Jump to content

6 months leadtime ..I almost SHIPPED a Brick !


Ed_MK

Recommended Posts

16 hours ago, Ed_MK said:

Am i being anal here or are they a little "under-engineered" ..I mean these trench blocks are really crumbly too 

 

 

In defense of the building trade, might those crumble blocks just be positioned markers to help the beam layers avoid obstructing the timber frame supports. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 25/05/2018 at 11:37, epsilonGreedy said:

 

In defense of the building trade, might those crumble blocks just be positioned markers to help the beam layers avoid obstructing the timber frame supports. 

 

to be fair , i asked that and they said they "always did them like this"

and they are the main contractor for Potton

 

..I mean when you have 4 guys all telling you its's fine ...you feel a bit stupid pushing the point

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Ed_MK said:

 

to be fair , i asked that and they said they "always did them like this"

and they are the main contractor for Potton

 

..I mean when you have 4 guys all telling you its's fine ...you feel a bit stupid pushing the point

Playing a dangerous game if you don't stick to the spec to the letter. 

Its not that important though, it's only holding your house up after all ;)

Very easy to rectify after too. :/

Get them to change it now.  Simples. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well after 2 days (BH weekend as well!) of emails bouncing back and forth..between Architects, Frame Erector 

and groundworker ....they finally gave in and said ..No a SINGLE 3.6N Aircrete block is NOT considered a suitable Padstone.

 

First they said they would "double up" (2 x 3.6 side by side) and then we fought back and they said they COULD make shutters and fill with concrete,
handmix style ....and finally said OK, we can have precast padstones ....if we INSIST ?!?!  :O

 

But this came with a warning ....I have been told this will FURTHER delay the frame erection as our SLOT will slip
and that they believe that a precast padstone cannot be "drilled" ...

 

anyone know if that is true ?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 25/05/2018 at 11:17, MikeGrahamT21 said:

Thats an aircrete trench block, will be 7N at most.

 

Definitely wrong as a pier for the house to sit on

 

I was told it was 7.2 ....

but i found the Delivery Note stuffed into the plastic pallet wrap ...they are Thermalite 3.6 300mm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Problem is ...this has got me worrying about all sorts of stuff (see pics)

 

1. Wont the beams need to be cut down for the chimney bottom course ?

 

2. should the waste pipe be in a "bed" of something

 

3. All the beams are used ..but there appears to be large "gaps" is this normal

 

4. Along the edges seem to be "open" ...Should these have kickers in? and if so won't it be hard
to slide them in later ....regarding mortar ?
 

5. some edges look uneven and blocks stick out more than others ...I was told the excess could be "cut off later"

but wont that just loosen them again

 

6. I know its all under the ground ...but do you think that finish is a little ....scabby ..or am i being picky 

 

 

chimney_1.jpg

waste_pipe.jpg

gapinfloor.jpg

missing kickers.jpg

differentlegnths.jpg

nastyfinish.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

3 hours ago, Ed_MK said:

they believe that a precast padstone cannot be "drilled" ...

 

anyone know if that is true ?

 

Nope ... drilled a few in my time as some BCOs insist on steels being retained at least at one end. 

 

I’m assuming they need something like an M12 stud in them ..? Get the bolt pattern and drill with a 6mm new SDS bit and then check it’s correct before drilling out to 13mm. 

 

10 mins tops to do 4 in a block. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Ed_MK said:

 

I was told it was 7.2 ....

but i found the Delivery Note stuffed into the plastic pallet wrap ...they are Thermalite 3.6 300mm

Wow, glad you noticed all that and got it sorted, id say a near miss?!?! Are you sure whoever is putting your house up is up to the job?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In pic 5 you'd have thought the outer open end of those runs would have started off with a beam. Have they worked to a B&B design from an SE ?

Good to hear they admitted the pads were a load of bollocks. Drilling them will take minutes. Why exactly are they talking so much BS?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

In pic 5 you'd have thought the outer open end of those runs would have started off with a beam. Have they worked to a B&B design from an SE ?

Good to hear they admitted the pads were a load of bollocks. Drilling them will take minutes. Why exactly are they talking so much BS?

 

I think its a question of NEW guys on the job here.

 

Hard working lads ..all of them ...but when i asked questions they didnt seem sure.

I presume they thought that the same blocks for the exterior would suffice for the beam supports...

...until pointed out.

 

The main man does know his stuff ...but it seems they have a several jobs on the go and so cannot devote as much time as they would like,

I think thats the truth in this.

 

I have just had a mini-meeting with the foundation company and the frame company on site and we have decided that rather than padstones, they are going to 
shutter up the areas and fill them to beam top with C30 Concrete ...should be faster and we should then be able to start frame erecting on Monday (fingers crossed)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Oh and yes, the soil runs should have support at predetermined intervals, so has you BCO inspected and passed these yet? 

 

What do you mean by "soil runs" Nick ?

The BCO is due to come out tomorrow ...EEK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well there is one small on from the downstairs toilet ...1m

and there are 2 long one s...one for the kitchen waste and gutter and one from the SVP

i suppose these are over 6-7m

 

 

last i seen they were covering them with pea gravel under the beam 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always used metal strap under Neath the pipe and pulled up over the beam and nailed into the blocks. They should be supported by stone and gravel that was used to backfill the founds. The metal straps are a just incase what has been backfilled sinks. Never have them sitting on bricks.

Seen a lot of builders bury all the crap of the day in them and then cover it over with a sprinkle of stone.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Galvanised-Steel-Banding-Strapping-Perforated-Metal-20mmx10m-Building-DIY-Garden/2147314538?iid=173297092125

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ed_MK said:

shutter up the areas and fill them to beam top with C30 Concrete

 

That is a pretty big cold bridge and it will take 28 days to get to full strength anyway. Are they ordering in the concrete otherwise it needs gauging properly to get a C30 spec 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well they mixed it on site ...It looked decent enough ...although it could have been "greyer" ...but 

they got them in ...either way its got to be an improvement on 3.6Nm Aircrete's ..?

Just the kickers to go on now ..and the frame should come Monday ...

 

Regarding hardening ...I think it will be at least 7 days before it actually carries any moderate weight
and as the Frame takes 4 weeks to erect ..it should be topping out at the finish.

I appreciate its a compromise ...but we are up against it time wise ...If the erectors dont start
then we could be put back a month or more as another job will be shunted ....and we are already a month
behind original date

 

regarding the bridging ...I think the plan is to finish it off tomorrow to the top of the beam, not sure if there will be any 
damp-course on/in  that ....but i suspect there should be somewhere 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Back to the original thread.. we’re in Scotland and have had several toppy quotes for laying 5400 (120 sqm approx) reclaimed bricks with lime mortar and a bag rubbed finish. One at £60/sqm and one at £6000 for the job. Inc materials, although not bricks. 

 

Bricklayers are are not easy to come by. Good bricklayers even more so. I hope you get your founds sorted ASAP. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...