Building new coop want to put down concrete

[chickenmama55]

Hello everyone,
Haven't been on in a while, any way we would like to build a new coop we're starting over since something got in and killed all of our chickens and ducks. We want to put down concrete our coop will be a out 20×30 but I don't know where to start or how much it will cost; has anyone in the Hudson valley done this? And how did it work out for you?

 

[Waz]

Hello everyone,
Haven't been on in a while, any way we would like to build a new coop we're starting over since something got in and killed all of our chickens and ducks. We want to put down concrete our coop will be a out 20×30 but I don't know where to start or how much it will cost; has anyone in the Hudson valley done this? And how did it work out for you?

I am not from the Hudson Valley but one of my friends had a concrete wall and just put bark down on the top of it for the hens to scratch in then they let them out on a regular basis

 

[N F C]

If you have something like a Home Depot or Lowe's around, they may be able to give you an estimate on how much that amount of concrete will cost.

 

[aart]

We want to put down concrete our coop will be a out 20×30 but I don't know where to start or how much it will cost; has anyone in the Hudson valley done this?

That's a big slab, not gonna be cheap.
Make sure you find a good concrete contractor, and get more than one quote.
Might try asking in the NY State Chat thread;
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ny-chicken-lover.231485/page-5863

 

[chickenmama55]

If you have something like a Home Depot or Lowe's around, they may be able to give you an estimate on how much that amount of concrete will cost.

T

That's a big slab, not gonna be cheap.
Make sure you find a good concrete contractor, and get more than one quote.
Might try asking in the NY State Chat thread;
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ny-chicken-lover.231485/page-5863

Thank you

 

[RevRico]

At 4 inches thick, that's 7.5 yards of concrete. Add 10% for waste. Where I'm at, the price is $135/yard delivered, and that's not accounting for forms and floats or site prep work. Plus a slab that size should have at least one expansion joint in it, 2 if it gets really cold or you have ground moisture problems.

Easily double or even triple that to have someone that isn't you do the work.

I just happen to know because I was looking at pouring a similar sized slab in the fall, but I'd be doing all the work myself.

 

[chickenmama55]

At 4 inches thick, that's 7.5 yards of concrete. Add 10% for waste. Where I'm at, the price is $135/yard delivered, and that's not accounting for forms and floats or site prep work. Plus a slab that size should have at least one expansion joint in it, 2 if it gets really cold or you have ground moisture problems.

Easily double or even triple that to have someone that isn't you do the work.

I just happen to know because I was looking at pouring a similar sized slab in the fall, but I'd be doing all the work myself.

Is the price the same if we're doing it ourselves?

 

[pintail_drake2004]

That is about 7.5 yards, ask them to bring the self leveling stuff, and I'd suggest getting 8yds to be safe. Put down a solid layer of pack rock (at least 2" min) and set your forms. Have them bring a bull float, and use it after you strike it off. Put at least 1 joint in there, and do your edge work yourself (edging trowels are not that expensive). 8 yards of concrete would be about $1120 around here, plus your rock. There are 2 guarantees with concrete, it get hard and it WILL crack! Its just a matter of time.
If you are going to get quickcrete ($4.35/80#) and do it yourself would cost more than its worth, you'd be better off having a ready mix company come and pour it.

 

[RevRico]

Is the price the same if we're doing it ourselves?

Getting concrete delivered with stone base, wire mesh, and board forms purchased? Yes. Even more if the truck can't get right to where you need it and you need it pumped.

If you were going to build block walls on it as well, then you'd need a footer to put less stress on the slab and handle the weight, which is more digging, gravel, wire, and concete.

It gets surprisingly expensive very quickly to do things with concrete that don't seem like that big of a deal

 

[Kris5902]

Too big to tackle IMO even with a mixer and bulk navvy. Navvy being the aggregate, and just buying bags of straight Portland cement. We managed to hand float and level our 18’x18’ 6” thick pad for our hot tub. If you’re willing to do all the work yourself and just have to pay for the concrete it wouldn’t be too expensive though. It’s a chicken coop, remember, not a house! Alternatively you could just pour footings for the perimeter then a thinner slab (I think it’s called a mud slab?) inside with metal mesh reinforcement. The whole slab doesn’t need to be super structural or heavy does it?