WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:04.040 KFI AM six forty. You're listening to Dean Sharp The 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:10.880 House Whisper on demand on the iHeart Radio app Welcome Home. 3 00:00:11.320 --> 00:00:15.000 I'm Dean Sharp the House Whisper. I design custom homes, 4 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:18.320 I build custom homes, and here on the weekends. You know, 5 00:00:18.760 --> 00:00:22.239 I'm here. I'm your guide to better understanding that place 6 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:27.199 where you live today on the show. You know, remodeling 7 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:31.679 season is just it is upon us. And you know, 8 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:35.520 despite everything having to do with the local fires and 9 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:38.439 all the rebuilding there, I'm just talking about all across 10 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:41.240 the nation. This is the time of year when people 11 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:44.520 are gearing up to get going. Maybe you're going to 12 00:00:44.600 --> 00:00:48.039 be doing some room editions, maybe you're changing up some stuff, 13 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:51.159 maybe you're building from the ground up. You know where 14 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:53.479 it all starts. It all starts coming out of the 15 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:56.960 dirt with concrete. And so we're going to spend some 16 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:00.640 time talking about concrete today, concrete and Mason and if 17 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:02.520 we get a chance to get into both, that would 18 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:05.200 be great. I have sitting in studio with me a 19 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:09.439 very very special guest, one of my favorite concrete contractors, 20 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:13.439 and I love just sitting here in studio, you know, 21 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.879 talking shop with pros that I love and respect. Chris 22 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:21.640 Carson is here with me today. Oh there's our live 23 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:26.040 studio audience. Chris, say hi to everybody. Glad to have 24 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:26.560 you here. 25 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:27.959 Hello, glad to be here. 26 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:31.239 And we're gonna be We're gonna be diving into it. 27 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:35.599 Let's do a little biz up front here. Don't forget 28 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:39.959 to follow us on show the social social all right, 29 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:43.079 let me just try that again. Don't forget to follow 30 00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:49.200 us on social media, all the usual suspects. We're there, Instagram, TikTok, 31 00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:54.879 Facebook x and Home with Dean. Home with Dean is 32 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:57.079 the same handle for them all. You can find us there. 33 00:01:57.519 --> 00:01:57.640 Uh. 34 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:01.000 We only do the good kind of social media, right, uplifting, 35 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:06.120 informative good stuff. So no risk. I'm not gonna spam you. 36 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:08.680 I'm not going to shock you. We're just gonna help 37 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:11.919 you along with your home as always, and of course, 38 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:14.960 if your home is in need of some personal house 39 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:18.560 whisper attention, then you can book an in home design 40 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:22.080 consult with me and the Tea, which is, by the way, 41 00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:24.639 how Chris and I met originally doing a coming over 42 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:27.360 to his place doing a consult for him. Uh, and 43 00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:31.599 then we just launched off on a professional relationship. After that, 44 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:34.759 I was so impressed. You can just go to house 45 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:37.400 whisper dot Design if you are looking for an in 46 00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:41.120 home consult house Whisper dot Design. All right, let's introduce 47 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:45.840 the team. As always, Elmer is on the board. Good morning, Elmer. 48 00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:47.319 Whoo, I'm here. 49 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:49.319 I love the enthusiasm man. 50 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:56.400 Thank you, Yeah, right right in. Yeah, Elmer is is awesome. 51 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:01.759 Producer Richie nowhere near microphone, but ready to take your calls. 52 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:03.560 By the way, and of course we're going to be 53 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.439 going to the phone, so I'm talking concrete today. But 54 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:09.439 as always, whatever it is that has got you scratching 55 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.159 your head about your house, you call me and talk 56 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:14.199 to me about that, and I'm going to help you 57 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:17.400 through it. The number to reach me eight three three two. 58 00:03:18.039 --> 00:03:22.080 Ask Dean eight three to three, the numeral two ask 59 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:25.120 Dean A three three two ask Dean. The phone lines 60 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:28.960 are open now. Ricardo is standing by ready to take 61 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:33.919 your call, and you already heard his melodious voice. Andrew 62 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.520 Caravella at the near his desk, Good morning morning. How 63 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:37.879 you doing. 64 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:41.639 I'm doing day two of doing the mornings. It was great. 65 00:03:42.439 --> 00:03:44.680 Yeah. Is this a is this a long term gig? 66 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:45.639 Or are you being punned. 67 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:51.000 No, this was my choice. I just I needed to 68 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.159 switch just for the weekend. So so I'm making a 69 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:57.120 special guest appearance just just for today and yesterday. 