Pouring a concrete slab is the first step for various projects, from building a home or outdoor storage building to setting up a slab for a heating and air conditioning unit. If you're like a lot of homeowners, you might always look for ways that you can cut costs on your projects. However, there are a few ways that you should not try to cut costs when pouring a concrete slab. These are a few so-called cost-cutting measures that you will want to avoid.

1. Not Pouring a Thick Enough Slab

You might assume that you can save money on concrete — and pour a slab that will dry a lot more quickly, which will allow you to speed up the process of your building project — by pouring a thinner slab. However, depending on what you are building, you are going to want to make sure that your slab is thick enough to handle the weight that will be put on top of it while also being strong enough to help mitigate against shifting soil. Even though a thinner slab might seem sufficient for your project at first, it can cause problems later. Therefore, you will want to do your research and err on the side of caution when determining how thick your concrete slab should be.

2. Using Too-Thin Concrete

Even if you pour a thicker slab, you'll want to make sure that your concrete itself is not too thin. To help the concrete mix stretch, some people are tempted to add a little more water than what is stated on the directions. However, this can lead to your concrete being too thin. It might not set up as it is supposed to, and you could find that it's not as durable as it should be once the project is completed.

3. Not Adding Reinforcement

Over time, even though it is durable, concrete can crack and crumble. One good way to help prevent this from happening is by reinforcing it. You can reinforce it when pouring it by using rebar or wire mesh, or you can use post-tension as a form of reinforcement after the concrete has been poured. The best choice will depend on your particular project, but you will not want to skimp out on using reinforcement just to save time or money. Otherwise, you might find that you regret the decision later on and that the concrete does not last as long as it should have.

For more information, contact a business such as Advanced Post-Tension, LLC.

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