2015 BBB Torch Award Recipient

Typically we are humble people. We prefer to work in the background and not be in the limelight. However, this is one time that I have to brag a little. Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, the leaders and employees, have received an award, and I have to tell everyone about it!

In 1994 the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio began honoring local business leaders who exemplified the BBB mission of demonstrating their commitment to highest standards of leadership character ethics. Since that first year, twenty years ago, more than 80 central Ohio businesses and nonprofit organizations have been recognized by receiving the Torch award, originally called the Business Integrity Award.

A few years ago I attended a workshop on how to prepare the application for this award.  I learned that there were six principles that needed to be demonstrated on how leaders intentionally work to increase manifestations of their own high character and enfold their employees, customers, vendors and the community within that framework. It was a little overwhelming and I wasn't sure we were ready to apply.  Busyness got in the way, and time passed.

In April of 2015 I ventured to Columbus, Ohio, again to attend the Torch Awards for Ethics Clinic. Along with approximately fifteen other company representatives, we learned about the history of the award, criteria used for eligibility and judging, and the principles that were being evaluated. The Principles make up the word TRUST!  - Principle #1 Transformation at the "Top;" Principle #2 Reinforce and Build the culture of high character ethics; Principle #3 Unite the Team; Principle #4 Steer Performance within your team; Principle #5 Treasure People; and Principle #6 Enthusiastically Reinvest! in your community.  This time I felt we were much more prepared to tackle this opportunity.  I was also informed that the application process was now online, which sounded so much easier than preparing a physical notebook!  I was thrilled. 

Part of the application process was asking others to prepare a testimonial to include in our submission.  I asked employees, customers, vendors and community leaders if they would be willing to write a letter that would state, in their words, our dedication to high ethics and commitment to people and the community.  I was overwhelmed at the response received.  It was very humbling to hear words of praise and encouragement from others. Instead of one letter for each category requested, I was able to send three letters for each because of the outpouring of our peers. I thank each one of them who took time out of their busy schedule to write letters on our behalf. 

On Tuesday, October 20th, Jeff and I attended the 20th Anniversary Celebration of BBB Torch Awards for Ethics.  It was held at The Ohio State University, Ohio Union in the Archie M Griffin Grand Ballroom.  Four businesses and two nonprofit organizations received the 2015 Torch Awards for Ethics, and ten high school students received the 2015 BBB Students of Integrity award. I would estimate that over 250 people were in attendance for this luncheon. A video that had been prepared by the BBB was shown for each organization receiving an award. (You can view all of the recipients' videos on the BBB website.) We invited guests to join us and were blessed to have four of our peers at our table to celebrate with us.  I want to especially thank Scott Duff from Ohio Ready Mix, Debbie Hill Grimes from Bryce Hill, Hugh Gibbs from White Cap and Todd Hanes from Adriel for taking time to be there.  We appreciate the relationships developed over the years. 

It has been a great journey working with my husband, Jeff Yoder, and building the company we have today. We look forward to continuing the legacy and impacting others through our faith, and will continue to strive for high character ethics in our personal lives and in the business. I love you, Honey!

~Roberta Yoder

So You Want a Decorative Concrete Driveway?

So I hear that you have been dreaming of replacing that old, crumbling driveway of yours. Of course, concrete is the only way to go - you want to do it right, if you are going to spend the money, right? Concrete would be great, but plain elephant concrete just doesn't appeal to you. You want your place to stand out in the crowd. Make it part of the curb appeal. One up your neighbor, maybe? What are the options that can still fit into the budget, you wonder... I am so glad you asked!  The excellent staff at Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC in West Liberty, Ohio are here to help!

A welcoming entrance to your home

Let's talk concrete...Do you want to start fancy or plain? Plain? Ok, let's begin at the beginning with plain old concrete. Regular concrete, delivered by the ready mix plant, will generally be a gray to white color placed with a broom finish and often edged along the sides to give it a smooth finished look.  Control joints, most often placed as saw cuts, are strategically placed where the contractor believes cracking could occur. (Their purpose is to guide the crack to follow that cut. Then you never even know your concrete cracked.  It is hidden in the cut! Cracks don't always obey, so don't be angry with your contractor if a crack decides to take a different route.)

