New Concrete Driveway Problems

[Deleted User]

Got a few lads in to lay some new concrete on part of my back yard, it needs to be good enough to put a car on.
They have ripped up all the old surface but it doesn't look deep enough. What is the ideal depth?
They are supposed to be putting gravel down and steel mesh before concrete. They are just laying the concrete on the area that is dug up in the photos.

chrisw

This is a useful site for guidance on the minimum depth and construction of concrete slabs etc.

https://www.pavingexpert.com/

[Deleted User]

I understand that it should be 100mm depth but is that 100mm concrete including the sub base and mesh, or 100mm of concrete plus the sub base and mesh?

weeg

You cant's really pour concrete at thicknesses less than 100mm, not including the sub base. The mesh should be on chairs (although wee bits on old concrete will do) and be 40mm above the sub base, ie 40mm into the 100mm depth.  For a garage I'd usually specify a 150mm slab, but 100mm should do it if the ground under is fairly solid.

Ganga

When you say "a few lads" you do not mean a couple of " travellers " do you, you know what I mean the type that rock up and say they have a bit spare tarmac left and would you like your drive done for £ notes and bodge it up and never seen again.

452

Sub base and mesh? I bet they'll just concrete over what's dug out. Hope you're not paying too much because in a few months time it'll be cracked and look !!!!!!. I take it you're not going no to bother dropping the kerb.

[Deleted User]

Ganga said:

When you say "a few lads" you do not mean a couple of " travellers " do you, you know what I mean the type that rock up and say they have a bit spare tarmac left and would you like your drive done for £ notes and bodge it up and never seen again.

No I mean the type who advertise on local Facebook groups and after a few months they'll have changed their trading name. Although the photos on their FB page do go back a couple of years. Also I checked out the main man's personal profile and he seems to live in a house so seems pretty settled.

452 said:

Sub base and mesh? I bet they'll just concrete over what's dug out. Hope you're not paying too much because in a few months time it'll be cracked and look !!!!!!. I take it you're not going no to bother dropping the kerb.

Supposed to be sub base and mesh. I'll be watching them so I'll see if it goes in or not.
Who said I wasn't getting the kerb dropped? I might I might not but it's not getting done with this job. This is a replacement job not a "rip up your front garden and lay a drive job". There has been a car going over this curb longer than I've been alive. 

markin

It currently looks less the 3cm in many places rather than 100mm for a good base and 100mm concrete.

[Deleted User]

markin said:

It currently looks less the 3cm in many places rather than 100mm for a good base and 100mm concrete.

Yep it's a bodge job and I've told them I'm not happy and no concrete is getting laid until I'm happy with the preparation.

greyteam1959

I would be finding somebody else to do the job if I was you.
They are taking the p1ss.