70 00:03:57.639 --> 00:04:01.199 Oh okay, well we will treasure every month it my friend. 71 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.520 Yeah, well a little be on demand in the podcast, right. 72 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:04.439 Yeah. 73 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:09.599 Of course, always sitting across the table from me usually 74 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:14.360 is my better half, my design partner and my best 75 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:18.199 friend on planet Earth. She is nearby and we will 76 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:22.399 hear from her, but she's not in studio immediately. But yes, 77 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:26.879 don't panic. Tina is also here today, and of course 78 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:30.360 my special in studio guest Chris Carson, who we're going 79 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.959 to get down and dirty with right after. 80 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:37.480 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 81 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:39.399 KFI AM six forty. 82 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:44.279 Here to help you take your home to the next level. 83 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.800 What is the next level? Well, he's got to hang 84 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:48.959 in there and find out, because I'm going to help 85 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:51.800 you find it, I promise. Also, we're going to be 86 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:54.439 going to the phones in a bit. Got a couple 87 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:56.560 of calls on the board, but we've got room for you. 88 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:00.360 The number to reach me eight three three two. Ask 89 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:04.639 Dean eight three to three. The numeral two, ask Dean. 90 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:07.639 It's just that simple eight three three to two ask Dean. 91 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:10.959 Producer Richie standing by, He's ready to take your call. 92 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:13.120 He'll tell you everything you need to know. And yes, 93 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:16.480 I'm talking concrete today with my special in studio guest. 94 00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:21.600 But as always, regardless of what I've decided to do 95 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:23.680 as a theme of the show, you can call me 96 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:32.199 about anything outside inside landscape, architectural design, decor construction DIY. 97 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:36.000 You know the whole mgilla. So give me a call. 98 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:37.879 Let me help you figure out what's going on with 99 00:05:37.959 --> 00:05:41.319 your house. I will be happy to talk to you 100 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:45.560 about neo Gothic architecture or how to fix that leaky 101 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:48.759 toilet and everything in between. We'll just go for it, 102 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.560 all right. I'm very excited. Sitting across the table from 103 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:59.160 me this morning, my friend and professional colleague, Chris Carson 104 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:03.560 of Chris Carr Some Concrete and Masonry, is sitting in 105 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.319 studio with me because I wanted to talk concrete today 106 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:10.120 and any chance that I can actually bring one of 107 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:14.560 my colleagues and a respected contractor into the studio with me, 108 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:21.560 then all the better. Concrete. Concrete is Okay, We're gonna 109 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:24.040 get into Chris's story here. But let me just lay 110 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:30.240 some groundwork for you. Concrete is synthetic rock, Okay, that's 111 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:33.160 I mean, just to put it in a nutshell, we 112 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:38.279 figured out a few hundred years ago how to make 113 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:42.519 synthetic rock. In fact, the Romans figured it out how 114 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:46.360 to do it in their own way, and others before them. 115 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:50.360 It quite literally forms the foundation of our lives. And 116 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:54.199 I mean that in every sense of the word. Concrete 117 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:56.399 is holding up your entire house right now. It's in 118 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.720 your driveway, it's in your sidewalk, it's on your patio, 119 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:03.279 it's on your walls in the form of stucco, it's 120 00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:06.639 on your roof in the form of tile. It's in 121 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:10.279 your house as grout and mortar, maybe even on the 122 00:07:10.279 --> 00:07:13.480 finished floor or a countertop or two. And that's just 123 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:17.720 the concrete part, let alone the masonry, which goes hand 124 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:22.920 in hand with the concrete. Concrete is the most used 125 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:28.040 man made material in the world in the world, next 126 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:32.040 to water, next to water exactly. It is the second 127 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:37.639 most used resource after water. Are you hearing me? Okay? 128 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:42.360 And concrete's use is increasing. China uses more concrete in 129 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:46.879 two years in two years right now, China is using 130 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:50.480 more concrete in a two year period than the US 131 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:56.720 used in the entire twentieth century. Think about that, all 132 00:07:56.839 --> 00:08:00.839 the nineteen hundreds, from nineteen oh one to nineteen ninety nine, 133 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:04.759 all of the concrete used in the United States. Now 134 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:07.920 China uses that much concrete in a two year period 135 00:08:07.959 --> 00:08:13.439 of time. About thirty billion tons of concrete are