Am I overreacting or do I have a legitimate issue here:
Today I had the base put in for a new driveway where an old (50+ years) driveway had been. The contract called for the old driveway to be removed and 4″ RCA to be laid. (Step One occurred last week with the installation of one 4 X 8 ” drywell in front of my two-door garage to assure proper draininage.)
I got concerned when what came out of the dump truck looked like brown sandy dirt with a relatively low (10%) percentage of stone/pebble size objects in it. (There were larger chunks of concrete too.) I called the company salesman and he assured me that this was “prime” RCA and that it could look different based on that particular day’s mix. So, they went ahead and spread it out. By my measurement, done after they left, there no four inches! It’s 2 inches at most. Is this what RCA should look like?
It was smoothed out with the backhoe, not packed down with a compacter. In certain areas I can scratch down to the base level of the old driveway. When I drove my car over the base tonight, the ground hardly shifted beneath the tires. (Maybe this is good rather than bad?)
My game plan from the beginning was to let the base settle for several months before putting down the top aspahlt coat. I still intend to do so. But am I right to be concerned with the job to date? I have not paid the contractor yet. Suggestions, feedback appreciated.
BTW, I did check this company out with Consumer Affairs before I engaged him. Thanks.
Replies
I'm not a paving expert, but I have learned several things the hard way...
First, you need to understand that aggregate grading and terminology is very regional, sometimes to the point where 2 different quarries 10 miles apart call the same product something different, generally, gravel is graded according to DOT standards - that would be your State DOT. That said, I've never heard of "RCA".
It sounds like you may be talking about what we here in NC call ABC which I believe stands for Aggregate Base Course and is basically a mixture of ~1 1/4" stone all the way down to fines. It is also known as crush n run.When I lived in VA, they called it something totally different. Anyway, normally, stone like this would be rolled with a vibratory roller. It seems odd that you said >> When I drove my car over the base tonight, the ground hardly shifted beneath the tires. << most stone products would not be that firm unless it was rolled or something, but if it is that hard, it definitely is a good thing. As far as what you got vs what you expected, it depends on what you contracted to have done.
BTW - >> The contract called for the old driveway to be removed << What was the old driveway? and to what extent was it removed (base-course too)
The old driveway was an oil and stone mix...probably from the 1950s or earlier! The contractor broke up and carted away pieces that were about 4 inches in thickness. There were many ridges and grooves in the old driveway, and it definitely needed re-grading.I'm on Long Island, New York. Short of a specific definition of what RCA is composed of- actual percentages of content - in the contract, does the homeowner have no quality assurance?Thanks for your input.
P.S. RCA stands for "recycled concrete aggregate."
The only thing that I know about RCA is that there is a massive to-do, felony criminal charges etc. related to RCA being used instead of stone in concrete used in some major construction in the SF Bay Area. Apparently it doesn't get the same level of strength or last as long with RCA.
I have absolutely no idea how it would work for roadbase, but I'd certainly check with the state, or even the local public works or roads department just to get another opinion.
I have never seen recycled concrete aggregate used in residential applications here. I can see where it would be common in more urban areas. Quite possibly the RCA you purchased is actually a mixture of products that might include things like natural stone, crushed concrete, fly ash, and slag. Fly ash tends to have a light brown color and is a byproduct of some power plants. Regardless of any of that, it sounds like you should get a 4" thickness.
The contract called for the old driveway to be removed and 4" RCA to be laid
By my measurement, done after they left, there no four inches! It's 2 inches at most. Is this what RCA should look like?
i would say you have a not been given what you contracted for. you should get what you paid for. of course the rest of fill might be 6" thick eles were on your drive.