Big B Concrete

Definitely would NOT recommend Big B Concrete! After researching Angie's List online, we contacted, met with, and received bids for replacing our driveway from two highly rated concrete contractors. We chose Big B Concrete to do the work. Due to limited work space for finishing the cement, the owner chose to complete the upper area in front of the garage and front porch first. The lower section toward the street would be done in a second pour. On Wednesday (September 11), a Big B crew removed the old concrete, built forms, and at approximately 4:00 PM poured and "broom" finished the upper section. The broomed lines, smooth borders, etc., were perfect at that time. Shortly after 5:00 PM that same day, the owner called to check on the concrete as it had begun to drizzle rain. He stated that he was concerned since a heavy hard rain with large drops could create divots and wash away the surface. Approximately fifteen minutes later we watched as a heavy downpour did just that. I called the owner immediately and he and his crew arrived in about 15 minutes; they then spent the next 2 hours re-working the partially set cement. I believe what is referred to as the "cream" or top layer with its "broomed" pattern was mostly gone and some of the "gravel" or aggregate beneath was now visible in a number of places, especially where rain had poured down off the garage roof. Before he left that evening, I expressed my concern to the owner who stated that we would need to see how the concrete looked when it dried in a couple days. I asked, "What if it is not okay?" The owner said at that time that he would replace it. Friday (September 13) two days later, the lower section was poured, and when finished looked like the upper section before it was damaged by the hard rain and re-worked. That evening the owner phoned and asked if he could stop by to pick up a check for payment in full, as stipulated by the contract. Taking him at his word and Angie's List reputation, we obliged. By the following Wednesday (September 18), it was obvious that the two sections were different in color and finish. When I tried calling the owner for the next four days to discuss replacing the upper section, I constantly got a message that the mailbox was full. On Saturday (September 21), I sent the owner an email asking him to please call me to discuss replacing the damaged concrete; he finally returned my call on Tuesday and I expressed our concern about the damaged section with its divots, inconsistent borders, and gravelly, chalky surface. I stated that we were not at all happy with the final product and wanted it replaced. The owner insisted that "structurally" the concrete was fine and that he never told me he would replace it. I said that he did tell me that and we did want it replaced. He then replied, "I am not going to get into a p____ing contest about what I said." He said he would "stop by" in the next couple days (September 18-21) to take a look and would then call me with options. I received no call, so on Sunday (September 22) I called him at 8:00 AM to see where things stood. He proceeded to chastise me for calling him at 8 on a Sunday. I pointed out that once again, I, as the customer, was being forced to initiate any communication since he had not done so. He claimed then that he had stopped by and taken a look at the upper section, and that the pocked, powdery, gritty surface would be fine once we reached 28 days and he applied the sealer. He also stated that he was going to "tint" the sealer so that both sections would match in color. For clarification, I asked, "So, your 'solution' to our extreme dissatisfaction with the damaged cement that we want replaced is to apply a sealer, correct?" He paused and then replied, "Yes," and that he was sure this would address all our concerns. On October 9, one of his crew applied a bluish-gray tinted sealer to both sections to make them match. The sealer dried in obvious streaks where re-worked, porous areas in the upper section absorbed more. The owner came by that evening and after seeing the problems with the upper section stated that he wanted to apply a second coat of tinted sealer just to it. This was done in my absence the next morning (October 10). The second coat of tinted sealer resulted in the top section of the driveway looking like