# Forum Home Renovation Concreting  Stenciled concrete

## colonel1

Gidday guys 
I have just has some stenciled concrete done at my home.However the colour doesent appear to be consistent through the entire job its all over the shop. 
To honest I am not that happy with as I dont think it looks that good. 
Can anyone tell me if this nomal. As the guy that did just told me that's concerete for you. 
I lived in a rental property a few years back and that had stenciled concrete but didnt look anything like mine as the colour was consistent and the texture was the same for the entire area. 
So was wondering if this is normal or do I have a right not to be unhappy with it as it cost me a bit of money to get done. 
So does anyone know of a way to have it fixed 
Colonel1

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## Cementer

Hey Colonel, 
A few Q's for you. Was the stencil done in fresh concrete or was it sprayed over existing? What type of finish is on it? What colours? Has it been sealed? Any chance of some pics?
Bottom line, it can be fixed if you are not happy by putting the same stencil over the finish you have now and spraying a new finish coat. Who bears the cost will depend on many circumstances that cannot be answered without more info.
Sorry for questions to your questions but a little more info needed to help.
Neil

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## colonel1

Gidday 
Thanks for the reply. 
Its all new concrete and was wet when the stencil was applied. Its a heringbone design and the colour used was bluestone grey. 
The guy was here yesterday sealing it however my wife wasnt sure if he completed it. 
How many coats of sealer should it have . As he was only here for a couple of hours to do an area which is 10mtrs * 4 mtrs. To be honest its doesent look to much better than before he started to seal it. That is the colour of the concrete is inconsistent and has a differfent texture in areas of the concrete (ie; some of it smooth and then other parts rough). 
Not been a professional or anyhting it looks to me when they put the colour on ( ie threw the powder over the top). Some places has more colour than others and wasnt consistent so hence it looks really patchy. 
I did ask them why they dont just mix the colour in the cement isnt that a better way of getting a consistent colour. As this is how my renderer does him and it looks fantastic. 
We did also ask him after the concrete was laid that it was it going to look this patchy after its all finished. He told us no it the concrete will look like its wet when it finished but doesnt look like that to me. 
The problem he said to us he thought it wasnt a bad job and I have nothing to compare it with. 
I will try and get some photos. 
colonel1

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## Boeing777

Colonel1, 
For what its worth we have some stenciled concrete in our patio area in a terracotta colour and the colour is very consistant - however the surface finish is rougher in some bits than others.

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## colonel1

Thanks for that Boeing

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## colonel1

Gidday 
I had some time over the weekend so drove past a few homes in our area to check out the differences in their finished jobs ( ie; stenciled concrete). 
The colour consistency, texture and the concrete itself was really consistent through the entire job and was a far superior finish to mine.  Obviously very dissappointed with mine given the money that I have spent. 
Can anyone tell me if it there might be another option available to me rather than re-spraying the new stenciled concrete to get the consistency in colour that my finished job is severley lacking and there other things wrong as well having looked at this other job.  
I am really annoyed when I seen the quality of the stenciled concrete near my home compared to the one I have been stuck with so really want to get it fixed.  
As this area is out the back of my home and is suppossed to be feature and not an eye sore which it is at the moment. 
Would I be able to say lay 20mm of concrete over the entire area and have it re-stenciled and coloured again. As I figure this might be a better way of getting rid of all the imperfections that I have not all with the colour , the differences in texture but also the concrete itelf which to be honest isnt that good in places either. 
Any help or advice would be appreciated. 
Colonel1

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## Bleedin Thumb

> Would I be able to say lay 20mm of concrete over the entire area and have it re-stenciled and coloured again. As I figure this might be a better way of getting rid of all the imperfections that I have not all with the colour , the differences in texture but also the concrete itelf which to be honest isnt that good in places either. 
> Any help or advice would be appreciated. 
> Colonel1

  
Well you have just discovered the difference between a good professional finish and a cowboy job. 
Did you get a few quotes? 
Where you astounded by the variations in quotes?
Did you pick the cheapest quote? 
Please post some photos if you want some qualified opinions....however I can say without seeing it that it is not worth pouring a topping slab over it.  
As has been suggested you can redo the topping over the old...even if it means grinding the old one smooth. 
This is what a professional finish can look like.

