GETTING A NEW SIDEWALK

I hired a contractor last week to tear up and replace my old sidewalk. On Tuesday Glenn Vanover and one helper came and pulled up the old shrubs in preparation for the form work. The pour was planned for the next day but a hydraulic hose popped on his Bobcat, so it was this morning (Thursday) before he could get parts and get back to work.

Today was pour day (although I had no previous idea) and the concrete was scheduled early. Glenn Vanover’s crew arrived early, even before I was up (approx. 8AM), and they had the old walk slabs about done by the time I went outside. Glenn carried the old slabs of concrete up the hill to his trailer in the front bucket of the Bobcat. Some of the slabs hung over the lip by four of five feet in one piece. Holding them out over the haul trailer, one of his helpers broke them up off, piece by piece, with a sledgehammer and there was nothing left to pick up.

We discussed the level of the pour in relation to the top of the front porch and agreed on the drain angle and the leveling and forming work continued. Glenn also decided to drill the foundation and insert rebar every 5 or 6 feet. The old sidewalk and flower bed arrangement allowed that area to become soaked during the wet season, and I had started to get some moisture in my basement. This flush to the house foundation idea, along with the proper drain angle, should forever alleviate that problem.

By 11:30 the concrete truck was backing up through the yard, making that annoying warning sound, and the first pour began! I was so excited and started snapping photos right and left…everyone just grinned! I mentioned that I would post them on a blog later, and sometimes I feel like letting a contractor know that makes the work come out a little better. However, with Glenn, he had a plan and was very concerned about the finished product he was selling me.

As you can see, the work turned out wonderfully, being way beyond my expectations. The seams, the edging, and the surface were perfect! If you live in the Roane County, Tennessee area, and need concrete work done, I would highly recommend Glenn Vanover Concrete Finishing! (There ya go Glenn…the rest is up to you!)

Glenn and I watched his crew slaving over the finishing work, and while he worked spraying dirt off the driveway, I mentioned something about an old root ball sticking up down in my yard. A straight-line wind storm had blown down several trees in my yard about 2 years ago, and this one particular eye sore bugged me every time I mowed. So, when he finished cleaning, he hopped into the Bobcat and within 15 minutes had the stump and root ball pushed down in the woods and had made the ugly hole smooth as a baby’s butt!

When we settled up I asked if I owed him any more than the original estimate and he said $75 for an extra yard of concrete. “I ordered 7 yards instead of the 6 I told you to compensate for the extra thickness near the front door.”

“And for the Bobcat work,” I asked.

“Nothing,” he said, “nothing to it.”

So, I at least paid him back for the extra gas he burned…and more.

From the moment we shook hands on the total deal, I didn’t worry one bit about the job to be done, and now I know my decision was correct. Glenn produced a great product for me and I’m one happy camper. No worries at all…EXCEPT, I sure hope it doesn’t rain tonight!