used 136 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:17.319 each year globally. That's the equivalent to and I don't 137 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:23.120 know I believe this analogy here or this comparison. I'm 138 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:25.720 not sure. Must have been a coffee drinker who came 139 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:28.279 up with this one, But it is the equivalent to 140 00:08:29.319 --> 00:08:33.200 fourteen coffee mugs worth of concrete for every person on 141 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:39.679 planet Earth every day. That is how much concrete is 142 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:43.320 being used each year globally in the world. Concrete is 143 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:48.320 also a problem for us environmentally the way that we've 144 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:51.879 done it, and it is shifting. But concrete accounts for 145 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:56.080 eight percent, that is no small number, eight percent of 146 00:08:56.120 --> 00:09:00.720 all global CO two emissions. If the cement industry, the 147 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:04.960 cement industry were a country, it would be the third 148 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:08.200 largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, after the 149 00:09:08.360 --> 00:09:10.759 US and China. Just think of it that way. I 150 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:14.159 mean concrete is and no judgment on this, it's just 151 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:19.519 simply these are the facts. Concrete is a massive, massive 152 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:22.360 part of all of our lives and of human civilization. 153 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:27.440 Here in the twenty first century, concrete wasn't widely used 154 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.159 in the US. I'm going to have to tell you 155 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:30.919 this story. We're gonna have to talk about this. It 156 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:34.840 wasn't widely used in the US until after nineteen sixteen, 157 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:40.240 when the Portland Cement Association used what I think I 158 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:44.159 like to call a classic drug dealer marketing technique to 159 00:09:44.279 --> 00:09:49.240 pull off one of the most successful product campaign stunts 160 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:52.240 of all time. We're going to talk about that, but 161 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:56.639 first I want to find out more. I want you 162 00:09:56.679 --> 00:10:01.480 guys to find out more about my special instant studio guests, 163 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:04.639 Chris Carson. So tell you what. When we come back, 164 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:07.279 We're going to hear Chris's story. I want to hear 165 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:11.639 how you got into the concrete business, concrete and masonry business. 166 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:16.080 What leads a guy into that, and how long have 167 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:19.840 you been doing it? And what are your favorite and 168 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:23.279 least favorite parts of it? And then I'm going to 169 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:26.399 tell you all this drug dealer marketing technique that made 170 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:29.519 concrete such a prevalent part of our lives here in 171 00:10:29.559 --> 00:10:31.480 the US. And then we're just going to get into 172 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:35.080 the practical stuff that affects y'all every day when it 173 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:40.320 comes to your concrete, everything from cracking to curing, to 174 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:42.480 how does it really work? To what are the kinds 175 00:10:42.519 --> 00:10:45.879 of finishes? And so on and so on, all of 176 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:48.039 the issues, all the highs, all the lows. We're going 177 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:48.919 to cover it all. 178 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:53.840 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 179 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:55.440 KFI A M six forty. 180 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:00.600 Hey, it's Dean Sharp, the house whisper with you here 181 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:05.000 on this lovely Have you looked outside today? I hope 182 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:07.840 so if you haven't get your butt out of bed, 183 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:12.000 come on, open the windows. Look outside. It is a beautiful, clear, 184 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:17.679 cool southern California. I mean, dare I say spring like? Yeah? 185 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:21.039 I think spring has kind of sprung here. But you know, 186 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.639 hopefully we're going to get some more water falling out 187 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:26.240 of the sky. But it looks like at least the 188 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:29.360 birds in my yard have decided that it's springtime. And 189 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:32.399 I think, honestly, if I have to trust the calendar 190 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:35.480 or the wildlife around me, I'm going with you know, 191 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:39.159 just let nature speak for yourself anyway. It's a beautiful 192 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:41.639 day here in southern California. I hope wherever you are, 193 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:44.039 I know it's not the same everywhere else. It's like 194 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:47.080 two degrees in some places. Wherever you are, I hope 195 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:50.240 you're comfy. I hope you are warm and safe or 196 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:53.200 cool or whatever you need to be. And I hope 197 00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:56.720 you've got some good plans for today. My big plan 198 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:02.039 today after the show, by the way, is was unexpected, 199 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:05.840 but it's fine. I'm gonna go do some work. I'm 200 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:09.120 gonna actually go over to a dear friend's house and 201 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:15.559 help him deal with a plumbing leak that their whole house, 202 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:19.799 you know, built in the seventies copper, and the copper 203 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:25.240 is starting to lose itself. Somebody in the past, not him, 204 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:29.399 ran all the new water lines overhead, which is the 205 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:33.039 right way to go. But I've got Chris in here. 206 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:37.639 There was one bit of groundwork left in his place 207 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:42.480 because they have a kitchen island, so a continuous roll 208 00:12:42.679 --> 00:12:46.039 copper line has to go under from the kitchen sink 209 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:49.519 wall over to the to the island, and it has 210 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:52.679 started this week to pit out into leak. He woke 211 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:55.639 up he heard hissing, heard water moving in the pipes, 212 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:59.720 no faucets were on. It's a leak, and for sure 213 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:04.360 found it. And so we have a creative solution, though 214 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:07.480 I'm I'm not going to talk about it because I don't. 215 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:09.960 I'm just going to say we have a creative solution 216 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:12.720 of how not to tear up the floor in order 217 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:15.120 to get new water lines run over there. And that's 218 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:17.279 what I'm going to go do afterwards, and I get 219 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:20.799 to spend a few hours with my bud and it'll 220 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:24.399 be good. But also I get to spend the next 221 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.279 couple three hours right here with a friend, Chris Carson 222 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:33.919 of Carson Concrete and Masonry. Is that the official name? 223 00:13:34.200 --> 00:13:37.440 Am I saying that? I just all, I'm your company 224 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:42.799 name is Chris. Call Chris see periods there you go? Okay, 225 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:49.159 Chris is a is a fantastic expert concrete and masonry contractor. 226 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.759 And that's what we're talking about today, concrete. So first 227 00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:55.240 of all, just so everybody knows what your story is, 228 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:57.600 how did you get into all this, how long you've 229 00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:59.879 been doing it, how'd you start, why'd you want to 230 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:01.679 go into concrete or you know. 231 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:04.840 Well, I'm not going to tell you how long I've 232 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:07.159 been doing it? Oh? Come as. I started when I 233 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:10.480 was eighteen, and I'm no young chicken right now. Quite 234 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:14.960 a while and I fell into this. My family had 235 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:18.440 a you know, company business and tried to do that. 236 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:22.360 It involved working inside at an early age, you know, 237 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:26.399 between school and summer vacations, helping him out, and there 238 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:29.519 was a future there that I wasn't meant to be inside. 239 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:33.600 I'm an outdoor person and my friends were in construction, 240 00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:39.360 whether hanging drywall or whatever they're doing, and concrete was 241 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:43.039 my calling. So I ended up working for a very 242 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:48.039 high end concrete guy in Long Beach, California, and learned 243 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:52.960 from him. And he had a company to where he 244 00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:56.399 slowed down and he'd lay off the people that were 245 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:59.000 low in the total pole, which was me. And about 246 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:00.879 the third time he laid me off, I go, well, 247 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:02.759 you let me off one more time, and I'm talking, 248 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:06.080 you know, I'm eighteen nineteen. I just go, I'm going 249 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.039 to quit and start my own business. And I put 250 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:11.639 an ad in the penny Saver and put a add 251 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:15.480 in there. No job too small, concrete, masonry, And that's 252 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:16.440 how it all started. 253 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:21.519 Unbelievably awesome. That is such a great story. Add in 254 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.240 the penny. You were called to it. I mean you really, 255 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:25.519 you were really called to it. 256 00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:27.639 It's my calling and I had no idea what I 257 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:31.200 was doing. Now I would get these jobs and they 258 00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:33.159 you know, do you know what you're doing? Everything? I said, 259 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:35.799 of course, then I would go find somebody. It's like help, 260 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:39.360 I need something, knows what you're doing. That's kind of 261 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:41.960 it was, Yeah, well it's starting. 