Dealing With Issues When Pouring A Basement Floor (Don't Make My Job Harder!)

[@bigbadjohn2543]

Besides added expense, how come you didn't just pump the concrete?

[@mackfan]

Call me weird, but I enjoy watching these videos just to hear Mikes voice. It's oddly soothing.

[@RA-sz5tu]

I finished commercial jobs for more years than I like to admit, this pour would be heaven to us, those 2nd floor on metal decking jobs were horrific with all kinds of projections

[@wd8557]

LMAOOOOO

[@MrSignSolutions]

Just picked up a bobcat concrete pump. We have a lot of places a truck can’t get to. Planning to use it more times than not. Thanks for the video, all the info helps for a rusty construction worker.

[@localcrew]

I used to do general contracting years ago and one great customer of mine (widow from my church) needed a 10X14 apron on the end of her driveway so I told her I would do it. Hammered out the old sidewalk and formed it up. Bought a 16’ 2X to screed with and ordered one of those little 4 yd. mixers for the morning. Got a friend who used to do concrete work to meet me there to help. He was on call for his computer job and sure enough, right before the truck got there he gets a page. (I wasn’t kidding when I said “years ago”. So my helper is gone. Young man shows up with the truck and I explain the situation. Turns out he used to finish concrete himself and carries his bag of tools with him just in case! So the pour went great and the pad is still there and looking great to this day. I think her daughter still lives there and I drive by every once in awhile just to check it out. 👍 So yeah, you never know what’s going to happen the day of the pour. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ryanrambaran4578]

Mike, love the videos but you guys do the easy stuff. Where I'm from this job is still simple compared to what we do and the constraints we face.

[@brandonisaiahsexton6533]

There was a guy killed here in Louisville Kentucky about 25 yrs ago in that same exact situation. Driver hit a beam with a chute and it came down on him and literally crushed his skull and killed him. May he RIP. We only pour basements with jackposts about 15 percent of the time and I’m nervous on every pour lol

[@benhellerman3864]

My only issue I had is Tia shouldn't be walking under the chute inverted and the driver backing out of the hole. That's my concern

[@steveg5576]

If I were the GC form the areas for the columns over its footing. Pour the floor. Place the columns and crete around them. It's done everyday.

[@skliros9235]

That just doesn't look good though. Bunch of filled holes...

[@Cretehead]

@@skliros9235 not true at all. Form them in the shape of a diamond nicely aligned and your sawcuts take off right from those points, nice and tidy.

[@j.dorke9946]

Those aren't issues where I live. That's just an everyday thing. Got to love New foundation slabs with lots of plumbing and GC's that are staring to frame the day you pour. 4" foam. That seams like an overkill. Or an engineers insurance back up plan. One thing I've noticed pouring on closed cell polystyrene, no matter how well you prep the pre slab and no matter that you have a control joint off of every corner every 100'sq.ft it's gonna crack where you don't want it to. I never coment on these things but I felt like sharing that. I like your videos and have picked up a couple good ideas. Thanks for sharing.

[@MikeDayConcrete]

Awesome Jason, thanks!

[@josecondemarin9586]

Great video, it's to bad the building industry makes things harder for laying concrete. But you guys are fantastic doing your job. Very rare you see the pride your team have to get the job done correctly. Your team is awesome !! Thanks 😊

[@pancho20006]

Idk if u talk about price but that mess will be adding some more money to final invoice

[@Mike_Fortin]

Your course is on my list of things to buy! Excited about the opportunity to learn more.

[@johnfahey7215]

That kinda stuff is a pain in the neck, but it looks like you don’t have the WORST problem, which in my case was laborers (Union) not showing up, or when they did show up, just shaking my head at who it was, knowing that person was just gonna be worse than useless. More than once, If I could, just have them sweep/pick up trash etc. because we were better off without them in the way. I’m envious a lotta time watching your videos. You got some crew there. Kudos to them! 😀👍 Be grateful, Mike!

[@jmconcretecoloradosprings]

I used an additive. It reacted off with the concrete. Day 1 finishing aid not worked into the concrete. Turned out a little white. Nothing terrible. And it can be fixed pretty easily. Either seal it or acid wash it then seal it. Stuff like this annoys me. Guess that's about as annoying as it gets for me. Great video!

[@noway2708]

Hey, up here in Ontario Canada, we prefer to cast the slab after the framers leave

[@tonyhorseman9209]

We had these houses that were always 45+ with a step down. And we always had to pour them under roof. We would pour with a pump and a bunch of system. Moving hoses around all morning and the builder insisted that they were always machine finished. They won’t let you guys box out for the columns? Great job either way!

