By chance did you share your horror stories with him about the recent past experiences not being able to "find a guy"?. Maybe he feels like he's got you locked in.
Above 1200 Sq/FT New home, next chapter ....
- Thread starter Toolfool
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
shortykorte
Well-known member
Apron should be around $7 to $8 per sqft. What is he charging?
The crew spent a couple of days bringing fill in, spreading, and compacting. Then I laid out all my drainage pipe and couplings, marked with ground marking paint and let them trench, glue everything together (while I made any cuts and supervised), and back-filled, graded, compacted. They started building form panels today (the fill required on 2 sides of the apron ended up being about 2 feet deep). The pad will be poured monolithic with footings to original soil. 
shortykorte
Well-known member
Steady moving forward 
I just realized you have a nice wall that could benefit from my graffiti art. When can I bring my cans by?
I just realized you have a nice wall that could benefit from my graffiti art. When can I bring my cans by?
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Don’t worry; he would only be able to reach the bottom half of the wall…I'd be very afraid to see your graffiti art.
cbacres
Well-known member
Looking good John, I like the trench drains.
I used a deck drain on the concrete between the shop and shed and it works great.
Tell Shorty he’s limited to painting above 4’ on your retaining walls.
I used a deck drain on the concrete between the shop and shed and it works great.
Tell Shorty he’s limited to painting above 4’ on your retaining walls.
cbacres
Well-known member
Are you assuming that he tripped or something?
cbacres
Well-known member
Looks like there’re mostly done.The crew showed up at 9:30 and left at 2:30. I guess it's Friday.
Hoping I'll have enough apron space. Maybe even get a basketball hoop, haven't touched a ball in over 10 years.
( 45' deep x 60' wide )
Is the plastic just to keep rain from eroding footer?
Going to keep the hoop throwing for the winter months”
Jayman17
Well-known member
TF, that looks great, definitely enough room to shoot hoops!
Jay
Jay
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
...or all the tables, chairs and stage for the fully catered, open bar GJ inaugural BBQ. 3-day event with live music and cowboy poetry featuring Bob Heine and Shorty Korte's greatest posts. (Edited for brevity, of course) Couples moonlight roller skating, bring your sweetheart for a fun-filled weekend in North Florida; featuring tutorials on tool polishing, digging stumps with a DR backhoe, and much more!
Rumor has it a special mystery guest may make an appearance...(Tampa?)
Last edited:
shortykorte
Well-known member
Tampa!!!!! I’m in. What’s the date? I’ll bring the adult beverages and shot glasses.
racer-john
Well-known member
Is Tampa going to bring his "ladies"?
John ain’t got enough concrete for that
RivennHewn
Well-known member
F’n awesome post, but you forgot van cruises!
Chrisb62
Well-known member
I’m in..... just need a start date...
Great post ! Sounds like a great weekend, but we would need to add a van cruise to the beach for an evening bonfire and refreshments. Send the check and I'll try to make it happen. My wife ( and the neighbors to the north ) wants a pickleball court on the apron. Guess I can't please everyone. ( I'm going to ignore the Tampa suggestion )
cbacres
Well-known member
Wow John, you’re going to have Tampa there? Cool, I might need to drag the grill up for this!
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Some things are best left unsaid.. but since you brought it up...Tampa will need help shuttling the ladies to and from the venue. How's the suspension on the van, John?
Last edited:
After no progress for a week, and a few text messages, the crew showed up at 4:45am yesterday. They finished rebar and prep, then concrete started rolling in around 5:30. These guys are grouchy when they have to get up early. I limited my questions and comments so as not to stir the pot, but attitudes got worse. The pour and finish went well, the apron looks great. WHILE power troweling was going on they started stripping the forms. Just as the finisher shut off the power trowel the boss jumped on the slab and proceeded to cut control joints, waay too soon, all the edges of the cuts are chipped and broken. They were in a hurry to get out of here.
ODIS
Well-known member
Wow! Lots of progress. Sorry to read of your experience with the fire ants and the reaction to them.
Tallahassee, huh? Who knew that area would be paradise.
Today, the fog is rolling in off the Strait and condensing out on the Fir trees. Might hit the low to mid 60s today..... Yeah, I know, it *****...
Take care!
Tallahassee, huh? Who knew that area would be paradise.
Today, the fog is rolling in off the Strait and condensing out on the Fir trees. Might hit the low to mid 60s today..... Yeah, I know, it *****...
Take care!
shortykorte
Well-known member
Glad the apron is done even if joints are messed up. Still better than what I got. My experience, Friday pours aren’t always the best. Payday, beer-thirty and fishing has them in a hurry.