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## colonel1

Thanks for your reply. 
Actually I did obtain a number of quotes and the supplier that I selected in the end came in the middle of the quotes I received. 
I had used the company previously for some worrk that I had done to my roof and I was happy with that job so that's what made me go with them again. 
Although I wont be making the same mistake again. I will try and post some photos on the website. 
I have had another company in and they advised that they can re-spray the entire area for me and fix all the imperfections. 
The other supplier said that they wouldnt be able to fix everthing on the job which included all the little holes in the concrete where all the joins are.  
My original supplier told me that I was just been to critical and that was just the way concrete was sometimes however could re-spray to fix the colour and inconsistency with texture etc. 
To be honest I am reluctant to get them in again to fix it. In that they stuffed the job up in the first instance and keep trying to justify that the job was okay which it wasnt. Secondly they wont fix everyhting we want them to and are more as less saying that we are to fuzzy. 
Although I sent him to a couple of jobs that I seen locally and asked him if I should be happy with the finished product that I have at my place compared to those.  
At first he said to me I am sure that I would find fault with any job but after looking at them he changed his tune.  
However as I say he insists that there is no way to fix the little holes we have in the joints but the other company tells me otherwise. Seems to me it is just to much trouble for my origianl supplier and they are just turning it back on me. 
Mind you we were told by our original supplier that someone would contact us last week and we havent heard anything from them at all. 
I am tempted to hold back the final monies that I owe them and get someone else in to fix it. Only problem is the balance of monies that I owe them wont cover the quote I go from the other supplier so will cost me in the end. 
I just want the job done right. 
ps; The picture of the job you attached was excellent. You wouldnt be able to recommend anyone in Melbourne. As at some stage I am looking at getting the front of my house done 
Colonel1

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## Ashore

The colour should be constant , some times they mis in the pigment as they go and if he put in too much or too little pigment in one batch you will get a diffrent colour  :Doh:  mine came out ok but I was there and watched every process  :2thumbsup:

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## Cementer

> However as I say he insists that there is no way to fix the little holes we have in the joints but the other company tells me otherwise. Seems to me it is just to much trouble for my origianl supplier and they are just turning it back on me. He's right in saying that it is very hard to fix the holes. They are caused by the stencil being laid too early, before the concrete has finished bleeding.( Moisture in the surface hasn't dried yet). To fix this it will have to be base coated and filled level and started again. I'm sure if the colour and texture were fixed (by laying the same stencil and re-sprayed) those holes wont be as noticable.  
> Mind you we were told by our original supplier that someone would contact us last week and we havent heard anything from them at all. The supplier is hoping this will all go away in time. The product isn't faulty and they don't want to incriminate the applicator by the sounds of it. 
> I am tempted to hold back the final monies that I owe them and get someone else in to fix it. Only problem is the balance of monies that I owe them wont cover the quote I go from the other supplier so will cost me in the end. If your not happy with the work, don't pay the balance, I doubt if he is going to chase you for it. I bet he is hoping to never hear from you again. It seems that he's either poured too much and lost it or he just not specialise in that field of concrete. 
> I just want the job done right. Unfortunately there is only one chance to get it right with concrete. 
> ps; The picture of the job you attached was excellent. You wouldnt be able to recommend anyone in Melbourne. As at some stage I am looking at getting the front of my house done 
> Colonel1

  I think the best cure would be to re-spray the surface over the same pattern. The cost to repair will be a sore spot for time to come I think. Unfortunately. I know if a client wasn't happy with the work I performed, I would bend over backwards to rectify the situation. Reputation is very improtant advertisement. Good luck.

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## colonel1

Thanks for the reply. 
After alot of haggling my supplier has finally agreed to fix all the faults of my job by resurfacing the entire area. 
So hopefully I have no further problems and it looks the way it should have in the first place. 
Colonel1

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## Bleedin Thumb

Good luck, I'm glad that the came around to doing the right thing by you.

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## Cementer

Please keep us informed of the end result. Hope it all goes well.

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## Tradie Joe

i fully support 'Cementer' suggestions and view on the sticky situation. tradesman in general need to take more pride in their work and have the interests of the customer 1st, not their own!
joe :Wink 1:

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## colonel1

Thanks guys will definately let you know how it goes 
Colonel1

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## Uncle Bob

Before and after photo's would be appreciated.

