Warning: Our concrete pour went bad last Tuesday because the pump broke mid-job

We were 30 yards into a 50 yard pour for a slab in Raleigh when the concrete pump just died. Had to scramble and hand-bucket the last 20 yards with a crew of 6 while the truck kept mixing. Has anyone else dealt with equipment failure like this, and do you have a backup plan for when your primary gear goes down?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowan8491mo ago

Pulled a similar stunt last year when our mixer's drum seized up mid-pour for a driveway. Ended up using five gallon buckets and a lot of colorful language to finish before the concrete set. Ever since then I keep a backup wheelbarrow and extra hands on standby just in case the pump decides to take a nap again.

sagelane1mo ago

You ever try to mix concrete in a kiddie pool with a shovel because your power mixer crapped out on you? Yeah, I've been there. Ended up with concrete splattered all over my garage floor and a back that didn't straighten out for a week. Now I keep a spare paddle mixer and a case of beer in the truck for bribing neighbors to lend a hand when stuff goes sideways.