Chrisb62
Well-known member
You have really had a horrible experience with subcontractors..... Keep your eye on the finished building and nothing so far is unsafe. But very much crappy workmanship.... embarrassing for Florida tradesmen . The end is nearer ......
cbacres
Well-known member
Damn, too bad he made that call to cut, the rest of the work looks great.
rmack898
Well-known member
Sorry to hear about your less than stellar contractor. But its good to see progress.
When I did my foundation on the NJ shop, I brought in a trusted concrete guy from out of state. It was a working vacation for him and I got a top shelf job done.
When I did my foundation on the NJ shop, I brought in a trusted concrete guy from out of state. It was a working vacation for him and I got a top shelf job done.
racer-john
Well-known member
Monday's aren't much better than Friday's, they are tired out and hung over from the week end, can barely walk, talk or use their brains(?).
Here's where I am. Got the final inspection this morning on the retaining wall ( that permit was scheduled to expire in 5 days). I have $20k more than my entire original budget invested, and I still don't have a building ( but I do have 135 yards of concrete 
). 
I have invested a LOT of money and effort to make sure I had great drainage, but without a building with gutters and downspouts this entire space is a huge non-permeable mess. With all the rain we're having, everything is now run-off and I'm losing a lot of my fill around the perimeter of the concrete, to the point where it has undermined the footing in places. I had the guys who helped my backfill the wall drop more fill dirt and rock. Called a landscape guy to talk about what we could do to control the wash-out. Gonna have to first get the drainage connected to the retention pond. Re-do the fill around perimeter, then sod the two sides that are affected most. $$$$ more.
). I have invested a LOT of money and effort to make sure I had great drainage, but without a building with gutters and downspouts this entire space is a huge non-permeable mess. With all the rain we're having, everything is now run-off and I'm losing a lot of my fill around the perimeter of the concrete, to the point where it has undermined the footing in places. I had the guys who helped my backfill the wall drop more fill dirt and rock. Called a landscape guy to talk about what we could do to control the wash-out. Gonna have to first get the drainage connected to the retention pond. Re-do the fill around perimeter, then sod the two sides that are affected most. $$$$ more.
Chrisb62
Well-known member
You can not catch a break..........better days ARE coming. 
You can not catch a break..........better days ARE coming.
Apparently NOT !! Since tomorrow is 14 weeks since I called in to let Tubular Building Systems know I had a slab in place, I called to politely ask if they could give me some sort of estimation of delivery time. The woman put me on hold while she pulled up my account. She came back to tell me that there is NO RECORD OF ME HAVING CALLED IN THAT MY SLAB IS READY !!!! And I have conversed through emails multiple times since then with the owners, asking questions, and they have repeatedly told me "The scheduling department will contact you when they are ready to build your building." Apparently, the owners don't speak to anyone else in the company. This woman today asked me who I spoke with in June. " I spoke with whoever answered the phone !!!" She apologized for someone dropping the ball and said she'd look into this and call me back. I'm ready to drive to Lake City and choke someone. F#####CK !!
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Look on the bright side... If you were still in the Peoples Republic of Western Washington, you'd still be waiting on a permit... after they finished the snail darter census, archeological review, neighborhood survey, seasonal shade study, 500 year flood runoff reports, proposed re- vegetation plan, night sky light pollution review, carbon offset requirements, groundwater impact, sociological suitabilty and architectural appopriateness analysis. (... and paid the fees to each and every agency, sub-agency and inspection authority involved) 
The situation with the building manufacturer really *****. Hope they get your order out soon.
The situation with the building manufacturer really *****. Hope they get your order out soon.
Last edited:
Chrisb62
Well-known member
Wow.........that's all I got.
If it was a little closer I would go with you to help
If it was a little closer I would go with you to help
I don't know about the peninsula, but Island county wasn't THAT bad. They replaced the head of the building dept. who had intentionally made things more difficult years ago.Look on the bright side... If you were still in the Peoples Republic of Western Washington, you'd still be waiting on a permit... after they finished the snail darter census, archeological review, neighborhood survey, seasonal shade study, 500 year flood runoff reports, proposed re- vegetation plan, night sky light pollution review, carbon offset requirements, groundwater impact, sociological suitabilty and architectural appopriateness analysis. (... and paid the fees to each and every agency, sub-agency and inspection authority involved)
The situation with the building manufacturer really *****. Hope they get your order out soon.
shortykorte
Well-known member
Rain in Tallahassee? Who you trying to kid?
The rain last night was quite a lot. I’ve got a box of visqueen that probably help.
The rain last night was quite a lot. I’ve got a box of visqueen that probably help.