First Things First
Hope everyone out there is safe and getting back to normal. Irma was no joke. We were without power for almost a week over on our side of town and I know some folks out toward North Port and Venice had it even worse. Hang in there.
What We're Seeing Out There
This past week I've been driving around checking on customers and looking at concrete damage around the area. Here's what Irma did to a lot of driveways, patios, and walkways around Sarasota.
Tree root damage. A LOT of trees came down or partially uprooted. When those root balls come up they can crack and lift concrete slabs something fierce. I've seen a few driveways over near Fruitville that got torn up pretty bad from oak trees going over.
Water erosion underneath slabs. All that rain and flooding washed out the base material under a lot of concrete. The slab looks fine on top but underneath there's a void. You'll notice it because the concrete will feel hollow when you walk on it or you'll see new cracking where it's settling into the gap.
Debris impact. Flying debris chipped and cracked a lot of surfaces. Mostly cosmetic but some of the hits were hard enough to cause structural cracks.
Cracks - When to Worry and When to Relax
Don't Panic About These
- Hairline surface cracks - these are cosmetic and were probably there before the storm
- Small chips on edges - ugly but not structural
- Discoloration from standing water - it'll dry out and look normal again
These Need Attention
- Cracks wider than a quarter inch - something shifted underneath
- Sections that have lifted or sunk noticeably - base material washed out
- Cracks that go all the way through the slab - you can tell because water goes straight down into them
- Any cracking near your foundation - get that looked at ASAP
Free Damage Assessments
Look - we're all dealing with a lot right now. Insurance claims, tree removal, roof repairs, everything's a mess. So if you're one of our customers or even if you're not, we're offering free concrete damage assessments for the next few weeks. I'll come out, take a look, and tell you honestly if it needs repair or if it's just cosmetic stuff you can live with.
I'm not gonna try to sell you work you don't need. That's not how we operate. Especially right now when everybody's stretched thin.
If You Do Need Repairs
Fair warning - every contractor in Sarasota county is slammed right now. We're booking out a few weeks but we're prioritizing safety stuff first - trip hazards on walkways, foundation-adjacent damage, anything that could get worse with more rain. Cosmetic repairs can wait.
We'll get through this. Sarasota always bounces back. Drop us a line if you need us to come take a look at your concrete. Stay safe out there.