TIL comparing two concrete quotes for my garage pad in Red Deer, and the cheaper one was a trap
Got two bids last month for a 24x30 garage pad in Red Deer, one at $11,400 and one at $9,800. The low guy said he'd pour 4 inches with no rebar and just use fiber mesh, and the other guy quoted 5 inches with 10mm rebar on 16 inch centers. I almost went with the cheap one to save the money, but a buddy who does flatwork said the fiber mix alone won't stop cracks when the ground shifts here. Turns out the low bidder also wasn't going to compact the base or put down poly, which is asking for trouble with our freeze thaw. I ended up paying the $11,400 and the pad has been solid for two winters now with zero cracks. Has anyone else noticed the cheap concrete quotes around central Alberta always skip the base prep?