Many of us lead hectic lives, and time is a commodity we all value.
We at OSM Concrete value your business and want to serve you as best we can. We provide various concrete-related services but specialise in new concrete (not floors), concrete replacement, and resurfacing. We especially love Decorative Concrete!
As you will be well aware, the Gold Coast is a growing city, with traffic being an ever-growing problem that comes with it. As a result, this also puts another constraint on our time.
Also, although we do provide "free" quotes, they are free to you, the customer, but it isn't "free" to the team at OSM Concrete. A lot of time and energy is invested in providing a proposal. By the time we drive out to projects and spend sometimes hours putting together costs and then tailoring the proposal to the clients needs providing the quote itself, we may have invested hours into one proposal.
I think we can all agree that our time is best spent onsite providing the best possible outcome for you, our highly valued customer!
For more information on the actual OSM Concrete process for new concrete and concrete replacement, you can download the OSM Concrete Homeowner Booklet here:-
For more information on the resurfacing process and also what can and can't be resurfaced, you can download our Resurfacing Info Brochure here:-
We have provided the relevant and essential information to give you a pretty accurate proposal for your work. By combining this information and readily available technology, we can put together your pricing without viewing the site itself.
This will save you time having to meet with multiple contractors, explaining the same thing repeatedly, and getting conflicting information; plus, it will give you a far deeper understanding of your project.
THE 3 CATEGORIES
We have split this into the three categories that OSM Concrete specialise in...
1. NEW CONCRETE
This includes driveways, patio areas, pool surrounds, parks and playgrounds, car parks and footpaths, JUST NOT FLOORS. We can provide all the standard finishes such as plain and coloured Concrete, exposed aggregate, rock salt concrete, stencilled Concrete and stamped concrete. We also have a range of finishes unique to OSM Concrete. Please take the time to look through our galleries for inspiration.
2. CONCRETE REPLACEMENT
Replacing concrete can be very tricky. Skill, experience and the right equipment needed to be used to prevent potentially serious damage to surrounding structures, underground pipes and landscaping. Done right; it can be a smooth process.
3. CONCRETE RESURFACING
Being the premium provider of resurfacing finishes on the Gold Coast, we have many great-looking finishes to make your project pop. And because we also replace and construct new concrete, we can offer unique solutions that other contractors cannot.
Much of this info needed is the same for each service/product required, but some will have their own particular requirements, so please read on...
Let's dive in...
NEW CONCRETE
ADDRESS
We can get a rough idea of things through online apps like Google Earth and Google Street View, such as the size of the area, access, local traffic and even existing surfaces.
PLANS OR SKETCHES
This is a huge help. If you can do even a rough sketch of the area/s, it all helps paint a picture.
MEASUREMENTS
This can be a little tricky for some, but it doesn't need to be. Some measurements we can get from online apps such as Google Earth, but more often than not, we will need measurements. Not sure how to measure an area? Here is a simple how-to from our friends at Bunnings.
PHOTOS OR EVEN A VIDEO
We can get so much important information from photos. Ideally, this is what we are after.
Photos of:-
THE AREAS TO BE WORKED IN
Existing surfaces to be excavated or constructed
- Lawn
- Garden
- Existing hard surfaces (like concrete, paving or asphalt)
- Plants or trees to be removed
- Other structures need removing
ACCESS
Especially important for areas that are to the sides and rear of a property. We require machinery in most instances, which requires access or, instead of access, the ability to run wheelbarrows and other smaller equipment. Once again, photos are a great help here.
FINISHES
We can lay new concrete in a range of different decorative finishes. Check them out here.
We also place new concrete as a base for tiles or paving and new concrete that we resurface.
If you haven't had a chance, please look through our gallery. If you see something you particularly like, please send us a screenshot of the image. This way, we can be accurate and also make suggestions.
BUDGET
Some people are uncomfortable with sending this information. We can assure you our costs are costs and change only based on what the market charges for materials and labour to us. We are in the business of providing the best value solutions, and if we have an idea of a budget, we can be more effective to you and help make suggestions that can save you money and create a better-looking project. No pressure though.
TIMEFRAMES
We are always very busy with projects, and we program all of them in advance so we can lock in dates to give both you and our certainty. Chances are we won't be able to start your project tomorrow, but we do get through work swiftly, so we can possibly shift things around to make it work, even at short notice.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Drainage, vehicle crossings, retaining walls.
We work with many trades, are always installing drainage and deal with the Gold Coast City Council with heaps of driveway crossings. If you have any other special requirements like retaining walls and brickwork, we can most likely help.
LIAISING WITH OTHER CONTRACTORS
Further to the above. This is not a problem.
Further to this, we have a bunch of contractors we know and work with who help the projects run fast and smooth.
CONCRETE REPLACEMENT
Very much the same info as above, but what for replacing concrete we also need...
What is to be excavated and removed? Concrete? Pavers? Asphalt?
What is the area? Driveway? Patio Area? Pool Surround? Car Park?
What is it to be replaced with... finishes?
Access is essential in replacing concrete as we must either get machinery into the area or remove it by hand.
Potential Consequential Damage. Pool areas have pipes underneath, and water pipes and electrical cables can be under or even through the concrete. Surrounding structures have to be taken into account.
CONCRETE RESURFACING
The same info as the new concrete above, but for resurfacing, it has its unique items...
THE AREAS TO BE RESURFACED
Driveways, patio areas, a car park, a mall plaza? A playground?
THE EXISTING SURFACE
They require different systems to get the best outcome when they can go over most surfaces. Stamped and exposed concrete will be more involved and cost more than fresh, flat new concrete. Some surfaces require grinding the entire surface, while others need a good pressure clean. Photos are a huge help here.
CRACKS IN CONCRETE
This is also very important. We have a lot of info explaining the process here:-
We can fill cracks with epoxy, but no guarantees or warranties are offered. The more photos you send us, the better we can assess the surface to give you a realistic outcome. With heavily cracked concrete, the only long-term solution is replacement.
PAINTED SURFACES
If you have a driveway that is painted, this does need to be removed or mostly removed to get a long term bond. This is a bit of a bummer as there are extra costs involved in the preparation process.
PAVING OR TILED SURFACES
Typically we don't resurface pavers, but it can be done. You will have to retain the same pattern. See pic of spraying. Tiles should not be resurfaced when outside. They can be removed, and the concrete underneath then be resurfaced.
FINISHES
We provide an extensive range of different finishes. Some require more time and product, therefore affecting cost. Please take the time to look through our gallery to find some looks you like.
If there is something elsewhere you have seen, send us images of that, and we can no doubt provide a face to match r at least be similar—even an existing tile or stone. We love the creative aspect of what we do, and our services are used to do work at large-scale theme parks to create striking one-of-a-kind finishes.
CONCLUSION
We really appreciate that this can be a bit of a pain. Trust us though. It will help you get a better understanding of your project and help you also understand the process around concrete construction and concrete resurfacing. These are both big investments and if not done right, can be a very disappointing and expensive exercise.
For more on the concrete process, you can download the OSM Concrete Homeowner Booklet here that explain s the process in more detail:-
For more on the concrete resurfacing process, you can download the OSM Concrete Resurfacing Information Booklet here.
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