Ok, how can we dress up this plain Jane concrete?  What if we add a few extra saw cuts to give some pattern to your concrete.  Who said you only have to have two or three cuts?  What if you add a diamond pattern to your driveway?  Or maybe a curved pattern like this homeowner wanted.  

Regular concrete with decorative saw cuts

 One step up would be to add integral color to the concrete. The color is added at the ready mix plant and mixed in the large drum while traveling from the plant to your home or business. Color options include grays, tans, browns, terra cotta, reds, and even green. You can keep the broom finish for a less expensive finish (less labor) but still add an upscale touch. Add some decorative saw cuts and you really having something going!

Regular concrete with a keystone stenciled border and apron

Integral color, stenciled border and diamond saw cuts

Another option would be to add a decorative border or ribbons. The less expensive option would be to stamp a brick, slate or stone border around the outside edges of the driveway without adding color or adding just a highlighting release color. My preference would be to add a contrasting color to the border to make it really stand out.  A stenciled brick border is a great option, offered in four different styles (herringbone being my favorite) or there are bushrock, keystone (another favorite) or an 18" flagstone border which is great for that wider driveway.  Color hardener and a release color are added on the stencil to give a great vibrant color contrast to your regular concrete driveway.  "Ribbons" are the same as borders only they are placed horizontally across the driveway, often placed where a control joint would be cut.

Stamped patio with a stenciled border and Compass inlay

Shown next is an inlay that can spice up an otherwise basic look. Decorative inlays are stencils and come in a variety of sizes and can be round or diamond shaped.  The "Compass" is a great addition to the middle of your driveway or patio and makes a great conversation piece.  Just make sure your contractor knows which way is north before they lay the stencil down!  (That is a mistake a contractor will only make once and never forget - yes, we're talking from experience.)


Your next option would be to add a pattern and color to the entire concrete surface.  This could be stamped or stenciled with your base color (either integral or using color hardener) and using a release agent with color creating a contrasting and more realistic look to the pattern.  A variety of patterns and colors are available. Our friends at Deco-Crete Supply  in Columbus and Orville, Ohio have a great website to view photos of decorative concrete, and you can even find their catalog of stamps available. We, at Yoder Concrete Construction, have many of these patterns as well, and all of Deco-Crete's are available for us to use.  

Stamped patio with brick stenciled border

Use your creativity and imagination to add any of these elements to your design. Thrown in a border and inlay to a stamped patio. I would encourage you to browse online for ideas and then call your contractor to get a detailed proposal of how he or she can create your dream project. If you are in the Urbana/Bellefontaine area, be sure to visit our outdoor showroom of decorative concrete samples. We have over 100 options for you to see and touch. What better way to make a "concrete" decision for your project! (Pun intended.) 

8874 N US Hwy 68, West Liberty, OH

If we can be of assistance, let us know! We'd be glad to help in the planning and placement of your next concrete project.

NOW ACCEPTING EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS

Two people asked me this morning, "Is Yoder Concrete Construction still hiring?"  My response was, "Yes, we are still accepting applications." The amount of bids we are cranking out is crazy, and the number of people saying that we will be doing work for them this year is amazing.  We are going to need some skilled concrete workers to be able to meet the need of the amount of work. We are so excited about the prospect for this year since the weather has finally gotten warmer. Do you know someone who is looking for work in the Urbana /Bellefontaine, Ohio area?  Do they have some concrete or general construction experience? Maybe you know someone who has their own concrete construction company and is tired of dealing with all of the paperwork and estimating and just wants to do what they love: pour and finish concrete.  At Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, we focus on providing great training for our employees and giving them a great place to work, making them a part of a team creating something in which they can be proud. A lot of companies boast that they have a family oriented environment, and I guess we can do the same thing. Ask any of the employees here. We have each other's backs. 

Want to work in a positive work environment where you can see the results of that hard work at the end of the day? Concrete construction is a great field of work with job satisfaction, and Yoder Concrete Construction is a great employer. Stop in today for an application at 8874 N. US Hwy 68 just south of West Liberty, OH.

So this is who Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC is...!

