cutting patio slab

https://picasaweb.google.com/pewaukeedp/PatioPics#
Pics of our existing patio slab.

The slab is pitched towards our home so we have to cut it away since water is pooling. I plan on tearing it out, getting some lime stone (1/4" Traffic Bond), and pitch the area away from the house. I plan on adding pavers as well. Good idea?

Are we safe to rent a jackhammer from home depot and cut it away ourselves?

 

Jackhammer is the best way. However you will need bolt cutters to cut through the re-fence embedded in the concrete. That is if they didn't use pure rebar. THAT is a different story. You will have to break all the concrete from around the rebar and disassemble the grid, unless you cut the rebar with a grinder or torch.
Personally, I would repour with a proper pitch, and have it stamped and stained at the same time. Your pavers would work well, but you need a good foundation packed properly and pitched, possibly some active drainage pipes, can't tell from the landscape, but it looks pretty flat.

 

How well do those diamond blade wet saws perform against the metal? It may be easier to rent that from HD and just cut the slab into small chunks. That jackhammer is really heavy.

 

How do I know if they originally used rebar or whatever else is under the concrete? In other words how would a pro know? I'm definitely wanting to save money but not if I can get hurt.
Since the concrete slab is currently flush against the house how would repouring work?
it also looks like they originally poured the cement incorrectly under the patio step. Should I remove the step, repour correctly and have someone build a brick step or install a concrete step?

 

How would a pro know??? Probably not until the first dig. If done correctly it should have refence embedded in it. I mentioned a repour pitched away from the house so you could have a solid surface again. A jack hammer on a horizontal surface is only heavy when you move it. The one I broke up recently I did 2 weeks from knee replacement surgery. I just let it do the work and moved it very carefully. (I was short one helper that day).
Once the new pour is made, you can rebuild the steps. I would demo them anyway and replace it with a concrete one to prevent rotting in the future.

 

Here is what our city code is per the Village that we live in.
"Rise maximum is 8 inches. Tread minimum is 9 inches. This Is all the code addresses.
The key is proper pitch away from the house typically 1/2 inch per foot starting at least 6 inches below the top of foundation.
If grade is bad sometime stripping the soil and removing excessive to achieve grade is the best."


When we have someone repour....since the slab is flush against the house...how would that work out?

 

What are you sloping at 1/2" per ft.?? A slab, like a patio, only needs 1" per 10', or 1" per 8' at the most. Any more slope than that and you'll feel like your climbing a hill to get to the house!!

What your local code is addressing is the steps. An 8" rise is a lot -- 7" is much more comfortable. Are you sure about the 9" min. tread width?? That used to be legal, but when everybody changed over to the I.R.C. several years back, that became wider. As it is currently, how much height difference is there from the slab to the door threshold? Divide that in half, and that will become your rise for the step. I wouldn't make the tread width any less than 11".

 

I agree with Mike on the steps. Generally the formula is 18 united inches. Shorter risers require a deeper tread, and vice versa. His dimensions are right on for comfort and safety. You asked about having the pour against the house. It makes no difference. The slope away from the house will take the water away immediately. A good elastomeric caulk along the seam once it has cured will help prevent infiltration behind the slab. 1/2" or so per 10' is more than sufficient.

 

I have contractors telling me to either cit away the slab or to just repour over it. This is where Im confused. I just want to do whats best to fix the water issue. Afterwards I really dont care how the area looks. I can add pavers etc anytime.

 

If you want pavers, remove the slab and install pavers.

If you want a slab, remove the existing slab and pour a new one.

Don't install pavers on top of a concrete slab.

 

So In either case i have to take the existing slab out?
What about mudjacking? Is repouring more expensive then adding pavers?

 

Had a contractor come by today and tell me that they can mudjack the slab for me for $396, is this what I should do?

 

If you want to save money, that is what you should do. Sounds like a good deal to me.

 

They told me the slab is in perfect shape, just need to pitch it correctly.

 

Sounds like a pretty good deal then. As long as they do a good job and pitch it right I think you made a good decision.

 

I can see this as being reasonable, I'd at least look more into it.