Homeowners may be able to pour their own concrete for small jobs like filling in cracked or broken concrete surfaces and for new concrete driveways and garage floors, as you can easily rent a concrete mixer and other tools needed to tackle this work on your own. However, some concreting jobs are best left to a professional, so that the job gets done right and your concrete surface will last over time. Note a few times when you want to call a professional for concreting services you need done at home and why these jobs may be outside your area of expertise.

When the ground is not level

If you're looking to create a new driveway, patio, or other concrete slab outside and know that the ground is not level or don't know how to grade the ground properly, you don't want to assume that you can just pour the concrete and then brush or scrape it to create a level surface. When the ground under a concrete slab is not level, one area of the concrete is likely to sag and, in turn, suffer more cracks and chips. 

In the same way, if one section of your driveway has already broken away because of sagging and you're filling in that section, new concrete won't just sit securely in that uneven spot of ground; the soil under it needs to be made level and sometimes even braced up to make it stronger so it stays level. Have a professional manage this job so he or she can level and grade the property before the concrete is poured, and the soil will then be able to hold the concrete in place securely.

When you're covering over chips and cracks

Very small cracks and chips on a garage floor or driveway can usually be covered over with a new layer of concrete. However, when chips and cracks are very severe, meaning you can see to the underside of the concrete or chunks have broken away, a fresh layer over this area is not going to repair this damage. New concrete may settle into those chipped areas but it may not hold the broken pieces together, so your new concrete begins to chip and crack as well. In many cases that damage to the old concrete needs to be addressed first and the concrete surface then ground down, much like sanding wood, for a new layer of concrete to remain level and always in good repair.

For more information, contact local professionals like Liquid Rock Constructions Pty Ltd.