advice on a pad I am contemplating

[Mez]

I am going to get my tub in about 3 weeks and decided to put it on a pad. My deck isnt large enough so I am going to remove a raling and put some steps down to a pad, so here is my dilemna....I decided on a concrete pad. I dont want to pay alot for it and decided to do it myself. I called around for concrete, most dont really want to mess with 1.7 yards, the few that did wanted more since it was a partial load, didnt deliver Saturdays, had to schedule out 1.5 weeks in advance and so on.
I decided to just buy Sakrete and mix it myself. A 10'x10' pad 4 inches thick takes (56) 80 lb bags. That is too many bags to mix at once and I wouldnt get a good finished product, so I thought about buliding a 10 foot sqaure frame out of treated lumber, then putting 2 pieces in the frame to divide it into 4 equal sections. I could easily manage a 5'X5" mix and pour and could do it as my time allowed, a section at a time. I would leave the treated frame in place after the pour. It would be lagged together with 4 inch lag screws. Then once it was set, I thought about putting wood decking over the entire pad and screwing it into place, then staining it to match my deck. I am thinking it would be a solid structure and better and stronger than trying to build up a deck on ground level, cementing the posts, etc.
Any thoughts?

[mattNY]

Sounds to me like you've done your homework.  I went through a similar process when doing my patio, but even given the limitations you mention I'd personally still spring for getting it poured.  You mention it'll take 56 80-lb. bags, my home store has those for $4.64 a pop, so that's $259.84 plus tax ($281.28 in my county).  My quotes around here for a short load of 2.4 yards was about $350.  I don't know how the prices run where you are, but mixing that much concrete is a huge pain in the butt and takes a lot of time.  Setting the forms and getting the whole thing poured in half an hour is great, then you can float it out at your leisure.  For the time savings and the convenience, there was no way on God's green earth I even considered bags, and a vacation day off work is a small price to pay.

Just my $0.02.  Best of luck whichever way you go, soon enough you'll be in hot water (the good kind).

[Brewman]

Getting a few buddies, and renting a mixer you should be able to mix enough for a good pour.

[96SC]

Getting a few buddies, and renting a mixer you should be able to mix enough for a good pour.

When our family and friends would mix cement we'd always cover the 'dead soldiers' with cement so it would take fewer bags to mix. (I also remember covering an old hot water heater, anything that would take up space).  In your case instead of 56 bags you may get by with only 55.  Use bricks, large rock etc as fill.

If you do it yourself be sure to tell the wheel barrel movers not to cross their feet.  More of our cement has been poured on the ground because of tipped over barrels due to a narrow footing base from crossed feet.

Sounds like fun.  I'm at the supervisory age, myself.

[Mez]

Well, thanks for the advice on this dilemna. I decided to go it alone because the cost and hassle of getting a truck out here. I called around for a couple bids to have someone pour the slab and they were outrageous. I had my driveway 15x75 feet and a sidewalk 3X 25 feet and front porch 4X6 feet poured 8 years ago and these guys were asking 1/3 what I paid for that.
My local home improvement store has the 80 bags on sale for $2.97. I made a trip yesterday and today on my way home from work and picked up 8 bags and put them in my trunk. I built up the frame last nite after posting this, leveled the ground out today and poured my first 1/4 of the slab. Besides my back,
arms, legs and hands I feel pretty good  I split the 10X10 pad into 4 -5x5 sections using a frame of treated lumber and will leave the form/frame and cross sections intact after pouring. Then I will take deck boards and cover the pad and stain it to match my deck. I thought of this for two reasons, I think it will look better than concrete and also I dont have to worry about the finish of the concrete since I had never done it before. After I got the hang of the float it really turned out kind of nice.
I dont recommend this to anyone though except for cheap bastards like myself that spent more on the tub than he wanted and now is trying to save a buck anywhere else he can. I cant wait to try my hand at the 220 wiring! Just kidding...I want to be around to enjoy the tub...after doing this pad...I think I will really need a good soak!