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FAQs

Whether you’re extending your property or laying a patio, there’s a lot you need to know and it can get quite confusing. This FAQs page is full of helpful answers to our customers’ most commonly asked questions about Total Concrete and what we offer.

What are you looking for?:

Concrete

Can you tell me which strength of concrete would be best for my project?

We are always happy to advise on which strength and type of concrete is best for your chosen application, just ask!

How can I keep my concrete in good condition?

There are many ways in which you can look after your concrete, and if done correctly, they will keep your concrete looking fresh for many years. We’ve created a handy guide for this, click here to read.

How do I know how much concrete I’ll need?

Knowing how much concrete you’ll need for a certain project can be difficult. Luckily, we’ve created a handy concrete calculator to work it out for you. Feel free to use it, or contact us today for further advice.

How is the strength of concrete measured?

As a rule, concrete strength is measured by compressive strength only. We follow British Standards for concrete strength BS8500, we have guides on our website that may be able to help or, alternatively, don’t hesitate to phone us.

How long does it take to pour concrete?

Our state of the art lorries can pour up to 10m3 of fresh concrete in just 20 minutes.

How long should I cure my concrete (driveway, path, slab, etc.)?

It depends on what the concrete is being used for; for instance, a driveway should be left at least 7 days. Concrete will reach a certain strength within 48 hours, but it will continue to strengthen rapidly for 28 days, at which point it should have reached its design strength. Concrete will continue to strengthen for many years.

How long will the concrete mixer wait on site?

We will stay on site for as long as required, you will just need to be aware that we do charge for lorries that are kept on site for longer than 30 minutes for 1-3m3 pours and after 1 hour for larger pours. If you think it is going to be a long pour, or you may need extra time, please let us know beforehand and we can ensure that we have adequate time.

Is compaction / vibration really necessary?

For foundations and slabs, these are usually not required. Generally, vibration is required to remove any air in the concrete when high strength concrete is used in concrete form work.

Is ready mixed concrete dangerous?

Whenever you work with concrete, adequate personal safety equipment should be worn: goggles, gloves, safety boots as a minimum.

Concrete can cause skin burns if splashed onto skin, so it should be washed off as fast as possible. Please see our safety data sheet for further information.

Is there a way to prevent concrete from cracking?

Cracks are a common problem for concrete, and they can damage not only the aesthetic quality of the surface, but the structural integrity of it, too. To prevent cracks, proper curing is highly recommended as a preventative measure – allow the concrete to gain its full strength before letting it completely dry out. For further advice please call our sales team.

My concrete has oil/grease stains. How can I get rid of them?

There are certain detergents that will help with these, it is advisable in all cases to power wash off as fast as possible. Oils that have been allowed to remain on concrete will slowly penetrate and will become harder to remove. Use hot water and household detergents straight away and follow up every few days until the stain is lifted.

What does ‘slump’ mean?

The slump of the concrete is a test performed to obtain the workability of concrete. The higher the slump required, generally the more cement is needed. Most mixes have standard slump targets and we use BSi standards for our mix designs.

Will there be any mess left after you deliver my concrete?

We endeavour to keep all sites as clean as possible, leaving them just as we found them. Our drivers know exactly how to keep a site clean and leave it in top condition after the job has finished.

Pump Hire

How does concrete pumping work?

Concrete pumps enable the safe and fast placing of large or small amounts of concrete into sites that have access or unsafe delivery issues. Use of a concrete pump will enable concrete to be placed easily and effectively. They offer a cost effective safe and efficient way to place concrete.

How far can your boom pumps reach?

Our boom pumps are 28m, which is more than enough to pump over most 2 storey houses without any issues.

How far can your concrete pump reach?

In theory, we can pump our concrete over 200m across a site. Speak to one of our team to discuss the feasibility of this for your project.

How long are the ground line pumps?

40m is the standard pump line run, but we can pump up to 80m — we just need to deploy extra staff to handle the extra pipework.

How long does it take to pump concrete?

Concrete pumping is very fast and 8m3 of concrete can be pumped in minutes, if needed.

