Stamped Concrete patio and retaining wall
We recently had High Definition Concrete replace our large back patio and retaining wall. Prior to that a separate company was excavating and replacing our perimeter drain tile. They said normally they do their own concrete work but this was too large a job. His first recommendation was HD Concrete.
I got a few quotes on the job. Some were higher and some were lower. Some said they were unavailable to start for five months (!) It was an expensive project and I had to wait while the drain tile project was being finished, so I spent a fair amount of time making a decision about who to use for the concrete. Talking with friends and contacts in construction, the name High Definition Concrete kept coming up.
I am really happy with all aspects of the job they did for us. In the end we decided to go all in and get a stamped concrete finish. The patio looks phenomenal. We went with a small ashlar stamp pattern on the diagonal, sand stone colour, with a darker antique patina tone added after.
Although HD Concrete had several days of labour invested in the job, and it would have been in their financial best interest to quickly complete the job and get paid, they did not rush the pour, allowing for the ground to dry out and settle first. At my request they doubled up the rebar anchored into the house foundation to ensure no future sinking of the slab.
The owner Matt has been great to deal with. He is a third-generation concrete finisher with a ton of knowledge and experience. He always took the time to find out what I wanted, and I got from him a very genuine concern that we end up happy with the results of their work. He worked personally with his crew on various aspects of the job, including the day of the pour and all the finishing.
Having started this project with almost no knowledge about the process of pouring and finishing concrete, I am left with a great respect for the craftsmanship of the trade. It was not an inexpensive endeavour, but it had to be done, and as one construction contractor friend said to me early in the exploratory phase, with concrete, you get what you pay for.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $18,000.00