Frequently Asked Questions.
Thermomass Insulated Poured Walls.
Estimates:
1. Is there a fee for estimates?
No. If you are serious about a job, we are more than happy to meet with you and discuss the project, take measurements, and send you an estimate.
2. Do you give estimates over the phone?
Sometimes. We prefer to stop out and measure your project and talk with you about all the variables that factor into the estimate. But if you are looking to see when you can budget for your potential future project we can give you a "ball-park" estimate over the phone.
3. Some companies give "square foot" price estimates. Do you do this?
No. Rarely are other companies "square foot" price estimates accurate. They often times don't account for many of the variables that can effect the end price, therefore their final bills will reflect many "extra" charges that were not previously discussed in their original estimate. This is a popular tactic of some companies to hide their actual numbers. We prefer to measure the project and discuss all the possible variables up front so we can give you as accurate of an estimate as possible.
4. I've heard that concrete prices have gone up significantly this past year, is this true?
Yes, unfortunately it is true. Concrete prices have seen anywhere from a 2 - 8% increase annually over the last 5 years, however this year concrete went up just over 25%. Much of this increase is due to new legislation passed in the state of Minnesota by MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency). This law is meant to help preserve Minnesota waters and grounds from chemicals released in the clean-up practices of washing the cement trucks out. Some states such as California have already adopted these laws and many more states will be following this trend in the near future. It is important to put it in perspective however, remembering that the cost to clean-up lakes and soils later would be even more costly. And, it is also important to remember that other construction materials such as steel and asphalt have seen price increases of over 100% in less than one years time. For more information on this legislature please visit our "Links" page and click on MPCA.
Poured Walls vs. Block Walls:
1. Which type of wall is best for my new house/remodel project?
The main factors to consider are: Size of house/addition, type of soils your house will be built on, ease of access, type and quality of insulation you will most likely use. Both types of foundations have their purpose. As far as insulation quality, a Thermomass insulated poured wall is most likely your best choice for waterproof, mold and mildew proof, warmth, and long-term money saving.
2. Which application is most likely to last the longest?
In a high moisture retaining lot poured walls will give you longevity. However, both will most likely outlive you and your family.
3. Does one or the other provide a higher resale value?
Poured walls will get the best return on resale?
4. What is the cost difference between the two?
Poured walls typically cost about 5 - 10% more than block to install, but again, it depends on many variables and can go either way depending on your individual situation.
Thermomass Insulated Poured Walls:
1. Is a T-mass wall really worth the added installation costs?
Short-term no! Long-term YES! Plus, legislature has also passed a tax rebate law (as of February 17th, 2009) that allows a homeowner up to 30% rebate on their T-Mass poured walls. (Please ask for more details).
2. Define "Long-Term".
Depending on your financing, original costs can sometimes be re-cooped in 5 - 10 years. This means that your cost savings on natural gas/LP and electricity in a T-Mass home will have paid for the initial costs of installation in as short as 5 - 10 years. Your neighbors in a traditional non T-Mass poured wall foundation will not see that savings.
3. How much of a cost savings is a T-Mass foundation overall.
Substantial! Please visit our "Links" page and click on T-Mass, or you can call us for a consultation because there is a lot of information about T-Mass.
4. How much more is a T-Mass foundation than regular poured wall?
Estimates range anywhere from 25 - 50% more in initial costs.
5. How do T-Mass walls effect resale?
As you can imagine, T-Mass walls have a much higher resale value than regular poured walls.
6. Are Thermomass Poured walls considered "Green"?
Absolutely! Programs such as MN Greenstar and LEED consider Thermomass walls as one of the top products in their point scale system. These walls are a must if you are planning on building a "green" home.
