A note from a customer

This is a note I received from a customer when she mailed in her final payment. She said, "You are very fortunate to have capable workers to work with your projects. They know the concrete business and did a good job with my patio. I know I will enjoy it and it will be safe for me. I bought a patio set and hope I have time to sit out there." Signed Dorothy

Dorothy had recently fallen on her previous patio of uneven flagstone pavers and had to have stitches in her head. We are very happy that the customer was not only pleased with her new patio, but that it also created a safer environment for her. And we thank our employees for the good work that they did. Kudos to all.

Champaign County

This morning my day started at the Verde in Urbana, OH, for the First Friday Coffee Break (1st Friday of each month) sponsored by the Champaign Co. Chamber of Commerce. There were 36 attendees, an outstanding number of people for their first event of this type. Tina Knotts, Director of the Chamber, updated everyone on events going on around the county in the month of September - over 10 different events or activities just in one month! If you are looking for something to do, Champaign County is definitely the place to be. Just to touch on a couple of events, Sept 12-13 is the MERFI Fly-in at Grimes Airport in Urbana. Experimental aircraft is the highlight of this event. The following weekend, Sept 19-20 is a big weekend with the Barn Quilt tour (almost 60 quilts throughout the county) and the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival at Freshwater Farms just north of Urbana. For more information on what to do in Champaign County, visit www.champaignohio.com. I have a few tickets to the Barn Quilt Tour if you are interested in them. Let me know!

After Tina told us about area events, each person in the room was given a chance to introduce themselves and share the business they represented. It was great to meet other people who want to see Champaign County thrive. It was a very positive meeting and encouraged me about the area businesses and what they have to offer. I am looking forward to getting more involved in the county in the near future.

I also spent some time talking with Mike Morris, Economic Development Director for the County, about social media. Great to get to know him a little, and looking forward to a great twitter and facebook relationship. It is amazing how much you get to know someone or learn about their businesses through social media. It is a great tool. I love it!! It makes meeting face to face even easier when you know a little about them, plus you have an immediate mutual interest to kick start the conversation - social media.

A few places to find Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC concrete work, check out the concrete around The Depot Coffee shop on East Main St, the Skate Park at Melvin Miller Park and the concrete in and around the new facility at Cedar Bog, just to name a few! Many of our jobs are in people's front or back yards, so I probably shouldn't give you those addresses. Not sure they would appreciate it. :-)

Well, I really need to get the bills paid before the long weekend. Have a safe and blessed Labor Day weekend. If you see me at the West Liberty festival, stop me and tell me what you think of my blog. I'd love to hear from you!!

Don't sweat the small stuff

Reduce the Stress in Your Life
I am borrowing this blog entry idea from our friends at L.L Geans Construction Co. in Mishawaka, IN. Thank you for your great newsletters. We enjoy looking at your projects and reading about your company.

"Sadly, many of us constantly postpone our happiness - indefinitely. It's not that we consciously set out to do so, but we keep convincing ourselves, "Someday I'll be happy." It will happen when the bills are paid, when we finish school, get our first job, after we get married, have a child, when the child is older... We'll be happy when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we retire. And on and on and on!

"Meanwhile, life moves on. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. Life will always be filled with challenges. Admit it and decide to be happy anyway."

Mine is the "when I retire" one. My husband's is "when we get this next job done." There is always another job that falls into the same "when we get this next job done." I won't say we are always complaining, because we don't. At least we are truly trying to make an effort to be happy. Are you? I know it is difficult, especially if you work with or live with a constant whiner. But our attitude is just that, ours. And we can make it what we want it to be. Let's make an effort to wake up each day and say, "Today, I am going to be happy!
God bless.

8 Tips for a Durable Concrete Driveway

Now is a great time of year to upgrade your home with a concrete driveway. Think back to last winter...did you have ice between the stones on your gravel driveway that just wouldn't melt? Did your snow blower or shovel keep getting stuck on the heaving cracks of your asphalt or old concrete? Forward to spring...are you, like me, tired of raking gravel out of your yard from the snow removal from your gravel driveway? (Yes, we do concrete work and I still have a gravel driveway...such is life on a farm and I am okay with that!) You don't want to go through that again, do you?

But before you sign the contract or otherwise commit to a contractor to place the concrete, make sure you are going to get a quality and long lasting job. Here are some things to look for before you sign the dotted line:

1) Base - a compacted base is a must for a quality end product. We recommend a 4" gravel base compacted uniformly and evenly so the slab won't settle and won't vary in thickness.

2) The concrete should be 4000-4500 psi (determines the compressive strength, or also the amount of cement in the mix) and is air entrained. The slump should be a maximum of 4-5 inches for a non-reinforced slab. (This is a test that basically determines how wet or runny the concrete is.) The slump should be consistent with each pour that is placed throughout the project.

3) Reinforcement - You may have the option of fiber, wiremesh or rebar reinforcement. Fiber is usually used in concrete to reduce plastic shrinkage cracks or dry shrinkage cracks, the cracks that may occur during the initial curing process. The intent of wire or rebar is to hold the concrete together should cracking occur to reduce the heaving or shifting of concrete. Don't let any contractor tell you that their concrete won't crack. A contractor can do all they can to control the cracks, but they do occur beyond anyone's control. For more information on cracking, visit this website: http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/concrete_cracks/

4) Water should not be added to the concrete after it is placed to make the concrete more workable. Throwing water on top reduce the water to cement ratio on the top layer of concrete making it weaker. Beware of the contractor who does this! Some water or an admixture may be added before discharging from the concrete truck, but not after discharge begins. Admixtures can be added to the concrete while in the drum to make the concrete more workable.

5) A new slab should be allowed two months of curing time of temperatures above 40 degrees F. In our location, we do not recommend placing a driveway after October 1st.

6) Joints - Control or contraction joints on a 4" thick slab should be placed approximately every 10 feet and at a depth of at least 1/4" into the thickness. The joint gives potential cracking a place to "run" instead of randomly zigzagging across your driveway. If you find a crack in a control joint, that means it worked!

7) Curing - This is one of the most important steps in concrete construction. There are a variety of ways to cure concrete, but the most widely used method is a liquid membrane which is sprayed or rolled on the surface of the slab immediately after finishing.

8) In most cases you should be able to walk on your driveway the day after it is placed, but don't drive your vehicle on it for 7-10 days after placement. It actually won't reach its 4500 psi compression strength for up to 28 days in normal temperatures. Consult with your contractor on when he/she says it is okay to drive on your new driveway.

If you have questions, please leave me a comment and I will be glad to help guide you in your search for a durable driveway.

I pray that God blesses you in all you do, and that you have a wonderful weekend.