Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I do this myself?

Some people can do it themselves, but we highly recommend that you have helpers and the more the better! Feedback from customers indicates this as well. The last thing you want is to be approaching your 3-hour time limit and still have half a cart of concrete left. The quicker you can get the concrete out of the cart and into the ground, the better. We would recommend that you designate one person to pick-up, wash out, and return the cart for you.

Watch our video to learn more!

Yes, this is the most important part of the rental agreement. As soon as the concrete has been removed from the cart, you will need to wash it inside and out with a pressure washer or garden hose and nozzle for approximately 5-7 minutes. Cart cleaning must also be done in between multiple loads to help prevent build up that will make the cart harder to clean later. Remember that any fresh concrete can be easily rubbed off with your fingers, so if you’re in doubt…rub it!! If you do not or cannot clean out the cart, we can do this for you for an additional fee of $25. Just let us know ahead of time, or as soon as possible. This is not an option if you have a cart after hours. Cart cleanings after your 3-hour time limit has expired will be subject to additional fees.

The cart needs to be emptied, washed out, and returned to the yard within a 3-hour period. There will be a $45.00 fine for every 30 minutes that you are late. Remember that other customers may be waiting for your cart to return. We will enforce this rule strongly! However, exceptions may be made if you discuss it with us in advance. Late fees will double if you are late after regular business hours. Don’t forget to consider rush hour traffic and road construction. If you are properly prepared on site, you should not have any problems with the 3-hour time period. Customers do it all the time, even if they have to travel longer distances.

Most of our carts hold a maximum of 1-1/4 yards (or 1 metre), but I do have two carts that hold up to 2 yards. You can purchase in 1/4 yard increments down to as small as 1/4 of a yard.

The 1-1/4 yard carts weigh approximately 1,300 lbs and the bigger carts are approximately 1,700 lbs. Each 1/4 yard of concrete is 1,000 lbs; therefore, 1 yard in a cart = 5,300 lbs.

It depends on how much concrete you need but, you will require a 3/4 ton or 1 ton heavy-duty pickup truck for the large carts and at least a 1/2 ton for the smaller carts. However, you should check out your towing capacity maximum on your hitch and compare it with the weight approximations in question 5. For all carts containing 1-1/4 yards or less you will require a 2″ ball and a ball mount. For carts containing up to 2 yards, you will require a 2-5/16″ ball and ball mount. We do have both of these for rent at our yard. Bumper hitches will work for 2″ ball applications, but are not recommended.

Yes, and we highly recommend that you do this. We call it “Booking Carts”. If you want to guarantee that you have a cart on a particular day, at a particular time, phone us and Book a Cart! 1-2 days ahead is usually plenty, but you can call us a week in advance or more and book yourself in. You can try showing up without an appointment, and earlier in the day is definitely better, but without an appointment we can’t guarantee that we will be able to help you.

Yes, but you must arrange it with us ahead of time and you must be able to wash the cart out yourself extremely well – no exceptions! Carts can only be returned to the yard first thing the next morning and having us clean it out for you then will result in heavy fines up to $500. The last bookings of the day may vary throughout the seasons.

There is a chemical retardant in the concrete that will delay the setting for approximately 3 hours. You will need to have the concrete out of the cart and in the ground with the cart washed out and returned to us within 3 hours from the time you leave our yard. The quicker you get the concrete out and finished, the better, especially when it is extremely hot outside. You will usually have time to do your final finishing, even after your three hours have passed. Set time is approximately 24 hours, with 70% cured at seven days and fully cured at 28 days.

We will get you to read, sign, and fill out our Rental Agreement Form. You will need valid vehicle insurance and have to produce a valid Alberta driver’s license. It is very important that you fully understand what you are agreeing to. If you have any questions or you don’t think something was explained to you properly, please ask. You will also need to bring Cash, Debit, Visa, or MasterCard only for payment.

Yes, but it is subject to availability. This mix also has more expensive stone and requires extra handling on our part so it costs more per yard than regular concrete. Please refer to the Exposed Aggregate line on the price list for exact pricing. A minimum of three days notice is needed.

