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how tough is it to do your own concrete driveway? anyone ever do this?

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phatj

Golden Member
i'm pretty handy have access to concrete mixers...

going through google right now to try to find some pointers...
anyone ever do their own concrete driveway? including taking old one out pouring cement paving etc? how tough? and about how much $$$ for your experience
 
I am a pretty bold DIYer and I ended up getting mine done. I needed a chop saw, plus retail costs of rebar, preparing the gound, building the forms, not knowing how to float concrete, etc. Let's just say I chickened out. Good luck to you if you do it.
 
If you are asking, you probably won't be able to do it. concrete work is hard backbreaking work. especially if you have to mix it yourself. if you're stilll stuck on doing it, at least have a truck deliver the mixed concrete and just pour it out. then make sure you have enough people to float it out, or it will look like a gravel driveway.
 
hmm... there isn't MUCH of a slope... im wondering if i could do this myself.... gotta figure out how to get the old driveway out.... maybe i will hire a pro but i'd love to say "i made that driveway"
 
Breaking it up with a rented jackhammer 4 hrs.
Hauling it out, 16 man hrs (you need to haul it somewhere) renting a bobcat for this is advisable.

Putting in new bed of limestone 8 man hours

Setting forms 2 hrs.

Pouring, you'll need 3 or 4 people who all know what they're doing so you can spread it out and float it before it starts to set up.


I'd say you could do it if you find someone knowledgeable that's willing to help walk you through it. Otherwise, you'll fvck it up.

 
If you haven't done it before, I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself. I've poured 8' roads on a golf course before, tough even with 5-6 people.
 
My company has ripped out and re-poured many driveways that homeowners thought they could do themselves. It is not an easy thing to do unless you have some experience the right concrete finishing tools and some friends to help you. I wouldn't even attempt it with a cement mixer. You simply won't be able to mix batches fast enough to make a good driveway.
 
We poured our own driveway. It was gravel before so we didn't remove anything. The main parking pad is abour 30X40' and the driveway is 12'X60'

Bought a bull float from home depot. I already had the steel and magnesium trowels from other jobs. We poured in roughly 10X10 sections to keep it manageable since we didn't have a power trowel.
 
I would do everything except actually lay the concreete. Prep work, forms, bed I would do, let pros do the floating.
 
Originally posted by: Evadman
Originally posted by: phatj
... but i'd love to say "i made that driveway"
Click to expand...

Do you do your own brakes too?
Click to expand...

I couldn't help but notice the roll of duct tape on the ground, right b/t the front and rear doors. I could fix that truck right up with that roll of duct tape. :thumbsup:


To the OP; you have a big, sloped driveway. You can try and be cheap and do it yourself for 2/3rds the money of hiring a company. It will turn out like ass, then you'll have to pay the full price anyway, so then you're out about 166% of the original price. Get the drift? I'm a BIG DIY'er; but some jobs are just TOO big.
 
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