a painted cement basement floor, and all of the divots and surface flaws are now even much more obvious. The finish is pitted, shiny, and slick. In addition, during the second application of the tinted sealer to the upper section, an approximate 6 foot by 1 foot swath of the tint was "overpainted" onto the lower lighter section. This overpainting, which clearly looks like a mistake, only serves to emphasize the color difference between the two driveway sections. About at my wit's end with this project, I called the owner on Sunday (October 13) at 10:00 AM and he agreed to come by. I reiterated our total dissatisfaction with the work but proposed what I thought was a "win-win" solution: we would pay for the new concrete to replace the upper section if he would supply the labor and other minor materials. The owner once again insisted that "structurally" nothing was wrong with the concrete but said he would consider my offer and call me Monday evening (October 14) with his decision. To date I have never received a call! We had 2 objectives for replacing our cracked and sunken nineteen-year-old driveway: 1.) Reduce our liability as homeowners, and 2.) Improve the cosmetic appearance of our home. Neither objective has been achieved. Quite the contrary, we are now concerned because water collects and will likely freeze in many of the divots in the upper section, making it potentially very slippery and hazardous. The appearance speaks for itself. Having a concrete driveway replaced by a highly rated Angie's List contractor should not be this hard. The test of a good contractor is really how he deals with issues that arise during the project. Big B Concrete failed that test and their primary goal "to provide 100% customer satisfaction." This experience has been a nightmare. We are asking for a refund of $3,000 to help defray the cost of having the driveway replaced properly when weather permits next spring. Customer Update as of December 16, 2013 Big B?s response (see below) to our complaint actually further reduces their credibility with us and only reaffirms our decision to request a $3,000 refund rather than have them do any further work. Here?s why: 1.) Perhaps ?As discussed? refers to their conversation with the Complaint Resolution Specialist since we have not had any conversation with Big B since Sunday, October 13. During that discussion, I offered to pay for the cost of the concrete to replace the damaged concrete if Big B covered the labor and materials cost. We received no response from them until we posted our Angie?s List Review. These actions are not indicative of a sincere desire to achieve 100% customer satisfaction. 2.) As stated above, we have not communicated with Big B since October 13 (at my request), so I am baffled by their statement, ?We have been in contact with the customer multiple times to correct this situation.? This statement is not true. As my complaint outlined, all prior attempts to correct the situation were Big B?s (including the disastrous tinted sealer) and did not address our consistent request to replace the damaged concrete. 3.) The last statement in their response that states, ?We have come up with a plan that will make the customer happy? now seems rather ironic and is also really not true. Because the lower section has already been sealed with a tint and will still have the ?overpainted? swath of heavily tinted sealer that looks like a mistake, just replacing the upper section will result again in a driveway with two sections that don?t match. Based on our previous negative experiences with Big B and our lack of confidence in them now as a service provider willing to solve issues to the customer?s satisfaction, we do not want Big B to do any further work and have requested a $3,000 refund to help defray the cost of having the entire driveway replaced correctly in the spring. On November 15, we were notified by Angie?s List that Big B had denied our request for a refund; therefore, Big B can no longer make the claim that they have proudly maintained 100% customer satisfaction for more than 20 years. As extremely dissatisfied customers with a ?new concrete? driveway that is truly an embarrassment (see photos), we definitely would NOT recommend Big B to anyone seeking a concrete contractor. Our next recourse will be to take legal action.