Yes, we have steel trowels, hand floats, edgers, seamers, manual post hole diggers, manual tampers, pole extensions, shovels, finishing brooms, wheel barrows, hoes, bull floats, fresnos and if you need, 2″ and 2-5/16″ balls and hitches. We also sell washed rock and sand, crushed gravel, rebar, hitch Pins, 2″ and 2-5/16″ balls and ball mounts, and electrical adapters.

Yes, this is not our “specialty”, but we can arrange deliveries. You will need to book this with us as far in advance as possible. Sometimes we can do some last minute stuff, so it never hurts to call and ask. Charges for this service are based on distance traveled from our yard and what’s involved once we arrive. Prices start at $180 for delivery within Calgary and include one person to help you unload the cart, and the cart cleanup.   Outside of Calgary, delivery starts at $200 – contact us for a quote. If you call us, we can tell you what the cost would likely be. Even with our delivery charges, our price is still less expensive for small quantities than any other delivery option available in Calgary.

It is definitely possible. Vibration from the road through the cart could cause some rock to settle to the bottom. If the mix is done properly and you don’t have to travel too far, the concrete will never settle to the degree where it is unusable. Following the unloading steps in question 15 will bring back to life any settled concrete.

The cart has a hydraulic cylinder under the belly and a hydraulic hand pump. Simply close the valve and pump it up. Lift the cart up approximately half way. Remove the concrete in sections using a garden hoe or shovel, always working down to the bottom of the cart. Work your way to the front of the cart, jacking it up slightly as you go. Unload the cart out the back into a wheelbarrow or right into your forms. If you feel the concrete is too dry, and you are still under the 3-hour time limit, you can spray in a little water as you are removing it from the cart and it will freshen it up without any issues.

I can’t think of anything here actually, but I guess one reason might be that you may be too far away from us. The further outside Calgary city limits you have to go, the more likely that issues will arise. The second reason is that you may not have a suitable vehicle to tow our carts and you may not be willing to pay our delivery charges.

We accept cash, debit, Visa or MasterCard only.

The concrete is made with Type 50 Cement Powder, also known as Sulphate Resistant. It is not required for most applications, but can be used for any application. The regular strength of the concrete is 25 MPa or 3600 psi. This strength can be increased in 5 MPa increments.

It is always better to have a little extra, as opposed to being short, but hopefully you will not have too much extra. If you do have extra concrete, you should try and dispose of it yourself, or it can be returned to our yard where you can unload it yourself at no extra charge. If you want us to unload it for you, there will be an extra charge. If your measurements are correct, the mixing system will mix the quantities very accurately, but I suggest adding 5-10% extra to your quantity for error.

Refer to our Contact page of this site for our address and contact information.

Visit our Compare Pricing page to view a comparison between Steve’s U-Cart Concrete, Ready Mix bags and a Commercial Cement Truck.

We are open all year long, even when it’s cold out! There are, however, a few important things to consider if you are
pouring concrete in cold weather conditions.

The Alberta Building Code, Part 9.3.1.9 Cold Weather Requirements states that when the air temperature is below 5°C, concrete shall be:

A) kept at a temperature of not less than 10°C or no more than 25°C while being
mixed and placed and
B) maintained at a temperature of not less than 10°C for 72 hours after placing.

So, as the weather gets colder, Steve’s U-Cart, as we do every year, will start using heated aggregates, hot water and an accelerator instead of a retardant to ensure that our concrete meets code requirements.

*Industry standard for adding accelerator to a concrete mix is October 15th to April 30th. For anyone who is pouring inside a heated area, we can still accommodate you with regular mixes.

We have also made a change in regards to our concrete disposal fees. Actually, we’ve eliminated our disposal fees altogether! It is our goal to provide you with accurate quantities of concrete so you won’t have an excessive amount left over when you are done. So, if for any reason you do have concrete leftover, you can now unload it at our
yard free of charge.

*We can unload it for you, but there will be a charge for the extra labour involved.

For additional information, check out our Step-by-Step Guide page.