Interested in Decorative Concrete for your home or business? Curious about who Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC really is? Maybe you drive past our business and love the new decorative concrete sign and display and wonder what is really happening here...

Here is an amazing video that will answer a lot of your questions. And it may create new questions on how we can help create the project you have been dreaming about. 

YCC Video - Click HERE!

Glow in the dark concrete?  Reallly?? Yes, we can do that.
Grain bin foundations and storage facilities, barn foundations and floors, yes we can do that.
Industrial paving, dock installation and repair, trench drains...
City streetscapes and concrete skate parks, YES, we do that too!

Watch the crew in action building the sign in front of our West Liberty, Ohio facility from the ground up.

If you love what you see, give us a call or stop by our shop to learn more. We would love to help create your DREAM project from beginning to end.

Visit www.yoderconcrete.com for more information.

ACI Certification Finisher Training

To continue our commitment to training and excellence in the concrete construction industry, our crews and office staff spent an entire day last week in the conference room learning about the standards set forth by the American Concrete Institute for a Concrete Flatwork Finisher. 

Jeff Yoder, ACI Certified Flatwork Finisher (#00151548) and President of Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, conducted the training. By using ACI Certification craftsman workbooks and real life examples, Jeff discussed each chapter and reviewed sample exam questions with the attendees. They discussed planning and preparing the site for placing a concrete slab on ground, concrete materials, mixes and admixtures, floor flatness and levelness, concrete equipment and tools, finishing, jointing, curing and the protection of the concrete, and finally concrete finishing problems and possible solutions to ensure a quality project. Everyone was very receptive to the training, and there was much discussion and learning.

On Friday, February 3rd, two of our guys traveled to Columbus for the exam. The test was held at the Ohio Ready Mixed Concrete Association headquarters. The exam consisted of 50 multiple choice and true/false questions and lasted approximately two hours. 

Achieving certification from the American Concrete Institute as a Concrete Flatwork Finisher involves meeting the following requirements: One year (1500 hours) of work experience in finishing concrete flatwork, a passing grade on the written examination, and successful completion of a performance evaluation consisting of either a performance exam or an alternative evaluation based on signed affidavits verifying abilities and additional work experience. If you have enough experience, you may qualify to have the performance exam requirement waived. This alternative evaluation involves proving that you have an additional two years of applicable work experience (a total of 4500+ hours) and are able to correctly perform all procedures covered by the performance exam.  I am happy to report that both of our guys satisfied the experience requirement, and the performance exam was waived. Now we will wait on the results of the written examinations.

Why did we spend the time and money for this training and certification process? As stated by ACI in the workbook, "Being certified by ACI means being recognized by an independent organization of experts in the concrete field. ACI standards for design and construction are recognized and followed around the world..." We, at Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, want to be the premier provider of concrete construction and be considered experts in our field of construction. Continued training is a must to ensure that our employees are following these standards so we may provide our customers with the best possible results on their projects.

I will report back when we have the results of the exam, although I am sure that both of the guys passed. Next year we plan to send another group for the exam to continue our quest for excellence.

Are you certified in your field? You should be. You should always strive to be the best you can be and learn something new every day. You may consider yourself an expert, but there is ALWAYS something new and exciting to learn.
Best wishes to you!

Our Latest Residential Testimonial

We recently completed a driveway in Urbana, Ohio for a very nice lady. Here is what she had to say after the project was completed.

"My driveway turned out beautifully! The crew was extremely professional & courteous, which I appreciate so much. Thank you...I would recommend your work to anyone, in fact I already have.  Donna"

Here are a couple of photos of the guys cutting the control joints in the concrete and cleaning up the area for her.  We appreciate ALL of our employees for quality work and customer service from beginning to end.

And a special THANK YOU to Donna, for her business and referrals. It is much appreciated.

Concrete Finishing is a Craft

Are you a craftsman or crafter? Someone who takes various materials and makes them into a beautiful finished product? If you are, you realize that the quality of the products supplied by others and the skill of the craftsman are very important for the outcome of the final product. 

