Heard a foreman say 'good enough is the enemy of flat' on a slab pour yesterday

I was finishing up a driveway in Lincoln last week and this old foreman from another crew walked by while I was bull floating. He told his apprentice that exact thing and it got me thinking. I've been in this trade for about 6 years and I used to let little waves or low spots slide if they were barely noticeable. But that phrase stuck because he wasn't being harsh about it, just matter of fact. I spent an extra 20 minutes working that slab to get it as flat as I could with my straightedge and the customer even mentioned how level it looked when they came out. It's a simple thing but hearing someone else say it out loud made me realize I've been cutting corners on small stuff without even knowing it. Any of you guys have a quote from a veteran that actually changed how you work on site?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylorcarr4d ago

Man, that "extra 20 minutes" part caught me off guard. You actually stopped and spent twenty more minutes on a slab that was already passing? That’s crazy dedication from a six year guy. Most guys I see would have just called it done and moved on to the next truck. Props to that foreman for dropping a line that actually stuck in your head, and double props to you for acting on it right then and there. Customer noticed it too, that’s the real payoff.

margaretf404d ago

I actually gotta push back a little on the "already passing" part. In my experience, a slab that just passes inspection isn't the same as a flat slab. Passing means it meets the minimum spec, but flat is when you're not seeing those little light gaps under your straightedge. Most guys call it good when the level hits the number, but that foreman was talking about a different standard altogether. It's easy to think you're done when the bubble is close enough, but that extra 20 minutes is what separates a good pour from a great one, your mileage may vary but I've seen it play out more than a few times now.