262 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:43.799 Now you are the man. So what kind of work 263 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:45.879 do you guys do and what's your I have to 264 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:48.159 ask this because by the end of the show we're 265 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:51.000 going to have people asking, oh, can Chris come and 266 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:55.399 do my concrete? Where? What is your realistic range? Okay, 267 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:58.679 you're out here in eastern Venture County with me, the 268 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:02.080 range of your work? Where will you go and where 269 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:02.879 do you cut it off? 270 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.080 Well, I'm very thankful that most of my work is 271 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.960 I'm going to say ten to twenty minutes right around 272 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:15.360 my town here. There's so much work in my town. 273 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:21.000 I do work for public entities, park School, done some 274 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:26.840 special stuff buried President Reagan at the Reagan Library associated 275 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:30.919 with the concrete work, some special things in my life 276 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:33.600 that I donated. But you know, came across it very 277 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:39.200 interesting to be involved with. But my bread and butter is, 278 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:43.759 like I say, parking, rect schools, residential love, doing detail, 279 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:48.399 custom concrete work, finish work. I've done it all from 280 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:53.039 foundations at an early age, building foundations for chains like 281 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:56.879 McDonald's and Blockbusters. And you know, I got pretty big 282 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:00.320 when I was a young young man, maybe in my 283 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:06.319 twenties into my thirties, running thirty to thirty five guys 284 00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:10.119 for five trucks out of a ten thousand square foot 285 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:12.279 warehouse every day, my own pumping company. 286 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.640 That's a serious undertaking for a guy in his twenties. 287 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.359 It was a lot. That's serious, you know, and you're 288 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:23.839 starting to raise kids. But I hate it was my 289 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:27.359 calling and every you know, it's a fun business. Every 290 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:29.240 job is different, so you don't just go to an 291 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:32.920 office and check in. And you know, over the years, 292 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:35.559 as they went on, I started to learn and was 293 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:41.359 diversified in the concrete masonry, excavating, drainage, everything that's related 294 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:44.559 to concrete masonry. It's been a very fun business. I 295 00:17:44.599 --> 00:17:47.359 still enjoy it. I'm still going to do it. I 296 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:51.200 have a great crew. If I could find people like 297 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:54.279 my crew, i'd probably be back to another big company. 298 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:58.519 But I'm pretty much the hands on guy. I'm not 299 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:01.160 one of those guys that run for one job to another. 300 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:03.039 I take care of my clients. 301 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:04.240 Yes you do. 302 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:08.480 We knock our jobs out and we pick up and 303 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:09.480 we go to the next one. 304 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:13.440 This is exactly your You are just just describing your 305 00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:15.039 life as one of the reasons why want to have 306 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:17.759 you on the show. I hope you're all listening. What 307 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:23.880 you just heard is exactly the profile of any contractor 308 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:27.480 that you actually really want to have working on your project. 309 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:33.160 Right here's somebody who is passionate, called to it, a 310 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:37.759 true craftsman, somebody who loves the details. Somebody who is 311 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:40.720 not sitting in an office somewhere letting it just happen 312 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:44.599 out there, because because his first and foremost passion is 313 00:18:44.680 --> 00:18:48.440 cashing checks and going about doing something else. He's there, 314 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:52.319 he's present, he's with it, his hand picked his crew, 315 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:56.839 and he would be happy to have a larger operation, 316 00:18:57.400 --> 00:19:01.640 but not going to do it unless the larger crew 317 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:05.480 matches the same quality profile of the as the existing crew. 318 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:10.400 This is exactly the profile of a contractor any in 319 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:14.160 any field that you are looking for. And he's sitting 320 00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:16.480 here blushing right now because he's like, oh, come on, 321 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.599 but this is the truth. So all right, So now 322 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:24.599 you know, Chris, you know what he's about. And when 323 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:28.200 we come back, let's talk concrete one oh one, A 324 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:32.559 residential concrete one oh one, like we were during the break, 325 00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:37.880 and it's a it's a relatively simple concept, you know. 326 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:42.000 It's a material that is you know, essentially made up 327 00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:46.519 of for the most part, like for ingredients, right. Uh, 328 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:50.440 you got some Portland cement of some sort of form 329 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:54.000 or another, which is the adhesive. You've got a couple 330 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:57.880 of different forms of aggregate, you know, sand, plus a 331 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:01.759 larger aggregate of sorts, some form of gravel or rock 332 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:05.279 in the mix, and water. I mean, it's a it's 333 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:08.920 a basic cake recipe, okay, that can be altered in 334 00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:12.160 an infinite amount of ways and applied in an infinite 335 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:16.519 amount of ways, depending on how you do it. And 336 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:22.279 it is incredibly intimidating for just about everybody, including me 337 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:24.279 when it comes to the finished work. Like I was 338 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:26.759 telling you, we'll talk more about that on the other 339 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:28.519 side of the news. 340 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:32.519 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 341 00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:39.200 KFI AM six forty. 342 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:39.599 Thanks for joining us on the program today. It is 343 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:44.119 a privilege to spend time with you on a beautiful 344 00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:47.720 Sunday morning, on any Sunday morning, Brain or shine, I'm 345 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.680 here and I'm glad you're there too. We're going to 346 00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:53.279 be going to the phones right after the next break, 347 00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:55.640 by the way, So now, if you've been hanging back, 348 00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:00.480 now is the chance eight three three two ask Dean. 349 00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:03.720 A three to three the numeral to ask Dean, A 350 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:07.000 three to three to ask Dean. That's the point right 351 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:10.880 of the call. To ask Dean a question about your house, 352 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:13.759 A three three to ask dean. Producer Richie standing by 353 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:16.119 ready to take your call. He'll tell you everything you 354 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.839 need to know. Hop you into the queue, and who 355 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.960 knows you and I will put our heads together. We'll 356 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:24.160 get it. We'll get it worked out. I promise we will. 357 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:24.920 All right. 358 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:29.920 Sitting in studio with me, uh, Chris Carson uh, one 359 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:34.240 of the finest concrete contractors, concrete and masonry contractors I've 360 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:37.839 had the privilege of knowing. And he also happens to 361 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:40.839 be a neighbor and sitting here. We both live in 362 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:43.839 the same town. And I told Chris, hey, I'm doing 363 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:46.240 a concrete. She'll come over and hang out with me 364 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:50.119 and let's talk shop so that everybody can gain perspective 365 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:53.799 from your expertise and wisdom as well. We just heard 366 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:57.559 kind of his story the quick If you missed the 367 00:21:57.640 --> 00:22:00.880 last segment, by the way, then you need to go 368 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:04.240 back and listen to the podcast, which, by the way, 369 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:07.599 you know this show is our House Whisper podcast as well. 370 00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:12.160 Listen to the podcast and just listen to Chris describe 371 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:15.400 the course of his career, how he got started, why 372 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:18.400 he does what he does. You will hear whether you're 373 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:21.240 interested in concrete right now for your house or not. 374 00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:27.000 You will hear the quintessential profile of the proper contractor 375 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:32.480 to find for your project. Okay, because Chris and I 376 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:34.839 were both we were just talking during the break, just 377 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:38.720 you know the years of you know, learning stuff the 378 00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:42.599 hard way, discovering what it is that's most important to 379 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:46.119 us in life and in business, and then just holding 380 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:48.720 to it and not letting it go at that point. 381 00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:51.759 And that's where that's where Chris is at, and so 382 00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:56.079 that's a lesson worth learning. Chris, let's talk about just 383 00:22:56.200 --> 00:23:00.759 concrete one oh one. Like I said before the breaks, 384 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:05.640 it's a pretty simple mix, but it's got infinite possibilities. 385 00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:10.640 That's why it is the largest resource used second second 386 00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:14.119 to water on planet Earth. Right, the thing that I 387 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:18.119 think is most intimidating about concrete for most people is that, 388 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:20.079 you know, it's a one and done thing. I mean, 389 00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:23.400 you got to get it right. Once it all pours 390 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:27.200 out into that sidewalk or that driveway or whatever it is. 391 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:31.039 You either did it right or you didn't. It's either 392 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:34.079 you know, and and it's not like it's not like 393 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.759 framing a wall where I'll show up and the crew 394 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:39.480 has put the window in the wrong place and I'm like, oh, guys, 395 00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:41.680 grab the saws all let's move that over a few 396 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:44.960 inches and renail it. That's not happening in your business. 397 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:52.400 So there's a whole level of prep and detail that 398 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:55.599 has to go into it. Let's just talk about that 399 00:23:55.680 --> 00:24:01.599 a little bit. Yeah, it's prep prep work. I'm starting 400 00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:07.519 with excavation. Compaction is obviously a big thing. Concrete as 401 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:12.960