cbacres
Well-known member
Off to the races!
Great the concrete is down.
Great the concrete is down.
Above 1200 Sq/FT New home, next chapter ....
- Thread starter Toolfool
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
shortykorte
Well-known member
There you go, the fun commences.
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
cbacres
Well-known member
Looking good John.
Will there be a tie beam on top of the block?
IIRC, the building frame will attach to the top of wall?
Great to see it moving along
Will there be a tie beam on top of the block?
IIRC, the building frame will attach to the top of wall?
Great to see it moving along
shortykorte
Well-known member
Craig, they will be cutting a notch in the top course of blocks and laying rebar horizontally as they pour the block chambers full of concrete.
The wall is only a retaining wall. Building will be erected in the flat area created by the wall ( that's IF the building ever happens. Building company is already having problems acquiring steel.)
cbacres
Well-known member
So there be space between wall and metal building.
I’m must be remembering early conversations of stair stepping the metal frame.
At any rate, looks like there doing a good job. At least there stacking the block the correct way!
So there be space between wall and metal building.
I’m must be remembering early conversations of stair stepping the metal frame.
At any rate, looks like there doing a good job. At least there stacking the block the correct way!
There have been a few issues. I guess I have a different level of expectation than what's common in Florida, but I'm educating them. I'm hearing a lot of "I didn't know that" and "Yeah, that makes sense".
rmack898
Well-known member
I think that’s slang for “stupid northerner, that’s not how we do it here”. I’m sure Craig could provide the exact translation
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
John, you're a Pepper?? - me too
Not sure if you remember the car but when I unveiled the minitub challenger at Mopars on the strip the prez of of DP was there having Tim Barth / Mr. Norms installing a KB unit during the show. Every afternoon was spent pounding Crown Royal and DP with that whole bunch, what a riot!.
And congrats, looks like you're making some decent headway even if you do have to direct the work.
cbacres
Well-known member
:lol_We don’t a f**** how you did it back north!
It’s just luck of the draw of who you get, you can talk to while vetting them , get references and so on. Sometimes you get the stars, others barely breathing.
It’s not just a Florida thing, I’ve traveled for work to the west coast and points between. Used some contractors that I’d like to brought back to Fl, others I ran off.
I’ve seen a vast array both when working for myself years ago and through companies I’ve work for. “I’m from (enter state of your choice) like it was a credential or something.
For the most part, it comes down to the owner of the company, how they strive, or not, to build and keep a reputation. Another driving force is there’s tons of work in Florida now, a lot of the upper crust guys are working for the big bucks with commercial and custom homes. It’s been a age old problem here, which benefited me back when was in it.
My thoughts are that the vast majority of us here have done quality things in their lives, not just get by hacks, so right of the bat we come across as being over critical or in simple terms, a$$holes to work for
.Sorry you’re experiencing a crew that seems to be between the stars and barely breathers, I assure you that’s not the norm for Florida.
ODIS
Well-known member
Before you know it, you will be choosing interior colors!
cbacres
Well-known member
Will they start the slab as soon as the wall Is done? It’s always nice once the dirt is back in place and you’re moving up!
Is your metal building company still having trouble with steel? Seems like there shortages on a lot of building materials going on.
Is your metal building company still having trouble with steel? Seems like there shortages on a lot of building materials going on.
shortykorte
Well-known member
Looking good. Wish it wasn’t going to rain tomorrow so they could keep working. Hopefully you’ll have a slab a week from Saturday.
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Well that really ***** John, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve had to really watch the sugar and fat intake over the last few years too, it really pisses off my pancreas.
And I knew I liked shorty for some damn reason. Hey shorty did I ever tell you about that time at....
shortykorte
Well-known member
Well that really ***** John, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve had to really watch the sugar and fat intake over the last few years too, it really pisses off my pancreas.
And I knew I liked shorty for some damn reason. Hey shorty did I ever tell you about that time at....
Was it the time we wore our “I’m a doctor” T-shirts
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Attachments
rmack898
Well-known member
Never thought I'd see a Shorty selfie.