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## colonel1

Gidday Rory 
Thats exactly what happened however I got the bloke to re-surface the entire area. Looks a hell of alot better than it did but alot of hassle 
Colonel1

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## vboi20

Hi guys, 
I recently had a concrete area laid at the back of my house for my future pagola, I need some advice on what to do, as i am yet to pay the contractor the remaining balance. The following Problems are: 
1) Stencil pattern is not even and has missing chunks.
2) The boxing edgeing is not straight
3) He advised me that it would be 100mill thick , however in some spots its only 30mill thick.
4) some parts of the area are not flat when i use a levle on it
5)There is concrete (black) staining on the house bricks
6) he concreted over half a brick that was in the way  
I have attached some photos, I just need some advice on what i could do to fix it, as i dont see the contractor repairing it or replacing it, considering its about 70 SQM

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## Wombat2

Having not paid the balance puts you in a strong bargaining position. I'm not a concrete expert but I have poured a bit of concrete "helping" the contractor - I would have thought and expansion strip along the house would have been a good idea.  
I'd see if you can get someone like a building inspector  or someone from the concreting association to have a look and give you a report -  personally I wouldn't be happy with that job.

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## m6sports

that doesnt look like a professional job 
someone here with more concreting experience might point out some faults
but from what i can see it looks like a messy job i would be disappointed 
knowing the price they want for it  
i looked at getting our driveway done and its not cheap
i wouldnt have accepted that job

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## jago

I think Bodgeit & And leg it have been to yours :No: ....I would contact them saying no further payment will be coming unless they rectify your list of problems; pic 5 is the concrete running out of level back towards the house? 
I would contact consumer affairs in your state to ask them what the suggest would be the way forward, but documnet all conversations and keep taking pics. 
Good luck

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## vboi20

Thanks heaps guys for the advice! Last night when i got home he had cut expansion joints into the area, but what i noticted since that has happened, there is now staining on the area from the wet concrete, is there any way to get this off? i gave it a scrub last night with some detergiant, however there are still some spots, and im guessing this guy has no intentions to fix it.

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## vboi20

Oh and i forgot to mention, that i did a bit of research on him last night, and it turns out his ABN is cancelled, and i couldnt find his company on ASIC,  
Yes i know im an idiot for not looking into him first, but what should i do???

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## rusel

vboi20
That is one bad job
Re the staining this should go away after the sealer goes on,he is going to seal it, isn't he?
All the other problems as I see it can only be fixed by removing and relaying the concrete.
Your choices are
a; do not pay him the balance and live with it and hope for no retaliation from him!!!  :Shock: 
b: go legal and buy a new driveway for your solicitor  :Cry: 
c;  wear the cost and tear it out and get a new one  :Annoyed: 
The most annoying thing is none of the above are very good for the innocent. 
Russell

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## vboi20

Thanks Heaps russell, the downfall is, that he has already sealed the area, so do you think there is another way i can get rid of the stains? like water blasting the area????  
Your right, its a very hard decision to make, because he has not only done the back slab, but he did another slab att he front for me too, which is a lot better, but still not perfect. the driveway he has coloured, which looks cheap, i dont even think he washed down the driveway before he coloured it, as there is dirt in the joins and , i bet once it gets washed down, there will be 3 white joining lines, on the driveway, i will post some other pics of the work he has done. now the hard part is calling him to tell him im not happy  :Cry:

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## rusel

If he has put the sealer on to early the whiteish stain will come up throught the sealer just need another coat of sealer. This is what happen at my place and the concreter amitted he rushed it and re sealed it. Still look perfect now 3 year later. 
The one out the front is it a spray on acyclic based cement product that goes onto existing concrete? if so it need to be very clean before it applied or it will come of in a few years.
I used to do this for a few years till the back gave out. Can look spectacular when done right. 
Russell

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## colonel1

Gidday mate 
I was wondering if you got all your issues sorted out with your concrete 
Regards 
Colonel1

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## avagom8

As a consumer you have rights.Youve bought the question up and hes basically brushed you off.An important piece of advice.Pay the rquired money up front to get the job started ie 30% 40% 50% what ever the agreement is with the contractor.When the job is completed if you are not happy at least you have some leverage.I suggest ring the guy up.Set up a meeting asap and put it all out on the table.With a bit of luck his reputation may mean a lot to him and he will rectify it goodluck!

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## m6sports

also looking at picture 5 it doesnt look like there is a expansion joint between the hose and slab

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## Flok

One concretor told me that they don't use expansion joints next to the house slab - is this the norm in the industry? I thought that there always must be a foam-type expansion joint between new and old concrete .... unless maybe when the new concrete is only narrow and its other end abutts grass or some other soft area (good example of this would be pathways around the perimeter of the house). 
What's the rule (if there is one)?

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## Jamie_ada

Too many cowboys ruining our industry and reputation I have seen so many dodgy jobs lately, the last thing you want to do as a contractor is get calls for a fix up job they generally take more time and are less profitable it would be good if the original contractors always fixed the jobs, people are starting to turn to alternatives for decorative flooring because of these problems.  http://Decorative Concrete Solutions

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