Concrete Driveway Costs and Recommendations

[Freeborn]

I’m helping my mother in-law get a new concrete driveway installed so I need to educate myself on what to look for and what to pay for a new driveway. I’m hoping there are a few guys who have had this done that can provide some help so I can get a decent deal for her.

Some information:
The driveway is in Golden Valley Minnesota.
There is good access to the driveway.
The driveway is flat with no slope to the surrounding area.
Typical cars and trucks are parked but nothing unusual for weight
There is an old concrete driveway and sidewalk that needs to be removed.
I don’t have the exact measurements but can get them but I would say the driveway is two cars wide and 70’ long. The side walk is from the driveway to the front door and is probably 4' wide by 40' long.
I’m just starting to look at this and have not reached out to any contractors but will start in the next couple of weeks.

A few questions:
What kind of concrete would you recommend?
What type of construction (rod or Mesh etc.) would you recommend?
Is there any type of special finishing you would recommend?
Is there a general cost per square foot I can use or a way to add up costs to get a reasonableness estimate?
Any other recommendations are appreciated?

Thanks Much!

 

[Kansas-andres]

A few questions:
What kind of concrete would you recommend?
What type of construction (rod or Mesh etc.) would you recommend?
Is there any type of special finishing you would recommend?
Is there a general cost per square foot I can use or a way to add up costs to get a reasonableness estimate?
Any other recommendations are appreciated?

Thanks Much!

All driveways I do have are a six bag ratio mix from the redi-mix companies.

definitely use mesh. The winter freeze thaw cycle in the Northern states is hell on concrete. Mesh is cheap insurance for making your concrete last.

Use a broom finish on outside pavement. This will ensure good traction for cars and foot traffic in the winter.

I can give you a rough price of your job and yards of concrete, If you give me your exact measurements. This will give you some knowledge when u start getting quotes.

Most concrete contractors will give you free estimates. Get three quotes and see how the pricing looks.

 

[tooln]

KA hit the nail on the head with his recommendations. I'd also add saw cutting the drive in sections and make sure it has a good pitch & strongly consider Styrofoam and a vapor barrier.

 

[Greta&Gus]

I have a friend that did my patio last year and does great work. A little spendy but excellent job. Pm me if you are interested in the details for a quote. They are hunters too.

 

[Freeborn]

A few questions:
What kind of concrete would you recommend?
What type of construction (rod or Mesh etc.) would you recommend?
Is there any type of special finishing you would recommend?
Is there a general cost per square foot I can use or a way to add up costs to get a reasonableness estimate?
Any other recommendations are appreciated?

Thanks Much!

All driveways I do have are a six bag ratio mix from the redi-mix companies.

definitely use mesh. The winter freeze thaw cycle in the Northern states is hell on concrete. Mesh is cheap insurance for making your concrete last.

Use a broom finish on outside pavement. This will ensure good traction for cars and foot traffic in the winter.

I can give you a rough price of your job and yards of concrete, If you give me your exact measurements. This will give you some knowledge when u start getting quotes.

Most concrete contractors will give you free estimates. Get three quotes and see how the pricing looks.

Thanks for the offer KA, I'll take you up on it. I'm going to stop over and take a couple photos and measure the driveway.

Appreciate it!

 

[foggy]

At my old home, we had a very nice job done with a 5" concrete driveway. Rebar that connected to the garage floor (important) and rebar everywhere. Good mix and a good contractor. ONE PROBLEM THO....is that the concrete had shale in it and I got LOTS of popping from freeze thaw. Bad situation.....very annoying. I wanted to sue the concrete company.

On my new home in Nisswa.....I had crushed granite used instead of gravel for our mix. It cost a bit more but will not pop from freeze thaw. Also added stain to the concrete to "soften" the white look and blend into nature. Used hi-strength mix....but cannot remember the #. I get fussy about concrete and want it to last forever.

Saw cutting relief joints are mandatory, and I would drill the existing concrete floor and put HD rebar between the floor and the new slab to keep alignment over time. (no settling) Also would double rebar on some edges where driving onto the slab. Use chairs to get the rebar positioned in the middle of the pour, etc. A good contractor will do this stuff.....but many will not do it properly. 5 or 6" thick is likely needed if your going to park on it.

 

[centralmnhunter]

Freeborn if you you like you can e-mail me and I will walk you through what you need to know. I've been in the masonry feild since 1986.

 

[Freeborn]

OK, sorry for the delay but I finally got over to my mother inlaws and took some photos of her driveway. The driveway is 60' long and 16' wide, the side walk is 33' long and 4' wide.

Id be interested in a list of recommended features I should get and there costs. Quality is top priority so no cutting costs but at the same time we don't need to buy features that are not necessary.

Thanks much for the help.

 

[foggy]

Proper Rebar (on chairs) is a must on concrete in MN. 5" concrete for driveways....IMO. Dowels into existing floors. I like sawed cuts for expansion joints (not trowel ex-joints). A light broom finish.

I'd inquire about the mix to determine if shale is possible from the supplier. Lots of bad crete due to poor aggregate these days. You may want crushed rock instead of gravel in many parts of MN.....if you want it to look good in 5 years. I would not fall for the fibre-concrete sales pitch nor wire mesh. Not sue of mix for driveways.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I cant tell how close the trees are to the edge of the driveway but you might consider root pruning at the driveways edge and putting down a root barrier. Tree roots will also wreak havoc on concrete.

 

[Kansas-andres]

Around 14 yards of concrete.

Concrete around: $1400.00

Removal of old concrete at 1092 square ft : $1092.00 @ $1.00 per square foot.

labor / material: wood, sawing, labor, mesh, etc:. $1500.00

Contractors profit: I personally do highway concrete work, but IMO- Most residential contractors would profit/clear $1000.00 on a driveway.

Conclusion: I came up with $4992.00 for your driveway.