My concrete guy had told me that he was going out of town Wednesday afternoon , but would show up to finish installing all the additional rebar in the wall and pour the blocks full (as per engineering). The crew showed up at 9:30, boss pulled in at 10:00. They started hustling (sort of), cutting rebar and bending using the stake pockets on their trailer (no rebar cutter-bender). Boss 'will be right back'. Crew drops into sleepwalking mode. Long story short, boss shows up at 3:15 and says it's not getting poured, he has to go, but the crew will finish the rebar. They just threw steel in, quick tie, headed out. As I inspected their work I realized there was no way they were going to be able to pour concrete through all the steel piled in the notch in the top course of block. So I started re-doing one section. Then the inspector showed up. First thing he says is "This isn't going to work". I showed him what I was fixing. He said he'd pass it if I re-do the whole thing. Done. I can't count on these guys. First photo is what they left, second one is my re-do. I have 6+ hours in the re-do.
Attachments
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
John, Glad you're making progress, but you should be billing your contractor for the time you have to spend reworking his unsupervised crew's work.
Subscribed to follow the build.
May have missed it- who's doing your steel package?
Subscribed to follow the build.
May have missed it- who's doing your steel package?
I've been trying to educate this guy on what he obviously doesn't know ( politely ), supplying a bucket full of bottled water on ice, supplying a porta potty. Done being nice. After he's done pouring the wall, he's gone. It might set me back months before I can find another concrete guy, but I'm not going to tolerate more shoddy workmanship.
The building package was purchased through carportcentral.com and supplied and erected by a company in Lake City, FL.. I went to meet the owner and view some of his buildings before purchasing.
Jayman17
Well-known member
TF, I like the way you do it better than the guys you are paying.
Nice save!
Jay
Nice save!
Jay
cbacres
Well-known member
John, was talking to Shorty about these guys this morning and mentioned you’d should check some references and see some of his concrete slab work before going on.
But they made the decision for you.
It’s one thing on this wall, fairly easy to correct, but a entire slab that might be off on being level and square would be a disaster with the type building you’ll be getting, or any metal building.
Looks like contractor owes you a credit for saving him yet another inspection and your time to fix.
But they made the decision for you.
It’s one thing on this wall, fairly easy to correct, but a entire slab that might be off on being level and square would be a disaster with the type building you’ll be getting, or any metal building.
Looks like contractor owes you a credit for saving him yet another inspection and your time to fix.
shortykorte
Well-known member
No discounts. Lol.
Yep, get the wall poured, and tell them to kick rocks.
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Yep, get the wall poured, and tell them to kick rocks.
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
ODIS
Well-known member
Oh for christ sakes! These guys need a check up from the neck up!
The crew showed up, unannounced, at 9:00 this morning. I went out and pulled the boss aside to show and explain what I had to do to remedy the rebar situation. He agreed that he had hurried to get away on Wednesday and the rebar was not done properly. He agreed that some compensation would be needed. I told him to take the opportunity to educate his crew. As he showed them the re-done rebar I could hear one guy saying "No, we did that" and he said, "No, the customer did that because we did it wrong." So his crew couldn't even see the difference.
The concrete truck showed up and they started to pour the walls. I quickly realized that concrete was over-flowing faster than it should be, grabbed a 5' piece of rebar and started poking the mud down, watching it collapse and drop into the chambers. I got their attention and told them they need to poke every chamber all the way down to make sure they're completely full before moving on. They compounded the problem by not ordering smaller aggregate for this pour. It took several trips around the wall, poking and filling as larger rocks would block the narrow spaces between the rebar and appear to be full. I ended up doing the poking. My shoulders are sore.
After they finished, the boss and I had a talk. Asked him what he thought I should hold back for my re-tying labor. He said $400-$500. I told him it would be $700. Then I pointed out that my engineering drawings showed a 6' tall wall , and he built a 5' tall wall with a 12" tall footing. He bid it for 6', I'm only paying for 5'. Labor and material difference was $785. Told him I'd deduct those amounts and give him a check for the balance. Told him I'm no longer confident that he and his crew can meet my expectations and he needs to come back Monday, clean up, haul away all the left-over materials and move on. He apologized for letting me down .
So now I start over, looking for a concrete contractor to do my slab and all my dirt work and grading. I'm really tired.
The concrete truck showed up and they started to pour the walls. I quickly realized that concrete was over-flowing faster than it should be, grabbed a 5' piece of rebar and started poking the mud down, watching it collapse and drop into the chambers. I got their attention and told them they need to poke every chamber all the way down to make sure they're completely full before moving on. They compounded the problem by not ordering smaller aggregate for this pour. It took several trips around the wall, poking and filling as larger rocks would block the narrow spaces between the rebar and appear to be full. I ended up doing the poking. My shoulders are sore.
