"John and Miles were excellent workers. They were very polite and professional. The job they did supporting my sagging basement wall looks like it should take care of the problem. They placed steel plates against the basement wall, and also buried other ones out in the yard, and connected them with steel rods. Then they torqued them, which should prevent any further sagging of the wall."
The ideal base for concrete is even, firm, and permeable to encourage drainage. Depending on your project's weight requirements, a combination of gravel, sand, or other aggregates is best. While you can technically pour concrete over grass, dirt, or an old piece of concrete, you risk threatening the concrete's stability.
Yes, you can pour concrete if it rained the day before, but you’ll need to drain the construction site to ensure there isn’t standing water where your slab will sit. You might need to manually remove any puddles and set up drainage on your site to dry it before pouring. Moist soil won’t be an issue, but standing water will throw off your concrete mix ratios. Additionally, ensure there isn’t more rain expected in the near future before you pour.
Concrete walls last anywhere from 30 to 100 years. In many cases, concrete walls will last longer with proper support and ongoing maintenance. Some concrete foundations, for example, could last up to two centuries when properly maintained. Toward the end of its life span, however, it's critical to have a structural engineer examine the concrete wall for potential signs of decay.
Newly poured concrete is prone to small, fine cracks within the first 30 days of installation, but most noticeable cracks will disappear within that time frame. If a crack is greater than 1 inch, consider contacting the person who installed your wall to inspect the job.
Yes, you should hire a mason who’s licensed, certified, and insured, if possible. Be sure to check our state licensing tool to review the local mason guidelines.
As you browse our pro listings, take note of the “Angi Certified” badge. Angi Certified businesses meet our standards for certification, which include:
The owner, principal, or relevant manager passed a criminal background check
Required to have applicable state and local licenses
Maintain an average star rating of 3.0 or better on our network, if they have at least one review
Paying to advertise their services
Meeting any other eligibility criteria required by Angi
The Wolverine, MI homeowners’ guide to concrete wall construction
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
