It looks terrible.
Discoloured Concrete advice needed
by
Michael West
+17
We live in Orange County California just had our Landscaping done very expensive. It seems that the concrete that was poured never fully dried or cured not sure. All we know is that it has been 6 months andMuch of the concrete is discoloured or never completely driedWe were told the spots would eventually dry up but nothing is happening. Please see pictures in the advice would be greatly appreciated thank you
the project is not 100% complete yet so Have not paid the contractor their entire fee so we still have some negotiating Room. Hoping to be ahead of the game a little by asking you experts out there what options we may have in the future and if this is ever going to not be discoloured.... Like I said before it's been at least 6 months and there seems to be no change In the last couple months at least.
"Nevadareadymix.com" has an article on discolorations in concrete, which may provide you with some answers.
Here's a link that gives some information, I hope you can find a fix for your concrete
https://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete-discoloration/#:~:text=For%20more%20severe%20discoloration%2C%20try,enough%20to%20remove%20the%20discoloration.
Contact who did the work for you and show them your pictures and ask them how they are going to fix this. Be nice and kill them with kindness.
I would call the contractor back to fix it on his dime, or take him to small claims court. Take lots of pictures and document all calls.
Definitely call your contractor This can be fixed. There is an additive that is used on fresh concrete concrete or your contractor can add a latex paint or any water-soluble paint to a concrete mix. Use the paint like water in the same proportion when adding it to the concrete. Additionally, any type of powdered paint pigment can be mixed with water in a bucket and added to the concrete.
I would be definitely calling the contractor!
I agree that calling the contractor would be the best idea. You could let them know that their work is beautiful, you know they take pride in it, but you aren't happy with the discoloration and know they'll want to correct the situation.
The grass in between is holding the moisture
If it has been 6 months and no change, then yes, the absolutely need to fix this!!!! Especially if you haven't paid yet!
You can stain the concrete but I think the moisture is being promoted by the grass on the wall.
We have painted and stained concrete, however, it's a process that needs to be done over and over every few years as the finish wears. Plus you have a very specific look that you can't replicate with a finish like that. I would definitely call the contractor as suggested above. By now, it should have cured and any imperfections should be gone.
First of all, concrete does not dry; it cures. Secondly, 6 months is way more than adequate time for concrete to cure.
Discolored concrete can be due to a couple of factors:
-concrete from different batches or different trucks was poured together
-the area was not kept damp sufficiently while it was curing, in other words, it dried too quickly.
How often during the days immediately after the concrete was poured did someone come by to lightly mist the concrete so that it stayed damp, and did not dry too fast?
The unattractiveness in how the 'finished' job looks at this point in time is the fault of the workers who poured the concrete/and/or the fault of the supervisor who was instructing the workers to carry out the labour.
If the contractor is still telling you that the spots will take time to dry, he is just trying to pull the wool over your eyes, and to stall in admitting it was their error.
Do not pay any more money towards this job. I agree that it is unprofessional and not acceptable at any price. You can at least expect the job to be completed properly for the expensive price tag that you were charged.
Do you have a contract that is signed by both you and the contractor before any work commenced, or before any money exchanged hands? What exactly does the contract specify as to how the job will be finished, and how does it refer to customer satisfaction?
Lots of unity in what is acceptable and not from others about the concree work. I add to the opinion that no more money should be paid to the contractor and suggest that that you document everything in writing as you move foward with the issue. Perhaps if you send him the pics you posted here, the contractor will follow through to do whatever is needed to alleviaste the problem for you. A picture is worth a thousand words and once you document you've provided "proof" of the poor results of their work, hopeuflly a better outcome will be provided to you.
Once again, thank you for all the input! Excellent advice from all. I think I can now proceed with confidence. The designer/supervisor who I see frequently agrees that it is totally unacceptable and is going to his superiors (the owners) with the issue. We'll see what they say...
I would not attempt to do it by myself because job originally was done wrong. I would suggest to turn the the professional that installed them
I would certainly call the company that installed this, they need to stand behind this.
I would call the contractor back to fix it on his dime, or take him to small claims court. Take lots of pictures and document all calls.
Thanks again For your advice. We have the original installers over today to supposedly fix the discoloured concrete. I will post the results when they are done...