After they finished, the boss and I had a talk. Asked him what he thought I should hold back for my re-tying labor. He said $400-$500. I told him it would be $700. Then I pointed out that my engineering drawings showed a 6' tall wall , and he built a 5' tall wall with a 12" tall footing. He bid it for 6', I'm only paying for 5'. Labor and material difference was $785. Told him I'd deduct those amounts and give him a check for the balance. Told him I'm no longer confident that he and his crew can meet my expectations and he needs to come back Monday, clean up, haul away all the left-over materials and move on. He apologized for letting me down .
So now I start over, looking for a concrete contractor to do my slab and all my dirt work and grading. I'm really tired.
Wtf did they do, try to grout with 1.5” aggregate? Well as long as it got consolidated and they’re done, I guess that’s all that matter. Good luck moving forward and finding someone competent to do the flat work.
Your adventure with these guys reminds me of when I had the house color coated. It’s a huge story but I’ll make it short. Ya know a paint job by earl sheib is always 110%, well mine was 190%. By the time I was done with clean up their payment was half of the project cost.
Your adventure with these guys reminds me of when I had the house color coated. It’s a huge story but I’ll make it short. Ya know a paint job by earl sheib is always 110%, well mine was 190%. By the time I was done with clean up their payment was half of the project cost.
cbacres
Well-known member
John, did they just order regular mix? 3/4” rock like was used in the footer?
Pump mix is what is always used to fill the block cells and the lintel beam like you had. This is used day in day out, but it does cost a little more. Pump mix is a 3/8” rock and higher cement content, flows great.
You definitely made the right call yesterday to send them on their way.
Wish you luck in the next round.
Does the metal building supplier or the erector have any ideas on concrete subs?
If your on FB, you’d be surprised at the amount of contractors that are on there.
I see people down here all the time asking and getting a huge response.
Pump mix is what is always used to fill the block cells and the lintel beam like you had. This is used day in day out, but it does cost a little more. Pump mix is a 3/8” rock and higher cement content, flows great.
You definitely made the right call yesterday to send them on their way.
Wish you luck in the next round.
Does the metal building supplier or the erector have any ideas on concrete subs?
If your on FB, you’d be surprised at the amount of contractors that are on there.
I see people down here all the time asking and getting a huge response.
shortykorte
Well-known member
***** they were incompetent but glad he was willing to work out an equitable agreement.
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
cbacres
Well-known member
In hind sight, I wished I’d mention the pump mix, but I never in the wildest dreams thought someone would use regular rock mix to fill block cells. I can’t tell you the last time I’ve seen or even heard of it.
The metal building you’re going with, will it be anchored to slab with Red Head sleeve (or similar) anchors? That’s how my carport style building was anchored.
The reason I ask is if it uses set in concrete j bolts, like Macs building had, you may need a contractor who is used to light commercial work, residential contractors just aren’t used to this type work and you’d be having to run herd on them also to make sure it’s right. Not to say that you can’t find one to do this work.
I’m sure you’re aware, but the forms for your slab will need to be dead on square and straight and of course level for the metal building.
On my building, the metal panels hang down past the top of concrete a little.
The metal building you’re going with, will it be anchored to slab with Red Head sleeve (or similar) anchors? That’s how my carport style building was anchored.
The reason I ask is if it uses set in concrete j bolts, like Macs building had, you may need a contractor who is used to light commercial work, residential contractors just aren’t used to this type work and you’d be having to run herd on them also to make sure it’s right. Not to say that you can’t find one to do this work.
I’m sure you’re aware, but the forms for your slab will need to be dead on square and straight and of course level for the metal building.
On my building, the metal panels hang down past the top of concrete a little.
Spoke with two more concrete contractors last week, haven't heard from either one.
I also spoke with the building company and they told me that they might have trouble supplying a product. They claim that China is buying up as much global steel as possible in an attempt at monopolizing the market and bankrupting the major U.S. companies.
Murphy's law, I guess.
I also spoke with the building company and they told me that they might have trouble supplying a product. They claim that China is buying up as much global steel as possible in an attempt at monopolizing the market and bankrupting the major U.S. companies.
Murphy's law, I guess.
Still no responses from the two concrete guys that had come out to look at the job. And no call-backs from two more I called. To add a little salt to the wound, our septic system failed yesterday and the earliest I can get someone here is middle of next week. Called nine companies already. Wife is not happy.
That's a bummer, I'm not sure what it is with companies these days not calling back or following though, but frankly I'm tired of it. I've been trying to get a drainage issue and some light work done around my place and finding someone insured (for one) and reliable is agonizing.
Last edited: