Elevation check on a rainy Tuesday saved my pour "

Water was pooling in a spot the grade stakes said was fine, so I pulled out my laser level and found the whole slab was 2 inches low near the back corner. Redid the forms before the concrete truck showed up, which would have been a $3,000 mistake otherwise. Anyone else trust their gut over the prints when something looks off?

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2 Comments

allen.iris2mo ago

Remember the grade stakes only show the dirt height, not what happens after you compact it or get rain on it, so your laser was the right call. Good thing you caught it before the truck rolled up, that would've been a rough day.

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smith.parker2mo ago

You make a good point about the laser, but I'm going to play devil's advocate here. The stakes are just a starting point, sure, but if the crew knows what they're doing, they should account for compaction and settling before they even set up the laser. Half the problem these days is people rely too much on fancy tools and forget the basics of reading the site. Rain is rain, you can't predict that anyway, and if you're waiting for perfect dry weather you'll never pour anything. That truck driver probably would have checked the depth himself too, they see bad grades all the time and know to speak up. Saving yourself a few minutes with a laser isn't worth second guessing a simple grade stake that's been set by someone who does this every day.

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