Pro tip: My old foreman swore by using 3/8" rebar in every footing, turns out he was dead wrong.

Honestly, back in 2019 I was building a retaining wall outside of Phoenix and he insisted on 3/8" instead of 1/2" to save money. By the third rainy season the whole thing started cracking and shifting. The structural engineer I hired said the thinner rebar just didn't have enough rigidity for the soil pressure we had out here. Has anyone else dealt with a situation where trusting an old-timer's shortcut backfired?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert_bennett293d ago

Did you get a second opinion before the engineer came out, or was it a surprise how bad it got? I had a similar issue with a concrete slab that used undersized mesh based on an old timer's advice, and it took a full tear out and repour six months later. Sometimes saving a few bucks upfront just ain't worth the headache later.

schmidt.blake3d ago

Sometimes saving a few bucks upfront just ain't worth the headache later" hits the nail on the head, learned that one the hard way too lol.