They did an awesome job. It looks great. We are very happy that work there and all that they have done.

The new driveway is beautiful. The crew came when hey said they would and worked diligently until the job was finished. There were a couple of changes required due to slope of walk to meet driveway and slight underestimate of square footage due to grass over growing the edges, but they still completed he work in a timely manner. The quality of work was everything we hoped for. The cost of the job was significantly lower than others quoted for the same thing.

Called to get estimate, said they would come out and do estimate next day. After multiple calls and leaving 3 messages no answer or response. Never got estimate or return call.

I had a hard time finding a company to fix my driveway in a suitable manner who did work similar to my old driveway. They did a great job especially since I had an odd situation where I was the one hiring them but another company who had broken the old driveway was the one paying them.

Brian responded to a voicemail within the same day. He showed up within a week to provide an estimate and then got us on the schedule within the month. His team is very meticulous and looks professional as expected. My wife and I are very pleased and would hire Brian back for out next job without doubt. Brian's professionalism is something we found hard to beat. Most contractors are not as responsive and diligent to complete the job as if it was his own home. Nice job Brian!

Came out promptly for an estimate. Described how the old would be removed and disposed of, how the new surface would be laid following the framing. Described how the expanded area would be installed. The had a cancellation so they were able to do ours earlier than had been scheduled. They arrived promptly on schedule, worked very well as a team, Removed the asphalt, leveled, framed, poured the concrete and handled the cutting of expansion joints as agreed. Cleanup was done each day very well. Answered our questions quickly and in a language that could be understood.( i.e. no jargon of the trade). Would use them again with no hesitation and recommend them highly.

The workers arrived on time. They were very polite and did a great job cleaning up. I now have The best looking driveway on the block

My wife and I have needed a new driveway for years. Every spring we found ourselves with piles of concrete chips from the harsh winter. I was adament that if we replaced it, we should expand into a 3rd car pull-off since our 15 year old will be driving before we know it. I've had about 5 other concrete guys provide quotes over the years, but I had to get AEP's approval before doing the expansion work due to an easement from the electical lines. I found Big B here on Angie's list and was immediately impressed. Brian was awesome to deal with, very prompt and competitively priced. I took care of the permits with the City of Dublin (my choice since I had been working with them on the AEP situation for months) and Brian got me on the schedule within a few weeks. Brian's crew was top notch!!! It includes his son, brother in law and a guy who is a master with a Bobcat. They removed the old driveway and set up the forms on Thursday, poured the new driveway (with inspections from Dublin) on Friday, came Saturday to cut the grid and remove the forms. The final work is beautiful and we couldn't be more pleased. Can't wait to drive on it this coming Friday. I've had a dozen neighbors and passerbys ask who did the nice work and I've happily passed along Brian's contact info. I even have an extra stack of cards for any more folks who ask. Highly recommend Big B and thank you Angie's List for helping me find him.

I have a steep driveway. The asphalt was incredibly slippery in the winter, not to mention in terrible shape, so I decided to get it replaced with concrete. I found Big B on Angie's List and after getting 3 estimates from different companies, his price & personality won. He did the job within a couple of weeks after telling him that I wanted it done. I actually requested a specific day and he honored that request. The crew of about 6 guys showed up around 9am and they were finished by 3pm. They cleaned up after themselves impeccably and did a fantastic job. The broom technique that they used gave me the texture that I was hoping for and I really like the smooth sides which gives it a polished look. They filled in a couple of potholes in the street near my approach (for temporary relief) and filled in a 2" x 15" concrete step gap that we agreed on prior to the job. I'm extremely happy with the driveway and completely satisfied with the work that the crew did. These guys know what they are doing and they do it well & fast.

There were a lot of tricky things about my driveway. A fence and flower bed were on either side of the driveway, one garage door provided a real challenge, and I wanted a specific slope to get the drainage I needed. Brian and his crew understood what I wanted (it wasn't all standard). The were a very professional group. I am most happy with the end result and the care they took to do things as I wanted them and to make sure the driveway would last. Neighbors all seem impressed with the appearance.

Brian was extremely professional, responsive and took the time to answer questions and assuage any concerns.

They were in contact with me from the estimate all the way through and after the job was done. They were always there to answer my questions. There were never any issues and I would recommend them to everyone All of my neighbors love the work they did.

I was trying to sell a rental house I owned in Pataskala. It was an older home, and the basement was in need of repair, as was the foundation. Brian got back to me right away, went to the location, and came up with a better and more price efficient solution that had been previously offered. The work was completed in a timely manner, and looked great. It really helped me get the house sold, and I'd use Big B in the future without hesitation.

