Often,
a concrete repair or replacement can require you to break up old concrete
first. This is something many people think they can or should do on their own.
However, using a professional concrete breaking service is usually the better
option. Figuring out which way to go is ultimately up to you, but here are a few
things to consider.
The
more concrete you need to break and dispose of, the more it will cost in time,
effort, and money. You need the right tools, the free time, and a way to
dispose of the broken concrete.
Doing
it yourself can make a lot of sense if it's only a slab or two. If you do a
whole structure, walkway, or patio, then the costs to you will add up. At a
certain point, the cost of doing it yourself will exceed the cost of hiring a
professional contractor.
A
professional service will have the tools, clientele, and expertise to do a
larger job quickly, efficiently, and without issue. Make sure you calculate the
costs, then see how they match up to a contractor's quote. Even on a small job,
you might find you can save time, energy, and money by going with a
professional service.
Many
tools help make breaking concrete easier. You don't have to spend hours
swinging a sledgehammer. Nevertheless, you have no truly easy way to do it.
Breaking concrete requires physical strength.
You
don't need an incredible amount of muscle, but the process can become tiring no
matter how you go about it. To put it in perspective, these are the most common
ways to break concrete:
- Chipping
hammers
- Demolition
(jack) hammers
- Concrete
saws
- Hydraulic
cutters or splitters
- Pavement
breakers
You
can have many other tools besides these, and each requires steady physical
handling. If you can't handle the weight or the constant vibrations, you can
seriously injure yourself. If you don't know how to use the tools properly, you
can also injure yourself. If you don't think you're up to it, then hire a
professional to do the project for you.
On
the surface, breaking concrete can seem like a simple, if taxing, endeavor. In
truth, breaking concrete requires skill and experience. Consider everything
that breaking even a single small slab entails. You will need to know:
- What
safety gear to wear
- What's
underneath the slab (i.e., utility lines)
- What's
inside the slabs (i.e., rebar or wires)
- How to
prepare the area before you start breaking the concrete
- Which
tools you'll need and how to use them
- Where to
stand when breaking the concrete
- How to
break the concrete properly
- How to
pick up the broken concrete safely
- How to
dispose of the broken concrete properly
If
you don't know any one of these things, you should let a professional handle
the concrete breaking for you. You can do your research, but you shouldn't start
on a project on your own unless you're certain you can handle it.
If
you mess up the process of breaking up the concrete, you may have to call in a
contractor anyway to fix the issue for you. Avoidable mistakes will only add to
the costs associated with breaking concrete.
In
just about every situation, hiring a professional concrete contractor will work
best. If you plan to attempt it yourself, you should still consult with a
contractor to ascertain some best practices concerning what you plan to do.
At
Capitol City Concrete Cutters, we offer expert concrete breaking and removal services.
Contact us first about any of your concrete breaking needs.
