Good morning. 🦆🪿🦢
11 December 2025
I’m having a portion of my driveway redone. They started yesterday and are supposed to pour this morning. I’m a little on edge—I hired the company through Angi. So far, their work is adequate, but I can’t help feeling that this kind of decision-making is part of what makes me, me.
I did my research into concrete—it’s not all the same, you know. The contractor initially proposed pouring 3,000 psi concrete, which is the minimum standard. No doubt he was trying to keep costs low to secure the job. I simply told him to go with 4,000 psi, which is the recommended strength for driveways, and that I’d cover the extra cost.
What frustrates me with contractors is that they often default to the lowest option to win the bid, rarely presenting alternatives. It’s as if they assume all the customer cares about is cost. And yes, cost matters—but so does quality. I understand that cost and quality can be in tension, but I’d rather be given the full picture and make the decision myself. Wouldn’t you?
The contractor got back to me and said the difference between 3,000 psi and 4,000 psi concrete is only $10 per cubic yard. He estimated the job at 12 yards, so the upgrade adds just $120. I paced it off yesterday and suspect it’s closer to 15 cubic yards. We’ll see. I agreed to pay the actual cost of the concrete rather than the estimate baked into his price. Life goes on.
“A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist.” - Louis Nizer
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