What info do I need to find out before I hire a concrete pump?

All we need to know is how far away from the delivery point to the point of concrete placement. A concrete pump is a separate vehicle from the concrete mixer, so parking will be needed for two lorries.

What is a boom pump?

A boom pump can pump concrete up and over a building using a folding hydraulic system of pipes attached to a crane-like jib.

What is a ground line pump?

A line pump is used for pumping concrete through a series of hoses and pipes. It can pump concrete up to 80m from the delivery point.

What pumps do you offer?

We offer both line pumps and boom pumps. A boom pump if you need to pump concrete over or up a building, or line pumps for pumping concrete along the ground.

Screed

Do I need to do anything to a screed floor before putting my floor covering down?

No, once screed is cured, it provides an excellent surface to bond tiles on or lay wood or carpet onto.

How long does screed take to cure?

This depends on the air temperature, depth of the screed, and time of year. At least a week should be the very minimum.

What are the benefits of screed?

Unlike liquid screeds, screed does not shrink after curing and will provide a long-lasting durable floor. It is very tough, can be drilled into and used a foundation for heavy slabs or flooring.

What is screed used for?

It is generally used for high strength flooring in houses and factories where a smooth, strong, hard-wearing surface is required.

What is screed?

Screed is a mixture of cement and sharp sand; it is mixed in precise quantities and a small amount of moisture is added. It is used for concrete floors where a very strong smooth surface is required, it provides a very good surface to lay wood or tiles on to.

Usually, a specialised flooring contractor would use this product.

What is the minimum depth required for floor screed?

This would depend on what the screed is being used for, but generally 50-100mm.

Ordering

Can an order be cancelled, for example if it rains?

Your may cancel and order within a few working hours of the booking time, please give us as much notice as possible.

Delivery

Can you deliver concrete above ground level?

Yes! Using our concrete pumps, we can deliver concrete up to 80m above ground level.

Do you deliver on weekends?

Yes, we deliver up to 15.00 pm on Saturdays and will deliver at any other times by arrangement.

How much notice do you need for delivery?

The notice required for delivery varies depending on the specifications of the task at hand. Usually, we only need one or two days notice, but if you require an urgent delivery, please get in touch via phone and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Please bear in mind that Saturdays tend to be booked up in advance.

Is there anything I need to do to prepare for the concrete being delivered?

You can find helpful advice on this on our Concrete Pumping page. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, please give us a call and our friendly team will be able to help.

What delivery date and time options do you have?

We are open from 6am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. If you need delivery of concrete outside of these times, that can be arranged, too. When you contact us to book a delivery, we will offer you a choice of four delivery slots.

What is the maximum amount of concrete you deliver?

We can easily deliver up to 500m3 on a daily basis.

What is the minimum amount of concrete you deliver?

We will deliver any amount from ½m3.

What would happen if there was bad weather on delivery day?

We will deliver if needed in any weather, but please contact the office in the event of bad weather. Often bad weather is entirely localised and what you may be experiencing, will not be the same a few miles away. Unless you advise us, we will always make the delivery.

Which areas do you deliver to?

We deliver to most areas within Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and the surrounding areas.

General

Do you provide credit or trade accounts?

We do. We can open these accounts for trade customers, subject to a credit check. Please give us a call for more information.

What do you mean by “never over order or under order again?”

When we say “never over order or under order again”, we mean that we can ensure you are provided with the exact amount of concrete you need through our on-site and volumetric mixing service. This way, there’s no need to add extra concrete further down the line, and you’re not left with leftover concrete at the end of the project, either!

What is included in your quotations?

Our quotations include the quantity of concrete requested and the delivery of the mix. The only parts that are not included are any waiting times that may apply, and also pumping services, if they’re required.

What payment methods do you accept?

Credit/Debit card is our preferred payment method, but we also accept cash and direct bank transfers.

Who we've worked with

Network Rail logo Thames Water logo Reading Borough Council logo Surrey County Council logo UK Power Networks logo Woking Borough Council logo

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