CONCRETE FAQs
How do I order a concrete delivery?
Book online or Call us on 01923 964444 and speak to one of our friendly team members who will be more than happy to help.
When and how do I pay?
All orders are paid for at the time of booking. We accept payment by all major credit cards except American Express. We do not accept cash.
Is there a minimum order?
Yes, there is a minimum order of 2m3.
Can I change the quantity / grade of concrete once booked?
Yes, you can even change your order once we arrive on-site. Our volumetric lorry is a mobile mixing plant which allows us to adapt to your requirements immediately.
Do I get a product ticket?
Yes, you’ll get a handwritten ticket and a lorry printed ticket which details your exact mix with the quantities produced.
Is there a time limit for the pour?
We allow a 15minute set up time then 10 minute per cubic meter. Any time after that we will charge £2 per minute. If you need labour assistance please let us know and we can provide a labourer at an extra cost.
Do you help take the discharged concrete to the pour site?
You can hire one of our pumps, line or boom, whichever suits your requirements. If you need a labourer to help run the concrete to it’s pour site we can offer one as an extra.
How do you price concrete?
We price in increments of 0.5m3.
How quickly will my concrete be delivered?
We aim to deliver our concrete in a 2hr time slot.
Is concrete pours messy?
Yes, mixer lorries carry pressure washers to help clean up.
Ways to manage mess is placing a tarpaulin under the mixer’s auger chute and pump.
What is the difference between cement and concrete?
Cement is a dry powder ingredient used to create concrete. Cement usually makes up between 10-15% of concrete.
Concrete is a building material made of aggregates such as sand, stone, water and cement.
What access is needed to deliver my concrete?
Mixers are roughly 11m long and 3m wide. Chutes are around 6m. Height is 3.8m
Pumps are also around 11m and can reach up to 50m.
How is the concrete taken from the mixer to the cavity?
We supply 2 wheelbarrows or a concrete pump of up to 50m.
What do I do with any excess concrete?
Volumetric mixers produce concrete as you go to ensure there is no ‘excess’ concrete – you only pay for what you use.
What is the weight of the mixer?
The gross vehicle weight is 32kg, so it is best for vehicles to be roadside rather than on your driveway.
How much concrete can a volumetric lorry produce?
One lorry can produce 10m3 of concrete.
How long does it take to produce 1m3 worth of concrete?
It takes the lorry 5mins to mix 1m3 of concrete.
Can you add additives to a volumetric concrete mixture?
Yes, the lorry has capability for any additives.
Is Readymix concrete and Volumetric concrete the same?
No, Readymix concrete is produced by a batching plant previously to the job. Volumetric concrete is mixed on site.
Volumetric is often preferred as you can change the concrete grade on site, if variables such as weather cause issues.
You can also amend the amount of concrete onsite, only pay for what you use, so there’s very little waste.
What weight is 1m3 of concrete?
Roughly 2400kg but varies with the aggregate composition.
What is the best mix for concrete?
Different applications require a different mix / ratio of ingredients.
e.g concrete being pour into awkward shaped foundations requires more free-flowing (higher slump). This means it will have a higher ratio of water to aggregate and possibly have a plasticiser added to the mix to give it better flow.
What are the ingredients of concrete?
Gravel + sand + cement + water. The ratio of these ingredients will vary according to their application and the grade of concrete being produced.
Smooth concrete / screed = finer aggregate such as sand
Structural concrete = stones / large gravel.
What admixtures can be used with concrete and what do they do?
Fibres – enhance strength
Plasticisers – free flowing, better workability
Retarding agents – reduce rate of setting
Accelerating chemicals – increase rate of setting
Corrosion inhibitors – reduce corrosion of steel rebars
Is concrete environmentally friendly?
Some types are better for the environment than others.
e.g pervious / permeable concrete is more porous and allows water to penetrate through. = reduces risk of flooding and allows water to infiltrate the ground beneath for trees and plant to access.
Also, some of the aggregates in concrete can come from recycled sources, such as rubble from demolitions, reducing the use of raw materials.
Its strength and durability mean it very rarely needs renewing / replacing.
Is concrete recyclable?
Yes, can be crushed and separated. Can be used as hardcore for backfills in new projects.
Is concrete porous?
Some types are such as pervious or permeable concrete is porous. This is produced using larger aggregates which allows water to seep through.
Porous concrete is often used in flatwork / car parks / residential streets to reduce water pooling on the surface.
Is mortar and concrete the same?
No, they both use the same ingredients but are not interchangeable and have very different properties.
Mortar = made from sand and aggregates, and hold building materials together, such as in bricklaying, which is why it uses much more cement than concrete and has a much thicker consistency.
Concrete = is a more structural material. Composed of stone that gives it more strength. This means it lasts longer.
What is the difference between concrete and asphalt?
Asphalt is a mixture of aggregates, binder and filler, used for constructing and maintaining roads, parking areas, railway tracks.
Aggregates used for asphalt mixtures could be crushed rock, sand, gravel or slags. Nowadays, certain waste and by-products, such as construction and demolition debris, are being used as aggregates, which increases the sustainability of asphalt.
In order to bind the aggregates into a cohesive mixture a binder is used. Most commonly, bitumen is used as a binder, although nowadays, a series of bio-based binders are also under development with the aim of minimising the environmental impact of the roads.
The average production temperature of hot mix asphalt is between 150 and 180°C unlike concrete.
Can I pour concrete in the rain?
Yes, however remember that excess water compromises the strength of the concrete mix. You should ensure the cavity is as dry as possible and any puddles / flooding are pumped out before the concrete is poured.
Once concrete is laid you should remove any excess water on the surface by wiping it off with a hosepipe / light instrument. Excess surface water should not be floated / brushed into the mix as it will cause a weak, crumbly surface.
Cover where possible from the rain during pour and cure times.
Can I pour concrete in the freezing weather?
Yes, however the colder the weather, the longer the concrete will take to cure.
You must not allow ice to form in your concrete as this will prevent the chemical reaction necessary for curing and will subsequently compromise the strength of the concrete.
Can I pour concrete in the snow?
You should never pour concrete directly onto snow / frozen ground.
All snow / ice / pooled water should be removed before pouring.
It is a good idea to do this the night before and cover the ground with polythene to try and raise the temperature before pouring.
How can I prevent cracking?
Ensure the right amount of water is used.
Too much = as the concrete cures and dries, it will shrink and crack.
Too little = the concrete will cure too quickly / not properly and will crack.
Do not pour on snow / frozen ground.
Ensure adequate control joints are installed to allow the concrete to shrink and expand with the weather.
Use the correct grade / strength of concrete for its purpose, exceeding its weight bearing capabilities will cause cracking.
How deep should concrete be for a driveway?
Residential driveway = 10cm – 16cm.
How deep should concrete be for a shed / patio?
Standard patio = 7.5cm min
Walls / fence posts etc may need to be deeper.
How deep should concrete be for an extension?
2-storey extension = minimum depth of 750 – 1000mm.
Strip foundations = minimum thickness of 600mm and thickness of 225mm.
Trench fill foundations = minimum width of 450mm and minimum thickness of 500mm.
Variable factors include drainage systems / trees / ground conditions.
How long does concrete take to cure?
28 days but it is safe to walk on after 48hours.