A concrete finisher is a craftsman. We start with a somewhat runny, slumpy mixture of water, cement, and stone, most often supplied and mixed by a ready mix plant using their special recipe for the type of project that is being done.  Chemical or mineral admixtures may be added to the concrete  to change the properties of the concrete as deemed appropriate for the conditions. Color may be added to the concrete mixture, either a powder or a liquid, often added by the ready mix plant. Synthetic fibers may be added to the mix to reduce plastic shrinkage cracks and provide shatter resistance.

An experienced craftsman has come across many things during his or her time doing their craft and have learned how to pre-plan or react to get the end result desired. However, there are times when it is beyond the control of the craftsman, and the end results are not as perfect as desired.

I want to share a specific project that we completed a few years ago that, although beautiful, did not turn out exactly as we desired. The project was a driveway with integral color and a stenciled brick border and a matching stenciled sidewalk. Heat was installed under the sidewalk to avoid shoveling and icing during the winter. It took two ready mix truck loads of concrete to place the driveway, so we placed the left half first, and then the right half with the second truck. The result was that one side was a little lighter in color than the other.


We struggled with what to do to make it right for the customer. In cases like this, we are at the mercy of the concrete ready mix plant to make sure that, in multiple loads of concrete, the color is exactly the same for the entire project. Our solution was to use a colored sealer to blend the colors over the entire project. Because the difference was subtle, and over time the color of concrete changes as it cures, the result was satisfactory.



Fast forward to 2011. We received a call from the homeowner who stated that a small area of the concrete had popped out. He was not complaining but wanted it patched so it wouldn't get worse. I explained to the homeowner that any patching would not match in color. The materials used to patch are different than the original materials, and as I mentioned earlier, the color of concrete changes over time. The homeowner understood and wanted the work done.  One of our craftsman went to the jobsite to do the repair and, in cleaning out the area, found a lump of integral color that had not mixed with the concrete. He continued to make the repair, but saved the color to show the customer.

Often times, we never get the answers to the difficulties we face each day. We have to realize that God is in control and learn from the challenges He throws our way. Funny how, in this case, seven years later, we find out why the color didn't match. Could we have prevented it? Maybe the drum needed to cycle around a few more times, or maybe the color clumped and wouldn't have dissolved anyway. We don't know. We will just continue to do our craft, learn from our mistakes and attend training opportunities when possible. We share a love of concrete and will continue to serve our customers the best we can.

Congratulations to a five year employee!

Meet Gary Skaggs, ACI Certified Concrete Flatwork Finisher & Technician. He has been an employee of Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC for five years. To celebrate his five year anniversary, he was awarded a jacket of his choice embroidered by All About Stitches with the company logo, his name and five years of service. He was also given a gift certificate to Chattan Loch Bistro & Public House so he and his wife could enjoy dinner out. I understand they had an excellent meal including dessert and wonderful time.

Gary is a valued member of our staff with not only many years of concrete experience but also outstanding skills in carpentry and masonry.  He is often a crew leader and works well with training newer members of our crews. He rarely misses a day of work and can be counted on to help out wherever needed. Thank you, Gary, for your years of service!

He is also celebrating 30 years of marriage to his sweetheart, Debbie. If you see him, wish him a big congratulations!

Ask the Concrete Expert - Control joints

Why do concrete contractors put saw cuts or tool joints in the concrete? These are called control or contraction joints.  All concrete has the potential to crack but these joints between sections of concrete are strategically placed to "control" the cracking, thus the name of control joints.  The joints can either be cut with a concrete saw soon after the concrete has been placed, or they can be tooled into the concrete with a special concrete tool called a groover. Joints can also occur when placement has stopped for the day and continues the next day, typically found in larger projects.

Are these joints required? No. But there is a good chance your concrete will crack due to earth movement, temperature variation, concrete curing, etc. Wouldn't you rather have a straight line than a random, squiggly crack?

So if you see this term on your proposal for concrete work, you know that the contractor is taking the correct measures to control the cracking. Our tag line at Yoder Concrete Construction used to be "WE CONTROL OUR CRACKS." While very catchy and appropriate for our industry in more than one way, we decided upon something a little more professional. We now use "YOUR QUALITY CONCRETE CONTRACTOR."  But we do still control our cracks. =)

If you have any questions for the concrete experts, let me know. I'd love to hear from you.
Have a blessed day!