Big B was one of 5 companies I had quote this job. I chose them because of reputation, reasonable quote, knowledge and personability of the owner. They did not require any upfront costs and I paid them the full amount upon the completion of the work. My work was scheduled in a very reasonable amount of time. The team showed up promptly each day and always kept me apprised of the status of how the job was going. Big B took care of getting the necessary permits to complete the approach. The driveway was completed very quickly with no surprises. However, the approach was a different story. Upon tearing out the concrete of the approach (which should be about 4-6 thick), it was discovered that whomever poured it initially ten years ago did not do it correctly and it was up to 13" thick in some spots! Unfortunately, this led to some of their equipment being damaged which delayed the job slightly. However, Big B recovered quickly by renting additional equipment to get the job done. Overall, the entire job was still completed within the originally stated timeframe, for which I was very greatful. The issue with the approach was one that was completely strange and was unable to be identified in the original quoting. Big B was very fair with the additional cost above and beyond the original quoted amount due to the need for additional gravel and haul away cost of the super thick concrete. The additional cost was still in my budget and the total was still lower that several of the other quotes I received initially. The quality of the work was excellent and my driveway looks great! They will be returning within the next month to complete the final application of sealer to the surface.

I met with Brian (owner) to review the project and to get a quote. Brian quickly built my confidence they had the skill and equipment for the job. Brian had some good ideas for the actual project and how to handle not making a big mess out of my side yard in the process. After having a backhoe, endloader, pick-up truck, big dump truck and a concrete truck all in the same location in my side yard, they left the yard very much as before they started! I was amazed!! Fantastic job! The project itself meet all of my expectations and Brian and his crew were very good to work with. They left the area as clean as they found it with very little impact to surrounding area. Big B concrete has my highest recommendation!

.Overall, the experience was good. However, the one area in which I rated them an F was their responsiveness. Initially they responded and performed the work. During the process, I had a conversation with Brian about the possibility of the concrete cracking in this one area. He said it would be fine. After 3 weeks of curing, we drove on the driveway and sure enough, it cracked in the area of question. I had called Brian and asked him to take a look at it and he said he could come by and put some caulk in it. We have yet to hear from him. My frustrations are with the follow through. Great for initial response to get the job, great at performing the work in a timely fashion, poor when it comes to resolving an issue that I questioned in the beginning.

Brian got us on the schedule fast. The crew were punctual, fast, clean....everything we had hoped for. They tore out the old blacktop and loaded it up right away. We had no issues with equipment being in the way of our neighbors. They took good care of the adjacent lawn and were cautious around sprinkler heads. We have had numerous comments on how nice the driveway looks. The edges are smoothed and the overall aesthetic is great!

I got an estimate quickly after I called Brian at Big B. After a several week wait, due to weather and heat on other jobs, they started my driveway. The driveway space was very narrow and tricky to work in as it sits flush to the house. We also found out that the concrete near the house was 12 inches thick instead of the usual 4-6 inched! They worked very hard to cut that all out and haul it away in a very narrow driveway (my driveway is flush to my neighbors and they cut mine perfectly without damaging my neighbor's). They created a turn around in the back for me (I do a "Y" turn out of my garage) and a lovely front walk. I especially like the new grading of the drive as it used to be steep and slope towards the house making it a challenge to drive on an icy winter day -- the slope would send me sliding towards the house and I once landed in the front yard! I love the look of the new drive as I have a concrete block house and garage and it matches my house so well. It really brings up the look of my whole property and I've received many complements on it. The work was done in a timely manner, despite the heat and the surprise 12 inch concrete to take to the dump. It was completely neat when they left and the front yard now has a great walk and landscaping grade. Thank you Big B!

