In Mesa, Arizona, a homeowner shared photos of a patio that started cracking within weeks. At first, it looked like a bad concrete mix, but the comments told a different story.
The ground was never compacted properly. No base layer. No expansion joints. The concrete itself was fine, but everything underneath was rushed.
Other trades jumped in to explain how common this mistake is, especially on quick outdoor jobs. Skipping prep saves time on day one and causes problems forever.
This kind of community breakdown is useful because it shows how most construction fails are not about materials. They are about shortcuts.