Decorative Concrete:
1. I have an existing colored and or stamped slab, can you match this so I can add on to it?
Yes & No. If you don't know the name of the stamp that was used, we can often times figure it out by process of elimination, however, matching your color will be much more difficult. Concrete color matching is extremely difficult due to the fact that there are certain chemical reactions that happen when coloring concrete that determine the end result. These reactions are difficult if not impossible to recreate exactly at a later date to get the exact same color. For instance, you would need to know the exact type of concrete used in your original pour (ie: Le-High, Holnam, LaFarge, etc), name of the company that produced the color additive and type of color, the outside air temperature, time of year of the original pour, use of accelerators (calcium chloride) or decelerators (retarders), use of other admixtures (plasticiser, air entrainment, etc...) water to cement ration and more. Most people do not realize that concrete coloring is a complex process and not just adding a certain amount of colorant to a certain amount of concrete. If you have your original redi-mix receipt, there is a better chance that we can make a good attempt, but still no guarantees.
2. What are the options for decorative concrete?
A regular application for concrete is non-colored with broom finish.
Decorative options include: colored broomed, colored stamped, knock-down colored finish (similar to stucco), non-colored exposed aggregate, colored exposed aggregate, stained, epoxy floors, brick ovens and exterior kitchens, colored/stained countertops (interior and exterior) and overlayments for old slabs/steps
3. How many different stamps do are there to choose from?
We have 5 stamps that we stock, however, we can rent just about any stamp you would like for an added fee. Approximately 90% of our customers find one or more of the stamps we have appealing and we rarely have to rent one. Our stock stamps are Jumbo Stone Textured, Ashlar Slate Pattern, California Fieldstone Pattern, Vermont Slate Pattern, Vermont Slate Textured Skins.
4. What can you offer to help us choose our color/stamp?
We often suggest trying to match a color used on the exterior of their home such as siding, brick, shingles or trim. As far as the stamp, we offer pictures and addresses from previous jobs to help you select the stamp that best suites you. For a few pictures, please visit our "Photo Gallery". For additional pictures and for addresses of previous jobs please contact us.
5. Is there anything I can do to an old slab/steps to make it decorative?
Yes. To enhance the look of your old slab/steps we offer three options. 1 - Overlayment, spray'n'trowel colored broom finish. 2 - Overlayment, stampable grade colored stamp. 3 - Spray'n'trowel colored knock-down finish.
6. Can you stain old concrete?
Yes and no. It can be done, however there are many variables that are difficult to determine with aged concrete therefore we normally do not recommend staining old concrete without an on-site consultation.
Other:
1. Why should I consider concrete over asphalt for my driveway?
Traditionally asphalt has been cheaper than concrete, however with rising oil prices, the cost of asphalt has been directly affected. Even with increasing concrete costs, the margin of cost between the two is narrowing very quickly. So with cost not being as much of a factor, the main thing to consider is longevity. If you are concerned about long-term costs then concrete is without a doubt the answer. Concrete is more durable and lasts much longer than asphalt, not to mention it requires much less maintenance. Concrete driveways will add to the value of your home as well.
2. If my project entails more than just concrete, can you help me in other areas of construction?
Yes! Len is a licensed General Contractor with the State of Minnesota and is more than happy to "general" your project. Please contact us to discuss this option further.
3. I understand that your company will not warranty any defects caused to concrete slabs, decorative or non decorative, by the use of salts to remove ice caused by Minnesota winters. What can I use to rid the ice from my slab?
You are correct. We DO NOT warranty any damages, scaling, or any surface defects caused to your driveway / steps / sidewalks / etc... caused by the use of ANY type of salt / sodium or other chemical based products meant to de-ice your concrete slab. These products often times will say "safe for your concrete" but in our 30 years of experience this is almost always false. If customers followed the instructions on the back of the bag or pail to a 'T' there is a small chance of success, but the problem is that most people do not follow these instructions making this product very harmful to concrete. The same thing happens to your drive and garage (especially if not properly sealed) from the chemicals that drip off your car after driving on city streets and highways. The Department of Transportation uses many chemicals that do an excellent job of removing unsafe ice off our roads. The downside to these chemicals is the damages they cause to our vehicles, driveways and garages (pavers, asphalt, and concrete alike.) We may not be able to control these chemicals from making their way to our slabs, however we can control the use of our own salts and chemicals on our slabs and how well we choose to protect our slabs with the use of concrete sealers. We ONLY recommend the use of sands (most have very small amounts of harmless salts) to add traction to the ice that has already accumulated. The use of ice chisels can be risky if your tool makes contact with the slab below so use caution here as well. Call or email for additional questions.
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