Ground bearing slab curing

[flanagaj]

I have found a company to come and pour and 'finish' the concrete slabs next week.  As always, everything is vague and nothing is done with a formal contract.  Just been told the job has been booked in.   

Should the company be responsible for applying a curing agent as they have already said that they don't provide polythene sheeting to cover it to aid curing.
 

[Gus Potter]

You have my phone number.. you know the rules, text me first as I'm a bit deaf and I'll help you out for free for half an hour. 

 

You just keep digging yourself a hole you fanny! 

 

We have I believe talked already engaged by email?

 

I'll give up a bit of my time for free 30 minutes and that's it. This is my last and final offer. You are so out of your depth it’s bonkers.. but I think you are just stubborn and that is is you downfall. 

 

You are not even out the ground yet! On balance of probability you are going to regret this. You seem to be falling for, say the casual internity trades folk. You are off your head!

 

It's time son to get your big boys hat on and wake up and smell, the coffee.

 

This is tough love but I recommend that you also call/ pm  @Nickfromwales for a very quick chat. His time is not free ( I think you get 15 -30 min pro bono) but it could be the best call you ever make! 

 

You have not even got out the ground yet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Gus Potter

[flanagaj]

7 hours ago, Gus Potter said:

You have my phone number.. you know the rules, text me first as I'm a bit deaf and I'll help you out for free for half an hour. 

 

You just keep digging yourself a hole you fanny! 

 

We have I believe talked already engaged by email?

 

I'll give up a bit of my time for free 30 minutes and that's it. This is my last and final offer. You are so out of your depth it’s bonkers.. but I think you are just stubborn and that is is you downfall. 

 

You are not even out the ground yet! On balance of probability you are going to regret this. You seem to be falling for, say the casual internity trades folk. You are off your head!

 

It's time son to get your big boys hat on and wake up and smell, the coffee.

 

This is tough love but I recommend that you also call/ pm  @Nickfromwales for a very quick chat. His time is not free ( I think you get 15 -30 min pro bono) but it could be the best call you ever make! 

 

You have not even got out the ground yet!

It's not that simple @Gus Potter unfortunately, we moved to an area where I have zero connections.  Previously, I knew many, but it's too far to travel.  The downfall was in thinking that I could find reputable trades who would do a good job.  This has been an absolute mare and it's akin to the Wild West.  Shysters who are either shit or think they can take you for a ride.   Our last bricklayer was exactly that.  As soon as I picked him up on his levels being out, I'm convinced he binned us off, but continued for 5 days before walking off site and onto a new house build for a builder. 

 

In hindsight, a single contractor for a shell would have been the best option, but I'm here now and I've just got to get slabs done and then the next lot of bricklayers can start mid August.   Unlike many on here, we are not blessed with deep pockets and have to watch every penny.  This build is being done on the basis of keeping to the Estimators QS and that means me managing trades. 

 

The question I have for everyone is what is this site for?  I ask questions, because either they are not specified in the LABC manual or the trades person I'm dealing with does not fill me with confidence, that they know what they are doing.   

 

Just for the record, the concrete company is a large Southampton based outfit and not some bloke who happened to overhear a conversation in the pub.   So by that very nature, I'd expect them to be professional and make sure the slabs are done to industry standard and protected from shrinkage post pour.

 

I also don't know what you mean by 'big boy hat'. Am I to start getting violent with these people when they deliver substandard work?  I've already sacked two bricklayers, so it's not as if I cannot have the conversations.  It's finding reputable individuals.

 

 

[saveasteading]

@flanagaj it's just that some of us have done this for decades. It is never easy for us either because every job is different And because people are people.

We may get a little cross when our advice is ignored. But hey, we could be wrong.

Listen to the advice.whether you take it is up to you.

No violence, but make big decisions to take advice or not.

 

I sympathise, but never assume that building is easy, or that the man in the white van has expertise. And keep asking and listening.

[flanagaj]

5 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

@flanagaj it's just that some of us have done this for decades. It is never easy for us either because every job is different And because people are people.

We may get a little cross when our advice is ignored. But hey, we could be wrong.

Listen to the advice.whether you take it is up to you.

No violence, but make big decisions to take advice or not.

 

I sympathise, but never assume that building is easy, or that the man in the white van has expertise. And keep asking and listening.

I appreciate that you guys have been doing this for a long time and I suspect that you are all very fortunate to have created a 'goto' list of trades for certain jobs.  Most of my questions are around using the forum to either get validation on a specific process or where I simply cannot find the detail I require.  I shoulder blame partly there by not choosing a decent architect who in theory is the person who should detail every aspect.