What Makes a Great Concrete Contractor?

Concrete is one of the most important technologies of the modern world, and it is the result of an ever innovating industry. Two hundred years ago, concrete use was limited. Innovations in strength, placement, additives, and operations have transformed concrete the world over. As concrete has become more specialized in its capabilities, it is more important than ever to work with a great concrete contractor to ensure that your project is done right. Knowledge, experience, and organizational capacity are three key characteristics to look for in a great concrete contractor.

Knowledge of concrete technologies

The constant innovation in the concrete industry means that there are more products available that could be appropriate for a particular project. Understanding the wide range of products and being able to provide the concrete solution that works best requires a tremendous knowledge of concrete products. Construction projects often require multiple types of concrete and placement strategies, and a great concrete contractor should be able to walk you through the different product options for your project and provide background for their recommendations.

Crew experience

Concrete requires precise conditions to reach the designed specifications. This requires being able to understand how weather conditions are impacting the placement or curing process, how to prepare concrete and test throughout placement to ensure that it is meeting specifications, and preparing and removing the formwork correctly. A team that has not worked together for a long period is at greater risk of missing one of these steps in a complex construction project. An experienced general contractor that works well together with a team and is a certified concrete craftsman is an essential piece of a great concrete contractor.

Operations

Construction projects are complex. They require organizing many services in a tight physical space and timeline. A great concrete contractor will have streamlined operations to manage the complexity of concrete construction with high reliability. They will have a track record of being able to place concrete in limited spaces and doing so on time. A great contractor can coordinate concrete pumping, formwork, testing, and placement at a construction project simultaneously. It takes time to create sophisticated operations, so reviewing previous projects or talking with references will quickly give you an idea if a concrete contractor has developed reliable operations.

Conco’s goal is to be the top supplier of concrete services in the Western U.S. and to bring our expertise and professionalism to each project.  We continue to upgrade and expand our facilities to better serve the growing market for commercial, industrial, educational, parking structure projects and other development. For the best value and quality, trust your project to one of the area’s leading lightweight concrete contractors.