Need advice: New foundation not level

[Max78]

You don't have to get an attorney involved when suing someone, In some states it costs as little as $75 to file in small claims that can get you squared away to a certain dollar amount (depends on state). CO seems to be $7500.

I'm not advocating for suing, and glad to hear he is working to make things right. Sometimes it happens and people mess up, and if they are willing to fix their mistakes I would let them. Not everyone is a big dog rolling in $.

However, I would document the hell out of everything incase he flakes.

 

[CO.garage]

So, the contractor has flaked. It's now been 3 weeks since his site visit with an engineer to come up with a solution. Promised to deliver solution on paper last Friday, no contact since. I have a quote from a reputable contractor to cap the slab at ~$10,500. Also have reached out to an atty in the family to draft a demand letter.

@Max78, yes, I'm aware of the $7500 small claims limit in CO. I'm waiting to hear the atty's recommendation on how to proceed.
I definitely need to get a ton of photos before the fix is implemented.

During the 3 weeks that I was waiting for the orig. contractor's "curb" solution, I became less willing to accept it as viable. I'm sure I would always wish I would have done it correctly and cap it. That's the direction I'm headed now.

 

[ccogg]

I don’t know what the implications of raising the grade are for your building, but unless it’s helpful I’d sure be tempted to tear it out and pour a new slab. Covering up a mistake seems to bite me in the *** every time I do it. In this case, if you take the slab out and start fresh the new concrete contractor can take full responsibility for how it turns out - good or bad.


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[Sladeharrison]

TIL concrete slabs are EXPENSIVE in Colorado.

This thread is why I am hesitant to sub out my shop build this Summer...I'll pay a little extra to have one Contractor prep the site, pour the slab, and erect the building.

 

[Busted Knucles]

Talk to the building supplier engineers and see if they can work around it.

 

[Vintage Veloce]

This thread is why I am hesitant to sub out my shop build this Summer...I'll pay a little extra to have one Contractor prep the site, pour the slab, and erect the building.

Be careful with that too. Most contractors will sub the finishers. Make sure you are there and prepared to step in and make them fix any issues.

A while back I wrote a post about getting very level concrete.
CO.garage has a much bigger problem, but if he going at it a second time he may appreciate the detail about getting a flat floor.
https://www.vintageveloce.com/2017/11/is-your-concrete-flat.html

 

[CO.garage]

Talk to the building supplier engineers and see if they can work around it.

I had reached out to the building supplier early on after discovering the out-of-level issue. They stated that the building was engineered assuming it would be erected on a level slab (responsibility of the concrete contractor). I specifically asked for them to work with their engineering team to offer options... they were unwilling to do so (they just sell the building and outsource the engineering). They are of no help.

Capping the slab is the only option at this point imo.

 

[Vintage Veloce]

If you haven't seen it, check out this guy's repair to his slab:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8748535&postcount=264
That whole thread might be useful.

 

[CO.garage]

It was helpful. My situation is a bit different, albeit similar (poor quality of work by contractor). I'm on the schedule for capping the slab with new contractor.

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[king nero]

Are you planning to install a two-post lift or anything else that needs to be seriously anchored?

 

[jb3]

This would drive me nuts, i commend you OP for being rational. It certainly seems like you need to sue the guy for your money back. I would be sort of glad hes flaked. Anyone who could screw it up that bad in the first place isn't likely to do better in fixing it.

 

[nadogail]

PM sent to the OP

 

[CO.garage]

Are you planning to install a two-post lift or anything else that needs to be seriously anchored?

No anchors planned in the interior slab.

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[CO.garage]

Slab has been capped. New contractor arrived Thursday AM, new forms set (LEVEL verified throughout with transit), steel reinforcement placed. 20 yards of 4000psi concrete placed Friday at 80F ambient (4" above high point, ~15" above low point). Spritzed with water over the weekend. Now drizzling today/tomorrow during early cure.
Content to be past the slab issue. Now on to the building delivery/erection/grading to much higher slab than originally planned. Oh well... expensive lesson learned.
Looking at small claims filing forms now... sigh

 

[firebirdparts]

That turned out to be quite a block of concrete. Good heat sink.

Glad you're moving on!

 

[tjpavlov]

Glad to read that you are moving on with the project. I can't imagine how stressful this has all been for you. Good luck going after the original contractor.

 

[Monza Harry]

I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner, or I would have suggested looking for a "Slab Jacking" company to level your floor, after cutting free of the outer wall/foundation. Then add to or replace the footing/retaining wall to level. New anchors could be affixed to the existing anchors, by an engineer approved method,[coupling nuts, drilled plate with another above concrete anchor point, etc. at their discretion] As this seems to be an insurmountable obstacle, engineers have had to deal with these kinds of problems before, as "stupid isn't a new problem" been around as long as mankind, we all got out of bed this mourning didn't we? It all goes down hill from there . Sorry for your situation, and to bad the original guy went "MIA" and not in the heroic way either. Harry

 

[rburke65]

Re: Need advice

A softie!......a fool and his money are soon parted.

 

[Hooked]

I guess I am a bit naive it this regard as I wouldn't expect this kind of problem. However, The only time I've had any contractor perform work on our property I was there watching, and checking, everything they did. Well, there is the fact that the only thing I've had a contractor do are slabs.
As I was reading this I was thinking the same thing Monza Harry mentioned -- jacking the slab up to level then pump 'fill' underneath.

Glad the OP has more patience than me and now has this resolved.

 

[CO.garage]

As I was reading this I was thinking the same thing Monza Harry mentioned -- jacking the slab up to level then pump 'fill' underneath.

This would have been a difficult to implement solution. The slab was not simply unlevel in a single direction. The ~10.5" slope was across a 44.5' diagonal. The surface of the slab was also not "flat" so I would have had to live with that.
I am confident that the chosen solution to cap the slab was appropriate. Obviously more concrete than I wanted/needed, and almost twice the cost of what it should have been.