5J Construction LLC handles new concrete installation as well as remove-and-replace projects. If you have a concrete project in mind, you can contact the team with your request for information or service.

Yes; we are bonded with both Waterloo and Cedar Falls, and fully insured to do so.

We present here four ways to know how much concrete you'll need for flat work; driveways, patios, sidewalks and such. • Use the basic concrete calculator from our tips.• Call the concrete suppliers and ask. Tell them how big your project is and what it will be used for and they'll give you a good idea how much concrete, and what type of concrete, you'll need. Links to these suppliers will be available soon.• Calculate the area you'll cover in square feet. Divide that number by 81 if your concrete is 4" thick or divide by 54 if your concrete is 6" thick. Round up to the next 1/4 yards (see NOTE below).• Those who do it frequently - or those who just like math - can calculate the CONCRETE CUBIC YARDS needed with the following formula: length (in feet) x width (in feet) x thickness (in inches), all divided by 324, or (L x W x T)/324 to get cubic yards. Note that it is standard practice to order 1/4 yard more than the number you calculated, to avoid running short.

As with any job you want to consider and compare availability, price, and quality. The first two are self-explanatory; you don't want to hire someone who won't show up or the one who charges more so you'll think it's worth more.Regarding quality, you want concrete that is both strong and cosmetic. That is achieved with proper mixing, placing, and finishing. Mixing or "batching" is done at the plant and is likely consistent across the board, so this is not a concern. And the finished look is apparent, readily seen on the surface of the concrete. The most common flaw we see is "honeycomb" in the concrete. This is usually due to concrete insufficiently vibrated when placed. The result is voids and pockets in the concrete, seriously reducing the strength of the concrete. Though the surface may appear smooth, the finished job is weakened and its life is shortened. Often clearly visible on exposed edges, many 'contractors' allow this because they hide the edge with dirt, sod, etc.

Exterior concrete in general is installed with a 3-year warranty on service. Some locations will increase that time frame. We advise at the time of installation concerning the use of heavy snow blades and salts on your concrete and these things need to be considered, as well as the particular concrete mix selected, slope, soil composition, etc.That said, most cases will have no issues for years to come. Consider this fairly recent picture of a driveway we installed in 2004. As of the time of this post, this concrete is 22 years old.