In brief
- A low concrete curing bid often leaves out the water, labour, covering and days that curing actually needs.
- Ask for a written method statement naming the curing method, duration, materials and who checks it.
- Compare the bid line by line against the method statement, then confirm durations and cover against the project specification or engineer.
Contents
A low concrete curing bid in Hargeisa usually means the curing allowance was never priced, so the water, labour, covering and days come out of something else or do not happen. The bid looks competitive because curing is invisible on a drawing. Compare the method statement with the priced lines before you compare totals.
What does a concrete curing low bid in Hargeisa leave out?
It leaves out the cost of keeping concrete wet, which is labour, water, covering and time. Curing holds moisture in the concrete while the cement hydrates and the mix gains strength. General practice for ordinary structural concrete is to keep the surface continuously wet for several days after placing, and longer where the specification says so. Confirm the duration and method against the project specification or engineer. On a hot, dry site the surface can dry within hours of finishing, so the person who wets it, the container, the hose, the covering and the return trips all cost money. A bid that prices placing, vibrating and finishing but has no line for curing has moved that work out of the price. Ask the contractor which line covers it. If the answer is that curing is included in the concrete rate, ask for the rate breakdown and the daily routine.
How does an unpriced curing allowance show up on site?
An unpriced allowance shows up as concrete that is wetted once and left. Look for a curing method statement that names the method, the duration in days, the materials, the water source and who checks and records it. Look for daily records with dates, times and initials. General practice is to start curing as soon as the surface can take water without damage, which may mean a few hours after finishing, depending on the mix and the weather. Confirm that timing against the specification. Walk a recent site the contractor finished and look at the slab or column surfaces, then ask to see the curing records for those pours. A supervisor who can produce dated records for older work is a different risk from one who cannot. Ask the municipal engineer's office whether it holds any records for the type of work you are building.
How do you close the gap before you sign?
Close it by naming the curing method and duration in the contract and pricing them as separate lines. Write the method, the number of days, the covering, the water supply and the daily record into the scope so nothing depends on goodwill. Ask two contractors to quote the same written scope so you can compare like with like. If a bid omits curing, ask for a revised bid with a curing line rather than assuming it is included. Check what your contract allows before you release any payment. Then set a site routine: a named person, a water container or hose kept near the pour, and a one-page daily record. The client or engineer signs the record after each check.
What to do next
Write a one-page curing specification for your pour: method, duration in days, materials, water source and the person who records it. Send it to two contractors and ask each for a written quote with curing as a separate line. Then visit one recent job by each bidder and ask to see the curing records before you compare the totals.
Frequently asked questions
Is a low concrete curing bid always a problem?
Not always. A contractor may have priced curing inside another line, or may use a method that genuinely costs less. Ask for the line breakdown and the method statement. If neither names water, covering, labour and days, the allowance is probably missing.
How many days should concrete be cured in Hargeisa?
This depends on the specification, the mix and the element. General practice for ordinary structural concrete is several days of continuous wet curing, and longer where the engineer requires it. Confirm the figure for your project against the specification or engineer.
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Hargeisa and Somaliland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.