 85% for. I am in Victoria. Would a building inspector be the ones to contact or are there specialist concrete inspectors?

The owner has made it clear he isn't obliged to fix it he is organising to get it sandblasted. Hopefully that will get me a consistent finish but I understand through research that this type of exposing aggregate does take the shine off the aggregate and the driveway will be duller. At least it will be consistent, which is better than what I have now.

brokenstick · Oct 31, 2018 7:22 am

What you have said makes sense.

I wouldn't think there is any standard for finish of exposed aggregate concrete, so an inspector will just say that it is a rubbish job. You will still have to convince the guy to fix it. But I could be wrong? I wouldn't be paying the rest A report will help if you end up at VCAT

It really irks me when people like this have so little pride in their work that they are prepared to leave a job like this. Even if his hired help did it ultimately he is responsible and it is a reflection on him.

Is it a company or one man show - do they have a website / facebook etc etc ??

inexp_user · Oct 31, 2018 7:27 am

It is a company with years of experience and claim to be part of the Master Concreters Association (although I haven't check this claim). I won't name and shame yet as I am really hopeful that he will make the situation right.

brokenstick · Oct 31, 2018 7:36 am

Agree it is always best to try and resolve it directly first.

The MCA may be able to help?

bestspecials · Oct 31, 2018 8:52 am

I hope you get a good result with the sandblasting.

inexp_user · Oct 31, 2018 8:57 am

bestspecials

I hope you get a good result with the sandblasting.

Thank you, so do I!

bestspecials · Oct 31, 2018 9:03 am

inexp_user

bestspecials

I hope you get a good result with the sandblasting.

Thank you, so do I!

Sealing the driveway after the sandblasting would be a good finish.

Rhi Elite Concrete · Nov 28, 2018 7:59 am

We have a concrete company in Adelaide an although the company cant control the stone mix the reason for the inconsistent aggregate comes from.the way it has been finished.

the jobs hasnt been rubbed properly or washed properly. they look like hose lines in your concrete which would have happened whilst using the gurneys they have left slurry on top too.

The marks after acid wash and seal is because they didnt clean it properly they are pressure clean Mark's.

This job wouldnt be deemed acceptable in my opinion

Bencrete · Nov 29, 2018 10:05 pm

Really sorry and sad to see this finish on your new home. As a concreter myself i agree with the above comment and its very unacceptable in my opinion.

Whether your a builder a building inspector, registered or not through the master concreters association it doesnt mean anything because exposed aggregate is an "art". and there are so many different variables and 1%ers that make the difference between a good and poor job!

Your top photo looks great and then the one below it they have applied the retarder on too late or troweled when the concrete was too hard. Trowel marks from the stick trowel will show if they've hit the concrete when its too wet.

The concrete supplier is not too blame in this situation unless it was hanson and they were 3 hours late. But pouring 22m3 i imagine they would have got good concrete service.

options to fix:
-sandblasting
-remove and relay again
-remove worst sections and relay with an offset exposed mix
-put a pot plant wherever you see an imperfection!
-swap houses with your next door neighbor when they go on holidays!

Dont pay the contractor.

inexp_user · Dec 12, 2018 2:43 pm

Rhi Elite Concrete

We have a concrete company in Adelaide an although the company cant control the stone mix the reason for the inconsistent aggregate comes from.the way it has been finished.

the jobs hasnt been rubbed properly or washed properly. they look like hose lines in your concrete which would have happened whilst using the gurneys they have left slurry on top too.

The marks after acid wash and seal is because they didnt clean it properly they are pressure clean Mark's.

This job wouldnt be deemed acceptable in my opinion

Thank you for replying. I'll post an update below.

inexp_user · Dec 12, 2018 2:46 pm

Bencrete

Really sorry and sad to see this finish on your new home. As a concreter myself i agree with the above comment and its very unacceptable in my opinion.

Whether your a builder a building inspector, registered or not through the master concreters association it doesnt mean anything because exposed aggregate is an "art". and there are so many different variables and 1%ers that make the difference between a good and poor job!

Your top photo looks great and then the one below it they have applied the retarder on too late or troweled when the concrete was too hard. Trowel marks from the stick trowel will show if they've hit the concrete when its too wet.

The concrete supplier is not too blame in this situation unless it was hanson and they were 3 hours late. But pouring 22m3 i imagine they would have got good concrete service.

options to fix:
-sandblasting
-remove and relay again
-remove worst sections and relay with an offset exposed mix
-put a pot plant wherever you see an imperfection!
-swap houses with your next door neighbor when they go on holidays!

Dont pay the contractor.

Thanks for replying.
Hanson delivered all trucks on time.

I'll post some updates below but if I put a pot plant wherever there was an imperfection I'd have a Jungle with no room to park a car! I will check when the neighbours plan on going away though :-P

inexp_user · Dec 12, 2018 3:05 pm

Update...

The concrete company hired a sandblaster to come and see if he could improve the look. He was able to bring out some aggregate but it is still not a consistent look. The concreter made it clear he didn't have to do this and it was at great cost to him. Talk about putting my back up!

Anyway after sandblasting and sealing it does look somewhat better but it did not take away any of the trowel arcs and it is still inconsistent in places. The cracks in the concrete were filled. I'll let the photo tell the story because I have no words...
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This is how my fence was left after they acid washed the driveway.

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Someone didn't learn how to color within the lines. This was also left without an attempt to get the sealant off my tiles.

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And they didn't clean up all the glass/sand used to sandblast and my front garden looks like a beach even after the heavy rains we have had.

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To top it all of the company sent me the final invoice stating they had completed the job! I sent a polite email back with photos of the current state of the driveway (including the fence and beach) and asked them if they would call this job complete. The reply back was along the lines of 'concreting is not an exact science' yada yada and that they will not give me a discount but wouldn't pursue the reaming few thousand dollars. So the upside is I have paid over $17k for a driveway with different colour concrete filling in cracks, areas without aggregate, a beach I will need to shovel away and a fence with acid wash marks that will need to be painted.

I don't have the funds to rip it up and start again so I will need to learn to live with it.

If anyone is looking to engage a driveway company in Campbellfield or Wallan be wary and feel free to get in contact.

Corallake · Dec 12, 2018 3:57 pm

inexp_user

Update...

The concrete company hired a sandblaster to come and see if he could improve the look. He was able to bring out some aggregate but it is still not a consistent look. The concreter made it clear he didn't have to do this and it was at great cost to him. Talk about putting my back up!

Anyway after sandblasting and sealing it does look somewhat better but it did not take away any of the trowel arcs and it is still inconsistent in places. The cracks in the concrete were filled. I'll let the photo tell the story because I have no words...
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

This is how my fence was left after they acid washed the driveway.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Someone didn't learn how to color within the lines. This was also left without an attempt to get the sealant off my tiles.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

And they didn't clean up all the glass/sand used to sandblast and my front garden looks like a beach even after the heavy rains we have had.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

To top it all of the company sent me the final invoice stating they had completed the job! I sent a polite email back with photos of the current state of the driveway (including the fence and beach) and asked them if they would call this job complete. The reply back was along the lines of 'concreting is not an exact science' yada yada and that they will not give me a discount but wouldn't pursue the reaming few thousand dollars. So the upside is I have paid over $17k for a driveway with different colour concrete filling in cracks, areas without aggregate, a beach I will need to shovel away and a fence with acid wash marks that will need to be painted.

I don't have the funds to rip it up and start again so I will need to learn to live with it.

If anyone is looking to engage a driveway company in Campbellfield or Wallan be wary and feel free to get in contact.

Contact Fair Trading or building equivalent. Don't be bullied into submission!!!!

Rory · Jul 14, 2019 1:54 pm

Really the most you should of paid would of been the cost of the concrete. $7k.. There was no value in the labour. A reputable company would of ripped it up and relaid it without argument.

inexp_user · Jul 15, 2019 4:36 pm

Rory

Really the most you should of paid would of been the cost of the concrete. $7k.. There was no value in the labour. A reputable company would of ripped it up and relaid it without argument.

Thanks for your reply Rory. I have learnt my lesson. I paid a deposit and the majority on the delivery of the concrete. Once you've handed over the money it is very hard to get the company to anything. I am still disappointed in the driveway but we live with it because we can't afford to spend more money on it. It certainly isn't a better driveway....