Industry Standards:

Foundation and Floor Slabs: In monolithic construction, the floor slab, garage slab, foundations and footings are all poured in concrete at the same time. Barnes Homebuilders uses heavily reinforced concrete monolithic slab construction.

One thing to understand about concrete is that it will crack!

It is important to understand that concrete is porous material that will expand, contract, and crack as a result of temperature changes, shrinkage, stress and settlement. Hairline cracks that may appear on foundation walls and be visible on garage floors are common and are usually cosmetic, as opposed to structural. Shrinking occurs from the normal curing process of concrete that varies with the time of year and the moisture conditions that exists when the concrete is poured. Slab stress and settlement are caused by soil conditions and loads such as the weight of the walls. These forces can create a variety of stresses which, in combination with seasonal temperature variations, can cause concrete and masonry foundations to develop non-structural cracks.

Home Slab and Garage Slabs: Due to the large size of concrete home and garage slabs, hairline cracks less than 1/4 inch in width are common, and are usually the result of expansion and contraction. These cracks are normal and it is best to leave them alone, since attempts to fill the cracks will not stop the expansion and contraction. Long "hairline" cracks in slabs; patios, garage floors, sidewalks and driveways are common and require no additional attention. They are cosmetic in nature and do not affect the integrity of the concrete. Any attempt to repair chips or cracks in concrete will result in product and color variation.

Color variations in concrete are a common occurrence and are beyond the control of the builder or sub-contractor.

Homeowner's Maintenance Guidelines:

Clean concrete with a solution of five tablespoons of baking soda to a gallon of water. Before using the cleaning solution, wet the floor with clear water and loosen the dirt with a steel brush or scraping blade:

A concrete sealer may be applied to the floor, following the manufacturer's directions, approximately six months after you move in. This will make it easier to clean and will reduce concrete dusting. NOTE: Use of concrete sealer may make the floor slippery when wet,  

Industry Standards:

This information is provided to you by standards set forth by Texas Residential Construction Commission as noted in the Limited Statutory Warranty and building and Performance Standards dated June 1, 2005 A crack in exterior concrete shall not cause vertical displacement equal to or in excess of % of an inch or horizontal separation equal to or excess of % of an inch.  

The homeowner shall not over-water surrounding soil or allow the surrounding soil to become excessively dry. The homeowner shall not allow heavy equipment to be placed on the concrete.