[@brettstahl1686]

What about boxing out the area where the post will be?... pour the floor without the post and beams in, and come back after the posts are set.. mix up some crete in a bucket and pour later around the posts...

[@danielcortez5562]

budget for a 32 - 40 M concrete boom pump, makes a pour like this efficient.

[@pulesf49erslal82]

Great job mike and to your crew too.... sometimes we contractor's have to Adjust and improvise.

[@christophernoguera3553]

Best way to do it 👍they require the joist to be in so u can get a backfill inspection that ultimately makes the slab guys job a little bit more difficult but better than having to order a pump. Have the backfill inspection done so we can have a truck pull right up

[@tinysworld1749]

The last two houses we've built, the foundations have gone in in late fall, then we built the drops, floor system, and decked it over so we could tarp the basement windows and door to heat it when we poured the floor. Cut a 16" hole 1/3 in from each end of the house for the truck to dump though, then we had a chute sitting on a ladder to try and sling everything around. Lots of pulling and some carbon monoxide sketchiness. Get your foundations in and floors poured before the frost shows up and snow starts piling up, otherwise it's not fun

[@kickassclone75]

We got issues! Brad fell off the bucket of the skid loader and hit his head pretty hard on the concrete floor. That trick not using a ladder didn’t work out to well. Brian showed up drunk again and puked all over the generator and shorted it out. Paul cut off his finger with the bandsaw and randy shot several nails into his leg with the nail gun. Typical morning at Cameron’s “con man” contracting . Make sure you put the garbage inside the walls before you add the second piece of drywall.

[@roadrunner17764]

Conveyor truck is perfect for this. 20 foot rubber bladder up and over the bracing. Booms in and out. Left right. No truck movement. 👍🏻

[@Peter-gi3re]

Going to rag on the G.C.’s a little or maybe more on the job super. Too often they do not think too much on coordinating between trades and giving consideration as to how one trade can effect the work of another. A good super will think of these issues and watch out for stuff and not let a delivery come in that is going to screw up a guy like you. It’s not too difficult to make sure either the delivery guy knows not to block you or let you know in advance or just have some one there to receive the delivery and make sure of where it is placed to work for everyone concerned. Obviously the framer wants it all placed as close as possible but it can be done right for both parties.

[@johnhenry4911]

I pour commercial work in Ohio we use macro and micro fiber a lot...but them there rear dumps. We don't see many of them anymore

[@Peter-gi3re]

Just an observation……. Since most of the pour was from one long side and I notice there was no bracing down the middle from beam to beam…… Couldn’t they have braced the second beam from the first beam and left most of that right side bay open for you and saved you having to move the truck?

[@kriistianfiske8099]

Biggest aggravation is trying to get a truck in the job site to eliminate most of the work, also finishing mud with fiber mesh

[@TheSweetswed]

Hate the basements when the house is done n we have to go through the window and its humid af and the giant heavy hose from the pump truck hauling that around with the hook then it gets clogged sometimes. Any rooms done there take forever to dry. Wide open is always so quick n sweet

[@Tom-yb6sl]

we poured on like that one friday but instead of running lines, we built a "chute" out of 2x4s and plywood with a piece of tarp to get the concrete into the basement and wheeled it around. Luckily we were able to use a telebelt to get the concrete to the chute. The next morning i had to take down some form work around the sump pit and back water valve and the temperature mustve been 120 degrees lol with the windows closed and high heat outdoors, it was steamy down there

[@TheSweetswed]

@@Tom-yb6sl Yep doing the edges when its 40 celcius or like 90+ F is so bs lol like boss we really need to do the edges. Yes Trev we do

[@lar4305]

Great work , but what about the 2 ladder holes? won't the owner want them filled in?

[@smokintruker27]

I've worked in concrete for over 30 yrs. We used hand trowels and pieces of ply wood to kneel on when I first started had a 5 gallon bucket of water and a mason brush to keep concrete wet to trowel it out all by hand. Up north in Mass

[@Peter-gi3re]

On the ladder issue for getting out of the basement…………. If I was in your shoes and you must deal with this quite often……… I would get myself a custom “ships ladder” type lightweight one made up. Something that hooks on the top edge of the foundation and designed to be a foot or two short of the basement floor. You could even go deluxe on it and have it adjustable for different height foundation walls 😂

[@MattNis1]

Interesting that they didn’t use steel beams

[@brandonisaiahsexton6533]

Yeah here in Ky all they use are steel I beams

[@brandonavellano1836]

I always see ppl and or companies use Thick gauge black plastic instead of the white foam you use...... watching your videos make me wonder which is the preferred out of the two

[@T.E.P.]

as a remodeling and renovation guy ... I need the job site to be cleaned as much as possible before starting in the morning ... so taking time at the end of the day to tidy up some keeps me in a great mood and it's just the best way to start a long day.

[@gve7462]

Amen

[@danwalters4865]

Put your grade pins in about every 8 feet, come along and just jitterbug bull float it don’t use your screen board, you can get the basement floor level by just come -a-longing it and jitterbug it. We have made what we call wall ladders we make them out of 1” tubing make hooks on top wide enough to go over 10” wall make them were they end up just about 4” above finished concrete. You just step up on the ladder bend over and float it out with your mag. It would be a Hassle to me to put the ladder in the concrete like that

[@tnolan3176]

I worked in plan of homes where all the basements we poured were on beams and steel decking with the stansion posts set with the steel support beams for the house on top !! Had to put the chute through an egress window on the side of the foundation and wheel barrow the concrete around on top of plywood strips a REAL pain in the ass !!! Did about 140 basements this way !!

[@augustreil]

Probably would have been worth it to glue the foam yourself and just forget that extra charge ?

[@miltonhurd1016]

My dad used to say, "If it was easy, anyone could do it".

[@rickk3186]

my dad says if it was easy then women and little kids would be doing it

[@oxbaker4life4]

WE CALL THOSE CONCRETE BALLS,,,MEATBALLS

[@uomoman8775]

It’s a little more form work but why not just form out at 2x2 leave out for ea. Column location and bag mix around the columns or use concrete for the next day’s batch.

[@cmm170526]

Great video!. I appreciate learning about how you deal with the obstacles and challenges.

[@SakreteOfficial]

Another killer video, Mike! You're the man.

[@JTEA856]

I feel your pain brotha it’s a lot to direct a truck around all that. It’s a bit different that a normal finish floor, it pays to have a few extra guys to help out, back up trowel machine and an extra screed so one guy can stick the wet pads ahead of the main stick guys. That’s works well for us. Nice work as always , thanks 👍

[@billcook7021]

Nice work Mike, always educational to watch your videos!

[@d4l666]

Pour concrete walls for a living. Around here we have very old homes built on field stone and rubble foundations. Having to match up new walls to those walls drives me nuts it’s not hard to do once you learn how but definitely a point you have to watch when pouring

[@cheshstyles]

What's the trick?

[@T.E.P.]

another superb video Mike!!! Hope you and the team have a spectacular week and profitable

[@apollorobb]

You need a ladder with the hooks on the top that go over the wall for your get out

[@gooDayDev]

They have a crane for power trowel installed on their truck. I would use it.

[@thatsitvideos]

Sheppard hook or Sheppard ladder. Used them daily working on billboards.

[@Cretehead]

Mine are hand fabbed out of 5bar in true cretehead fashion!

[@publicserviceannouncement4915]

The company I work for will get rammy and frame a building if we can’t get to it fast enough to pour the floor. A 60 yard pour that would take us 90 minutes to boom pump turns into a three hour trailer pump. Plus then we’ll be there until 9:00 troweling. I feel your pain.

[@asadnoorkhattak8706]

I’m driving ready mix truck for 3 years and I never seen a project like this with no exits and with tight area I don’t know who pass the plan for this house

[@ronalddaly9902]

I'm guessing that you are using a water reducer product in the mix. I mostly stamp and color. My pet peeve is getting the truck and it's too wet. Thank god nitrate, but I then wait forever to start stamping. Plus I seem to have less time to stamp when I can finally get started. I never know if it's the driver's fault or if it's the factory screwing me.

[@MikeDayConcrete]

Yes, we always use hrwr

[@ronalddaly9902]

@@MikeDayConcrete Fyi, my daughter has bull floated three of my pours this year. What caught my eye on this site was seeing another daughter doing the bull-floating. LOL. She is helping again this Saturday on a 13-yard patio.

[@أحمدجاسمأحمدجاسم-ش4ي]

Good morning or good evening, depending on the time you have, creative work in all your works, and I apologize for the delay in commenting. I am Ahmed from Iraq and a carpenter. Hello to the family.

[@mikeortiz1338]

What was the slump for that pour?

[@raystraining3206]

As a backflow tester, the most crooked devices/pipes I see are installed by plumbers. Technically in Florida all Backflows should be installed by plumbers but I see a ton installed by irrigation companies. Usually installed perfect by the irrigation guys. Plumbers just seem to not give 2 F's if a vertical pipe is plumbed level.

