Contractor floor cleaning question

[Nugent1021]

Hey guys,

I hired someone to build a 1300 sq ft garage and we added about 1300 of heat/cooled space. We paid "full price" (i.e. we hired someone for the work, we didn't do any ourselves or hire buddies).

I guess my question is, trying to be fair, what would be the garage floor level of cleanliness? Basically, they built the garage then used it for a couple months to finish the living space (and blocked my entry). He indicated that he would clean up when they were thru, but all they did was sweep (barely). I had to scrape the floors of sawdust, spackle, drywall, and mop a zillion times to clean it out. I'm pretty pissed that they didn't do more than just sweep it out onto my driveway, but I want to be fair. I haven't made the "final payment," but this poor cleaning was on top of him trying to get paid without quite finishing the work (about 150 sqft of R30 insulation missing in the ceiling, hole in the rear wall from previous plumbing, had to get an electrician out to finish things that were in the plans, etc). I'm pretty sure he ran over on time and labor expense due to him not watching properly, so he thought he could call it a day and I wouldn't notice.

What do you guys think? I've done most of the cleaning, but what's the expectation of a contractor regarding cleaning the floors?

 

[AmericanEpoxyFloors]

I do a lot of work in new construction garages. I typically find the floor in the condition you reported when I start to work on it (drywall mud, paint, stain, sawdust, nails, screws, scrap lumber, etc.). The houses I work in usually are not yet 'finished' and I spend about 30 minutes cleaning them out and making them ready to be diamond ground and prepped.

However, in any house that is 'finished', I find the garages swept, cleaned of all but a minimum of scrap lumber and paint cans, and usually power washed.

 

[nate379]

My garage was like that when I moved into my house (brand new house) and I think it's pretty much how it is type thing.

Couple bags of trash left in a corner. The plastic for the vapor barrier wans't cut well so some plastic had a ft or so of plastic from the wall on the floor. Drywallmud, chaulking, etc on the floor. Paint overspray.

I didn't really notice too much until I started prepping to epoxy the floor.

How about outside? I wish I had started a 5 gal pail of all the nails, staples, screws, etc that I have found. I'm positive the thing would be close to full by now.

 

[AlphaGarage]

Rare is the contractor who does a good job of cleaning up when they're finished. You're lucky they didn't leave behind a stack of half eaten Big Macs.

I kind of sense your question is really "Should I pay these guys the rest of their bill?" I probably wouldn't hopld back just for the clean-up, but any unfinished work - the access hole, missing insulation etc., should definitely be completed before final payment. Of course this is dependent on the details of your agreement/contract, your tolerance for hassles, the mechanic lien laws in your area, etc.

 

[Nugent1021]

Wife's a lawyer, so worrying about liens or his legal stance isn't too much of a problem. Dealing with the headache and worry and loss of sleep from being angry is something I don't feel like enduring either. The contractor and I got into it a bit when I gave him the list of unfinished items. He wanted to "settle up and do a final walk thru." I'm guessing he was seeing what he could get away with not doing, but there's no sense in sticking it to him other than holding him to what is expected. The cleaning is a grey area, so I'm not sure how far to push. He's done most of the big issues, but I'm still a little perturbed that I've got to point it out to him.

Sounds like the expectation is really variable based on the contractor and whether the guy cares or not, and how he feels he wants to leave the condition of the job. Thanks for the responses! Still thinking about the Wolverine flooring, but my son is due any day now and the epoxy fumes will probably be too much (until about a year).

 

[AlphaGarage]

The "hassle" is really the determining factor, and with a son due probably any hassle is more than you want.

BTW - There really aren't any fumes to speak of, no VOCs or HOVs. Recently the Baltimore zoo had to coat the chimpanzee area. Turns out that some chimps are extremely sensitive to chemicals and toxins. They turned to a specialist who keeps up with coatings for animal research facilities, kennels, etc. He recommended Wolverine epoxies. They were very pleased with the outcome, even spec'd Wolverine Coatings when they had to do the lion area also.

Just keep the door between the garage and the house closed, and ventilate the garage via the garge door or window and you'll be fine.

You might not want to use muritic acid for the etch though - that is a nasty smell. Fortunately there are non toxic chemical etches (used for patient care facilities, zoos etc.) or mechanical alternatives available.

 

[nate379]

Not only is it nasty but it will mess up anything that's in the garage.

I forgot a rack of sockets and my good Snappy 3/8" flexhead on the garage door support and it ATE into the chrome. Rusted my gas pipe and all my copper lines turned black or green.