Concrete Construction and Estimating

From back cover: "[this book] explains all concrete work from simple slabs to highways and multi-story buildings: estimating costs, planning the job, using wood, fiberglass, steel, and prefabricated panel forms, erecting shores and scaffolding, installing footing, slab, wall, column, beam, and girder forms, placing reinforcing, handling concrete into place, setting control and isolation joints, and different methods of curing. Covers all common finishing techniques (both hand and machine), methods of transporting, pumping, and placing concrete, correct joint material, the right type of joint in every job to avoid cracking, how your mix and curing methods effect strength, what curing compounds to use, and much more. Include techniques for avoiding hot, dry, and cold weather problems. Three chapters...explain how to estimate concrete costs. Everyone who works with concrete should have the step-by-step instructions, illustrations, charts, reference data, cost estimates, and examples in this practical reference."

I am very impressed with how much information there is about every aspect of concrete construction. How to build forms, even very complex forms on huge projects, tips on pouring and finishing, even stripping the forms. Very detailed but not boring, and written in a nice conversational style. There are black and white pictures throughout. It's probably one of the most comprehensive books you will find on the subject. The section on estimating, while I haven't had the time to go through it in detail, looks good too. Overall, an excellent value.