Poured Concrete Foundation & Structure Contractors
Description
Companies in this industry pour and finish concrete foundations and structural elements, and perform pressure grouting and shotcrete work; other services include alterations, maintenance, and repairs. Major companies, all based in the US, include Baker Concrete Construction, Berkel & Company Contractors, Stewart Builders, and United Forming.
China and the US are the world's largest markets for construction, including concrete and masonry contracting. Other major markets also include India, Australia, Switzerland, and the UK.
The US poured concrete foundation and structure contracting industry includes about 20,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $53 billion.
The industry does not include concrete paving of streets, highways, sidewalks, residential driveways, or parking areas.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is driven by residential, commercial, industrial, and government-funded construction activity. The profitability of individual companies depends on accurate cost estimation and effective project management. Large companies have economies of scale in marketing and purchasing. Small companies can compete effectively by specializing.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major jobs include pouring and finishing concrete foundations, footings, chimneys, and retaining walls for residential, commercial, government, and institutional building projects. Other services include pressure grouting (reinforcing with concrete), shotcrete installation, concrete floor surfacing, and concrete repair and resurfacing. Majority of the industry's revenue is from the construction for new single detached residential buildings, which account for about 15% of revenue. Other services also include the construction of apartment buildings (10%), commercial warehouses (10%), stores, restaurants, automobile service stations (about 5%), and office buildings (about 55%).
Concrete is a highly versatile material. Its characteristics depend on the types and proportions of the various materials mixed to create it. Concrete contains portland cement (the binding material); sand; gravel (or other kinds of crushed rock, all called "aggregate"); and water. Contractors usually mix ingredients at a central yard just before delivery to a construction site, where the concrete must be poured within a few hours before it begins to harden, or set.
Concrete foundations make up the structural elements that transmit loads from a building to the earth below. Concrete foundation contractors typically pour concrete into prepared forms and molds, which often contain reinforcing steel bars (rebar). Most contractors erect their own forms or molds and place patterns of rebar before pouring. Both form and rebar work are sometimes subcontracted to specialists, especially on complicated projects.
There are three basic types of concrete foundations: T-shaped, slab-on-grade, and frost protected. In T-shaped foundations, which are most often used in areas where the ground freezes, a concrete footing is poured below the frost line, the walls are added on top, and a slab is poured between the walls. Frost protected foundations, which are also used in areas prone to ground freezing, use two sheets of rigid polystyrene foam to insulate the foundation's outside wall and the gravel at the outside base of the wall. Slab-on-grade foundations consist of a single layer of poured concrete several inches thick. The slab is typically thicker at the edges to provide a more stable footing and sits on a layer of crushed gravel which aids in proper drainage.
Concrete pressure grouting (also called mudjacking and slabjacking) is a method of concrete foundation and sinkhole repair in which a cement-grout mixture is pumped beneath slabs of concrete. The objective of pressure grouting is to either fill the void between the bottom of the slab and fallen soil beneath it, or raise up a sunken slab to restore a level surface.
Shotcrete (also called gunite) is a type of concrete work where concrete is sprayed or "shot" through a pneumatic application gun onto a surface to form structural shapes, including walls, floors, roofs, tunnels, and swimming pools. As with cast-in-place concrete, shotcrete is applied to reinforcing steel frame structures to add strength. Other shotcrete reinforcing materials include welded wire mesh and steel fiber.
China and the US are the world's largest markets for construction, including concrete and masonry contracting. Other major markets also include India, Australia, Switzerland, and the UK.
The US poured concrete foundation and structure contracting industry includes about 20,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $53 billion.
The industry does not include concrete paving of streets, highways, sidewalks, residential driveways, or parking areas.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is driven by residential, commercial, industrial, and government-funded construction activity. The profitability of individual companies depends on accurate cost estimation and effective project management. Large companies have economies of scale in marketing and purchasing. Small companies can compete effectively by specializing.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major jobs include pouring and finishing concrete foundations, footings, chimneys, and retaining walls for residential, commercial, government, and institutional building projects. Other services include pressure grouting (reinforcing with concrete), shotcrete installation, concrete floor surfacing, and concrete repair and resurfacing. Majority of the industry's revenue is from the construction for new single detached residential buildings, which account for about 15% of revenue. Other services also include the construction of apartment buildings (10%), commercial warehouses (10%), stores, restaurants, automobile service stations (about 5%), and office buildings (about 55%).
Concrete is a highly versatile material. Its characteristics depend on the types and proportions of the various materials mixed to create it. Concrete contains portland cement (the binding material); sand; gravel (or other kinds of crushed rock, all called "aggregate"); and water. Contractors usually mix ingredients at a central yard just before delivery to a construction site, where the concrete must be poured within a few hours before it begins to harden, or set.
Concrete foundations make up the structural elements that transmit loads from a building to the earth below. Concrete foundation contractors typically pour concrete into prepared forms and molds, which often contain reinforcing steel bars (rebar). Most contractors erect their own forms or molds and place patterns of rebar before pouring. Both form and rebar work are sometimes subcontracted to specialists, especially on complicated projects.
There are three basic types of concrete foundations: T-shaped, slab-on-grade, and frost protected. In T-shaped foundations, which are most often used in areas where the ground freezes, a concrete footing is poured below the frost line, the walls are added on top, and a slab is poured between the walls. Frost protected foundations, which are also used in areas prone to ground freezing, use two sheets of rigid polystyrene foam to insulate the foundation's outside wall and the gravel at the outside base of the wall. Slab-on-grade foundations consist of a single layer of poured concrete several inches thick. The slab is typically thicker at the edges to provide a more stable footing and sits on a layer of crushed gravel which aids in proper drainage.
Concrete pressure grouting (also called mudjacking and slabjacking) is a method of concrete foundation and sinkhole repair in which a cement-grout mixture is pumped beneath slabs of concrete. The objective of pressure grouting is to either fill the void between the bottom of the slab and fallen soil beneath it, or raise up a sunken slab to restore a level surface.
Shotcrete (also called gunite) is a type of concrete work where concrete is sprayed or "shot" through a pneumatic application gun onto a surface to form structural shapes, including walls, floors, roofs, tunnels, and swimming pools. As with cast-in-place concrete, shotcrete is applied to reinforcing steel frame structures to add strength. Other shotcrete reinforcing materials include welded wire mesh and steel fiber.
Table of Contents
- Industry Overview
- Quarterly Industry Update
- Business Challenges
- Business Trends
- Industry Opportunities
- Call Preparation Questions
- Financial Information
- Industry Forecast
- Web Links and Acronyms
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