Alicia Croteau

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Looking for some advice before this driveway gets poured.The quote and contract both call for a 5-inch concrete slab, an...
06/13/2026

Looking for some advice before this driveway gets poured.

The quote and contract both call for a 5-inch concrete slab, and we went with a reputable local company at a middle-of-the-road price. But now that the forms are set, it looks closer to 4 inches in some spots.

I brought it up, and they said the concrete will settle down into the gravel some, and that they can move some stone away from the forms where it got pushed up during compacting. But when I checked it myself with a string line and tape measure, it still has me questioning whether it’s actually going to meet the 5-inch spec.

I’m not trying to nitpick or be difficult. I just want to make sure it’s right before the concrete truck shows up, because once it’s poured, it’s a much bigger problem to fix.

For anyone who does concrete work, would you push them to adjust the forms now, or is this normal prep before a 5-inch driveway slab?

Looking for some honest feedback from concrete folks.We poured this new pad in front of the garage, about 5.5 yards, wit...
06/13/2026

Looking for some honest feedback from concrete folks.

We poured this new pad in front of the garage, about 5.5 yards, with roughly a 6-inch incline between the existing slabs. The lower pad was already uneven, so we tried to work with what was there and get the slope to drain toward the right side.

Somehow, it looks like the finished slope is going left instead. I’m honestly not sure where it went wrong because the string line looked right when we checked it.

The customer hasn’t been rude about it at all, but I can tell he’s not happy, and I don’t blame him for having questions. The job was $3,250, so I want to handle it the right way.

For anyone who does this kind of work, what would you recommend here? Is there a practical fix, or is this something that usually needs to be redone to correct the drainage?

Fresh concrete issue, and I could really use some advice from people who know driveways.The crew had just finished this ...
06/13/2026

Fresh concrete issue, and I could really use some advice from people who know driveways.

The crew had just finished this driveway, and within about 20 minutes, tire tracks ended up going right through the fresh concrete. Unfortunately, our camera didn’t catch the vehicle because the memory card had filled up the day before, so we don’t know who did it.

One camera did show workers cleaning up around 4:09, and by about 4:30 a neighbor said the tracks were already there. No one else nearby seems to have footage.

The concrete company said they can skim over it, but it would be at an additional cost. My concern is whether that kind of repair actually holds up long-term, especially with future pressure washing, weather, and regular driveway use.

Also, looking at the photo, the barrier seems pretty minimal and doesn’t appear to fully block the driveway. So now we’re trying to figure out whether this is just our loss, an insurance claim, or something the company should help cover since the fresh concrete wasn’t really protected.

Has anyone dealt with tire tracks in brand-new concrete before? Would skimming last, or is this something that needs a bigger fix?

So this is what I came home to after paying for grocery delivery.The whole order was left lined up outside on the porch ...
06/12/2026

So this is what I came home to after paying for grocery delivery.

The whole order was left lined up outside on the porch — milk, eggs, meat, produce, everything — with no knock, no text, no real heads-up that it was sitting there.

And the worst part is, it was out there for hours.

At that point, it’s not even about convenience anymore. Now I’m standing there wondering what’s still safe, what needs to be tossed, and how much of this order I’m going to have to fight to get refunded.

I understand delivery drivers are busy, but groceries aren’t like a package of paper towels. Cold food needs to stay cold, especially when it’s sitting outside.

Would you keep any of this, or would you report it and throw the perishables out?

I’m trying to decide if I’m overthinking this or if this would bother anyone else too.We spent $10,800 on this new drive...
06/12/2026

I’m trying to decide if I’m overthinking this or if this would bother anyone else too.

We spent $10,800 on this new driveway setup, and instead of a full concrete driveway, it ended up being two long strips with grass left down the middle.

The concrete itself looks clean, but the layout is throwing me off. From this angle, it almost looks more like two sidewalks leading to the garage than a driveway.

The contractor said this style is normal and saves concrete while still doing the job, and maybe that’s true. I just expected the finished look to feel a little more complete for the price.

Maybe once the grass grows back and everything is cleaned up, it’ll look better. But right now I’m having a hard time not seeing two runways with a gap in the middle.

Be honest — would this bother you after spending over $10K, or is this a normal driveway style?

To the delivery driver who left these packages at the wrong door… this one is hard to understand.The photo clearly shows...
06/12/2026

To the delivery driver who left these packages at the wrong door… this one is hard to understand.

The photo clearly shows Unit 301, and there’s a huge sign taped to the door saying to deliver everything to Unit 302 — with an arrow pointing right to the correct door. There are even extra notes explaining that 301 is not 302.

And somehow, the packages still got left at 301.

I know apartment deliveries can be confusing, and drivers are probably rushed, but this is exactly how packages get lost or taken. The instructions were right there in plain sight.

I ended up having to track everything down myself, and thankfully it was still there. But it’s frustrating when the signs, unit numbers, and labels are all visible and still get ignored.

A quick double-check would save everyone a lot of stress.

This job has taught me that you really can’t judge people by the house they live in.Some customers with the nicest homes...
06/12/2026

This job has taught me that you really can’t judge people by the house they live in.

Some customers with the nicest homes and biggest driveways will argue over every dollar, while others with a much simpler setup will be out there checking on you, offering water, asking if you need anything, and making you feel appreciated.

A job like this — digging in the yard, dealing with dirt, pipes, tools, and the heat — isn’t glamorous work. But a little respect goes a long way.

At the end of the day, the best customers aren’t always the ones with the most money. They’re the ones who treat you like a person.

Homeowner is refusing to sign off on these footers because she says the post placement looks unsafe.From my side, most o...
06/12/2026

Homeowner is refusing to sign off on these footers because she says the post placement looks unsafe.

From my side, most of the beam/post base is sitting on the concrete, and the bracket is attached, so I don’t see it as an issue. But she’s worried about the way it sits near the edge of the round footing, and now payment is being held up.

I figured I’d post the photo and get some honest feedback from people who actually do this kind of work.

Is this acceptable, or should it have been centered better on the concrete footer?

Just paid $4,700 for a new concrete driveway, and I’m trying to figure out if I’m being too picky or if this really look...
06/12/2026

Just paid $4,700 for a new concrete driveway, and I’m trying to figure out if I’m being too picky or if this really looks off.

The contractor said he had 20 years of experience, so I expected a clean, professional finish. But looking at the surface, the edges, the uneven marks, and the overall appearance, I’m honestly disappointed.

I know fresh concrete can look different while it cures, and maybe some of this will even out over time. But for that kind of money, I was expecting it to look a lot cleaner than this.

For anyone who knows concrete — does this look normal for a new driveway, or is this something I should bring up with the contractor right away?

Crap job or normal concrete finish?We had two pads poured today, including about 22 inches into the garage, all done as ...
06/11/2026

Crap job or normal concrete finish?

We had two pads poured today, including about 22 inches into the garage, all done as one pour. I’m not a concrete pro, so I’m trying to figure out if this edge is something that normally gets cleaned up later, or if this is a sign the finish wasn’t done right.

The main slab looks one way, but this seam along the garage edge looks rough, uneven, and pretty messy compared to what I expected.

I don’t want to jump to conclusions if there’s still finishing or cleanup left to do, but I also don’t want to ignore it if this is something that should be corrected now.

For the concrete pros — is this normal on a fresh pour, or would you be calling the contractor back?

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