[@geneduclos4003]

Hi Mike, I don't see rebar in any of the your videos that I've watch. Is the fiber mesh reinforcement that good that you don't have to use rebar?

[@MikeDayConcrete]

Yes, it's good. We have no problems

[@brettcarson2606]

Was there beam pockets is the foundation walls

[@shakeupradio]

As a electrician the only thing I usually have a issue with engineers not understanding actually possible and efficient vs possible difficult and needing extra skill to understand how to do it

[@mariosanchez-sj9yv]

You guys are the best.

[@markd5067]

Was this a self-leveling mix?

[@timavery7984]

Seems like the steel posts need to be heavier gauge and wider -also would feel better if there were 6 posts total instead of 4.

[@scottfrazier131]

It amazes me that you guys up north don't have many walk out basements. Most all of yours are completely underground. Most all of ours here are walk out basements. We have very few that are completely underground. Mostly when we see them they are on old houses built around the 50's or before.

[@augustreil]

Does the land have to have a slope for a walk out basement ?

[@transmitterguy478]

I hope those columns are on the footer or they won't be strong. A good way to get rid of concrete is just to pour it down that pipe! lol, Mike, that may be a concrete drain.

[@xavierstrawn4033]

Fellow concrete man here. These types of pours definitely can be a pet peeve but 9 times outta 10 we’d have a pump. One of my pet peeves when pouring concrete is bad form work. Pouring out slopes that are not to grade then having to back track to fix said slopes, I imagine this can ruin any finishers day. Garage ramps is a good example trying to run a machine down a slope. Good times.

[@oxbaker4life4]

GOING THRU THE WINDOWS,HANGING LIGHTS

[@michaellalanae7228]

What the hell happened to the steel I beams ?

[@ScottishNSRailFan]

That basement would make a lovely train room

[@mikeknoll1130]

The styro is kinda senseless, as a GC of 40 plus years have never done that, we just glue 1” to the wall..that little floating strip is nuts.

[@GM-ft9ec]

GCs are generally pretty useless too....have yet to see one that doesn’t have a habit of screwing the subs.

[@samfranzese8507]

Mike, what do you use to edit your videos? love the work man!

[@o0o0o0o0o0o0o0ol]

Not a good job for the elephant trunk?

[@sammax4245]

What area are you in Maine?

[@mathtime4578]

Putting the beams and post in prior to the floor is stupid. In my area they will do that so they don't have to fasten the posts down. We have one contractor that puts the main plumbing line in before we even dig. Yeah its a big problem but it saves him 200$ lol. The posts should never be put under the floor, never.

[@brockwagner939]

I agree,,that's just asking for the bottom of the column to rust out and rot. It will probably take 30 years or more, but it wouldn't happen at all if it was on a plate fastened to the top of the floor.

[@kenb2118]

The entire purpose of the lolly columns is defeated if there isn't a footing poured under it. Can't tell if that is the case here. Must have their own "logic" in that local code.

[@mathtime4578]

@@kenb2118 oh by all means there should be a footing or as qe call them pier pads under the columns. I agree with you if there isn't there is a much bigger problem than putting the posts on top of the floor.

[@killionconstruction]

Why not get a line pump

[@74stevedc]

For me basement supposed ready to go, show up dumpster in the way. Windows, siding, tools, generator etc in basement. Poly going up the wall can't shoot grade on it. Basement graded with high points 3" high I don't want to grade 3/4 stone to fix someone else's mess. Plumbers or electricians drilling holes dropping shavings all over are concrete after we pour it. Only need a little bit of concrete at the end inexperienced driver sends way to much and yes bucket it out, no fun! Water weeping up under the floor leaving pour under 1/2 of water, Contractor making last minute changes when concrete shows up. Contractor not answering phone if there's a problem. Poly supposed to be down only to find a few boxes of poly for me to put down. I had a new Contractor call in and change my yardage and not tell me he did this. Sure enough we ran short waited an hour for 1 yard of concrete, Thanks guy! I don't want to discourage anyone but it's going to happen if you do it long enough. Probably forgot many more things that can happen. Unexpected rain showers anyone?

[@oxbaker4life4]

I had one fall and land on the power screed bar and bent it like a banana

[@steveworkman4289]

Good crew Mike , Tia is good on the float, probs more particular than most guys lol

[@joegrimes6485]

Use a Fresno with a long handle to fix those little spots .