The existing driveway was a crumbling asphalt platform that had served its useful life well. However, it was not level, sunk in many spots, not symmetrical with the property lines or garage door opening. The concrete garage floor was poured over 70 years ago with no expansion or control joints, and was severely cracked and settled in many places. I received quotes from three companies. I had spoke with Brian, the owner of Big B Concrete several years earlier. So finding that his business was still highly rated was encouraging. When the team arrived on-site they began work immediately. The first order of business was sawing out the garage floor - that was a dirty job, but the use of a concrete saw with a water attachment virtually eliminated concrete dust. I covered all the important areas of the garage wall with plastic sheeting to prevent splatter from the saw and any dust that would be created from sawing. After the garage floor was sawed and removed, the old driveway was then removed. There were several areas that had old tree roots that had to be removed. The direct-bury power line to my garage was found, was handled carefully by the crew, and not damaged. Next, the slope of the driveway was determined and forms were set. I had some of the sections of vinyl siding on the garage removed to prevent concrete from splattering and because the lower sections close to the surface would have to be re-cut at a later time. The pouring of the concrete required three trips of a concrete mixing truck. The job took a total of one week to complete. The weather was very hot, with threats of thunderstorms almost daily. The crew was tireless in their efforts and worked steadily through it all. Other challenges involved leaves from mature trees (stress from the summer heat) falling on the freshly poured concrete - these all had to be removed individually. The challenge of thunderstorms meant that pouring had to be carefully scheduled. Regarding permits, these had to be obtained for the sections of sidewalk and the driveway apron. These were all handled by Brian. Because Big B does work regularly in this area, my opinion is that it helped make the inspections a non-event. The final result of the project is nothing less than amazing. I have also received numerous compliments from my neighbors. The work has greatly improved the appearance and value of my property.

There had been a water line leak which caused the water company to require digging up half of the old apron approach at the street. This driveway was about 25 years old, had an exposed stone aggregate surface and was deteriorating in places so at least half of it needed replaced to restore it to an acceptable standard. After talking to the contractor about different options and prices, we elected to replace the entire driveway. The total cost was $7,200.00, but after the water company paid their share, my cost amounted to $5,600.00. Big B Concrete did an outstanding job from beginning to end, at a reasonable price. I would recommend them to anyone who has need of concrete work.

The estimation and bidding process went well; no problems.

Brian was prompt, courteous, and friendly from my first phone contact with him. He took the time to answer all of my questions, and gave me a quick estimate over the phone based on my measurements and after reviewing a satellite photo of my property. After getting several other estimates, I decided to go with Big B. When I called him back to confirm, he told me it would be about a two week lead time until he could get to my project. About 10 days later, he called and said he could fit me in earlier than expected, but only if I was ready. I said yes, and he and his crew got started the next day. Brian and his crew were friendly, courteous, and professional throughout the entire project. Brian took the time to review all aspects of the project with me as it progressed. They were very neat and tidy as they worked, and left no mess whatsoever. And I couldn't be more pleased with the finished product. Call Big B for your next concrete project; you won't be disappointed.

Brian called me back within an hour the first time I left him a message. He was out to do an estimate that weekend. Once I decided to go with him, he was able to do the work within a week. Brian took care of the permits/inspections without any problems. That was one part I was very thankful not to deal with much. He called and asked questions to make sure the driveway and sidewalk were designed and located exactly how I wanted since I couldn't be there. If I wasn't sure, he always had great suggestions. I had been putting this off for 4 years because I just wasn't sure what a hassle this could all be. Brian immediately put me at ease and followed through therefore making this a great experience for me. I have already had neighbors say they are jealous of my driveway. His guys who finished it were careful and made it look beautiful. I had pictures of it as well, and have had a few people ask for the company name and number. Thanks Brian, it's perfect!

Very quick from the time we got the estimate to job completion, maybe 2 weeks total. It was a large job, started on a Thursday, finished on Monday (Brian and his crew even came on a Saturday since they had to do the cutting right after pouring on Friday). Due to the replacing of driveway approaches, a permit was required; Brian took care of all of that (permit, inspectors). Also he had to deal with the city arborist due to sidewalk squares that had been pushed up by a tree root. We didn't have to worry about a thing (also, the price didn't go up even when the inspector was picky about where the concrete met the street and Brian unexpectedly had to pour some asphalt in the street). Our only complaint isn't really Brian's fault; a hairline crack formed a few days after the pouring, on the curved part of the circular drive (radiating out) - freak thing I guess, we hadn't driven on it or anything (this is the only reason I gave a "B" for quality). Brian has come out to look at it and is working with us to make sure it is sealed and no other damage is done. Other than that, the job is perfect and looks gorgeous, no more pooling water when it rains (which was a problem with the old asphalt). Very easy to work with, we would highly recommend Big B Concrete.