Are all concrete contractors the same?

The answer is no. Placing concrete is a craft and not all contractors skills are the same, and not all companies provide the same service to your overall project.

I have a brochure from the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) entitled "A Guide to Selecting a Concrete Contractor." The ASCC states that part of your selection process in finding a concrete contractor for your project is, of course, cost evaluation. "You should be charged a fair price for the labor and materials for your project. Prior to looking at cost, however, you'll want to pre-qualify potential contractors. Accurate estimating, site preparation, an appropriate layout for your area -- how your project will be handled -- all should be taken into careful consideration. In the same way, you should evaluate the companies you are considering by examining their levels of experience, craftsmanship and reliability.

Good contractors use high quality materials and pay a higher wage for experienced craftsmen. The quality of the labor and materials is key to the finished product and your level of satisfaction."

The selection of a contractor should be determined by 1) the pre-planning that goes into the job, 2) the experience and level of craftsmanship demonstrated, 3) reliability and track record, and 4) a fair price. This brochure allows you to compare up to four contractors in these areas with a checklist of 15 different criteria. If you think this brochure would be helpful to you in selecting your concrete contractor, give me a call at 937-362-3210. I will be glad to get you one, and would also be glad to provide you with an estimate and explain how Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC could become your contractor of choice.

Urbana Skate Park Grand Opening

Were you in Urbana, OH, last Sunday afternoon for the Grand Opening ceremony and ribbon cutting for the new skate park? I captured a glimpse of it for you just in case you couldn't make it (see below.) I overheard someone say there were over 100 skateboarders there ready to try out the new facility. Watch through the end of the video to see some of the skaters. You can also catch more in another video on our YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/yoderconcretetv. If you want to fine tune your boarding skills at the park, you can find it on the north end of town at the Melvin Miller Park near the city pool. Let me know when you are going to be there and maybe I can catch you on the flip (video, that is.) You might find yourself on our blog or on our YouTube channel! How cool is that! Or if you see yourself on the videos already posted, send me a comment below. I'd love to know that I caught you on tape and you saw it.

Well, another great project completed by Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC. A few of our upcoming projects include two stenciled sidewalks-one in brick and one in a keystone pattern, a commercial driveway and a stamped patio. Visit here weekly for updates on what Yoder Concrete has going on. We give free estimates, so let me know if you or someone you know needs some concrete work. We can still fit you in to our schedule this summer.

Lightning Strike - dead computer

Ugh. A thunderstorm is fun to watch from a distance, but it is not fun when the lightning decides to strike on your property. The storm that went through early yesterday morning caused a lot of damage at the Yoder's. Luckily the laptop that I am using now was spared. But my main computer, printer and our internet modem are dead, along with various other items. It was so strong it knocked the cover completely off the adapter for a phone plugged into the wall. Now we get to go through the process of working with an insurance adjuster plus the various entities for repair or replacement. God never gives us more than we can handle, right? We are hoping the data from the computer can be retrieved, but time will tell. It has taught me I should back up my computer more often. If only Carbonite had worked the last two weeks like it was supposed to?? We will see.

Today we are placing concrete in a pole barn and for the exterior apron and porch. A brick stencil was placed around the apron. I have been filming all day and will put together various videos, probably in phases to keep them from getting too long. The barn is at my parents house, so it has been fun to be involved from start to finish. Most times I pop in at a jobsite and back out again, and over the ten years I have seen most phases from beginning to end, but rarely all at one job. Yes, I even got involved by placing some of the color for the stencil and running an edger along the apron and porch. My main job was keeping the crew supplied with water and cookies and making lunch. And I washed a tool or two with my four year old.

Have you seen our YouTube Channel yet? It is work in progress. I am looking for some creative ideas for a name for the channel and our blog that link them together. Any ideas?? Our business focuses on quality, honesty and integrity. If you want a job right, call us. If you want the cheapest and fasted job, we probably aren't your contractor. Spark any ideas? Place your ideas in the comment section below. I'd love to hear from you.
Have a blessed weekend!

Urbana Skate Park update

Okay, I started this blog last week after a visit to the skate park. But due to Internet connection problems, I got off track and just now got back on here. And in the meantime, we now have a YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/YoderConcreteTV. How exciting is that! I only have two videos posted (again because of my connection problems.) But more will follow soon! And somehow I will figure out how to link my Youtube channel and blog to do this once. I am learning as I go as I am sure many of us are. Any advice? Comment below - I would love to hear from you.

Here is what I had to say last week with a little modification to send you to the video via YouTube...

What a beautiful day to be working outdoors! And I started my day at the Urbana Skate Park project to video the latest work instead of in the office as often happens. And I actually caught the guys "placing" concrete, as my dear twitter friend corrected me. I had a helper with me, and we thought we wouldn't get there in time to see the concrete mixer, but we were in luck. We saw one truck wash out and leave just before the last finish load arrived. Click below to see the video of their pour - make sure you watch to the end to see our little concrete finisher in training!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v01zAq1XpAU&feature=channel_page