[@viankalobosvalenzuela7456]

Excelente trabajo saludos desde Chile

[@FelishaFletcherIFMG]

Hey Mike! How can we get in contact with you? Ask about IT! FF

[@mikaelepai7531]

Should have bracing off one side and leave other side for chute

[@joeolson6623]

Putting 6 foot long anchors in for piers and presetting them, With galvanized nelson stud templates in the face. So people who don’t understand things on paper don’t mean they are easily applicable in real life.

[@bigdave3788]

Time to get the kid a Mike Day concrete shirt.

[@donpotts9814]

All the basements I did working for someone else, the structure was built and we would cut a hole in the floor and wheel the whole thing. Working for myself now days I'll let someone else take those jobs, give me decorative! Lol

[@johnnilsson1311]

If they wanted them beams in, I would had charged for a pump truck! Unless you agreed to it, then your stuck. Nice job though but pump truck would make this much easier imo.

[@tnolan3176]

a lot of builders dont want to pay for a pump !! And if you add that into your price the builder will usually get some one else they dont like anything extra ,,,,,,I worked for alot of them its their way or the highway !

[@johnnilsson1311]

@@tnolan3176 oh I get it!

[@StoneUFO]

Should just brace between the two beams, take the truck sides ones out

[@JBekus]

Put braces on columns only. Put braces in middle to eliminate braces on one side. The side you ran the truck down.

[@jaked964]

Wouldn’t placing those columns on top of 4” of styrofoam be a horrible idea. Their holding all that weight of the house on the main beam, and styrofoam punctures easily. Seems like they would sink in the styrofoam over time and wouldn’t be doing much for support.

[@MattNis1]

Columns are on concrete footings. The comment in the video that a column fell over is highly suspect. The columns should be secured to the footing before the floor is poured. Hitting one of them and seeing it fall over is actually a huge benefit to the homeowner because you just found a defect that should be fixed.

[@MikeDayConcrete]

They're on a concrete footing.

[@jamessieker1712]

The issue that always gets me is the homeowner changes their mind once the work is done, and will inevitably say "that's not what I thougt it would be, I'm not paying for that"

[@psidvicious]

If a homeowner told me, “that’s not what I thought it would be, I’m not paying for that”, I would simply ask them, “what did I do that’s not per plan?” A homeowners inability to visualize the plan, is in no way the contractors responsibility.

[@augustreil]

We call that a lien on the property.

[@charlesviner1565]

Hello everyone from Davenport Iowa

[@augustreil]

Hello from Middletown, Connecticut !

[@alanhiggins2928]

Don’t you get segregation when you drop concrete from any higher than 2 foot?

[@gregwitkamp5583]

start pouring your own foundations and above walls with ICF, then you have control of the job conditions

[@Extollo1]

Your not using rebar in your slab? Probably part of the reason why those columns had to be put in first. The floor is not structural

[@Extollo1]

Now, finding out that the columns aren't set on a 3'x3' x at least 18" peir. Shoot, I'm questioning the way you all build

[@Kitchenchairking]

My pet peeve is when the concrete guy modifies our building. Had a guy cut out an entire partition wall to take his skidster in and out of the living quarters.

[@doncrist2012]

Pretty sure you knew in advance and tacked another 3 dollars sq ft before hand. JS .as contractors we check jobs out and adjust from there.

[@cheshstyles]

I do not think he got an extra 3 dollars a foot for those beams being in

[@jasonleeloveless2183]

The main contractor shouldn't have layed the styrofoam at, the last minute he should have layed out the styrofoam in the beginning and, then he should have called the concrete contractor and, told that, he has everything ready for the next day

[@danekeeper1]

sand knock outs where the lollys are, come back in a week and set columns.....

[@mikekleven8130]

Seriously... there is no need to have any of the beams or teleposts in place before the basement floor is poured... I've told many builders many times how things need to go and I'm thinking you need to do the same! I would ask the builder straight out "why do you think this is necessary?"... Chances are that the framers requested this so they could get an advance. Lol I'd be really interested in some feedback on this from you

[@jedyoung4234]

It’s code there.

[@smackflack5771]

Its called a Ariel pump truck. Get one for jobs like these

[@blueyes0152]

Besides weather, my pet peeve for pouring concrete is people's dogs and cats on the loose.

[@andymittelman4022]

You walked under the shoot!😳

[@pipedope329]

do yourself a favor and get a couple wheel barrels . you could just drop that chute in one spot and wheeled it all around

[@davidpolczer9880]

We always get screwed! Where a dieing breed!

[@timcameron1644]

Good vid. Thank you. Bad attitudes with assholes. So hard to work with.

[@mikekleven8130]

This is really nothing out of the ordinary don't expect a pat on the back from me