Would you confront your general contractor on this?

[r136dg]

It's always something & I find myself picking/choosing which screw ups to bring in front of the general, which to just fix myself & which projects to just tell him to not even start. Tactfully of course (with kid gloves). A sub-contractor was putting in most of the pipes from house to septic tanks to street. He was doing a great job (other than showing up every other day) until Sunday. He came in for a couple hours to finish 2 pipes to the street (about 18 meters), through some dirt over them & took off. I checked them & the slope was going up & down, not radically but there was a couple spots where there would be standing water (1.5-2cm). He cut the pipes out, regraded & reset them and of course his pride was hurt.

Now I feel a bit guilty, I liked the guy. Maybe these consistent battles have run me down to the mai bpen rai, except all work as it's done mentality.

Would you have stood your ground on this issue or am I being a prick? 

Thanks!

[Crossy]

You forget, Thai water not same farang water.

 

He's fixed it, and in reality is it really a serious issue?

 

I hate to think how our (nearly 50m) run to the drain slopes, but it doesn't have any standing water in the access pit next to the septic so must be ok.

[Pdaz]

Being constantly "picky" and "fussy" here gets me down too. But in reality we aren't being either. We just have the expectation that a tradesman ( I use that term very loosely) know's his job.

Can you imagine quizzing a real plumber in the West and reminding him that, "the pipe needs to slope down" Can you imagine his response ?

The trouble is when any of the amateur handymen "changs" here get called out on their quality or bad practice they bristle up like a spoiled child.. Suddenly it's our fault for being "fussy" 

"oh nobody do like this"

"It only leak a little"

"it is straight!"

"can clean off, nobody see" 

Cue long face and petulant attitude...

 

The truth is very few have any idea what a good job is and as their own home is probably shoddy they have nothing to base an opinion on. I really only get workmen  in for donkey work now. Anything requiring a good finish or some technical ability I do myself. It's easier.

 

[Artisi]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

You forget, Thai water not same farang water.

 

He's fixed it, and in reality is it really a serious issue?

 

I hate to think how our (nearly 50m) run to the drain slopes, but it doesn't have any standing water in the access pit next to the septic so must be ok.

"Thai water not same farang water" this is the reason why floor drainage points must be higher than the surrounding area.

No not picky, just asking for the job to be done correctly, remember -  you are paying the bill.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Artisi

[eyecatcher]

Maybe I am different but i had to show my crew where i wanted to see the bubble on the level and that represented a 1:40 fall.

 

You have to remember its a given that all their new buildings will settle a couple of inches bringing the drainage down or breaking its back.

Level is as good as running uphill.

 

I had no qualms telling my team to keep altering it and it doesnt help when the septic tank decides to float up a foot aswell.

 

As the above poster states...we pay and the customer is always right.

[r136dg]

Thanks for setting me straight! I was going to get him a bottle of good whiskey to rid the quilt (<deleted> was I thinking).

I put a bathroom in my basement (decades ago in the States), my vent pipe travelling horizontal in a hung ceiling had a very small bow in it & failed inspection. That was just a vent pipe!

No more mr nice guy with kid gloves! My response will now be a tactful "do the job right and you won't be back again". I know without doubt there's times when they see their errors & keep working thinking the white boy probably won't see it. The tile crew came back yesterday for the 4rth time & their still not done. They thought I wouldn't notice a >1cm deep V in 2 courses going across 3/4's of the garage floor. They obviously started correcting it in the next course which implies they were aware of the mistake.

I'm out there working my tail off every day. Some things I do because I just know it won't get done right, some times I fix errors to avoid the conflict, it just keeps going on.

The job is nearing the end (at least from the generals obligations). So there's light @ the end of the tunnel. My 1st house build here; obviously, and I learned a lot. 1st & foremost: to he!! with generals. Their job is to provide compete subs & oversee their work which is what I pay him very well for. Obviously his concern is getting cheap labor & absentee from the job site, until I call him.

Thanks for listening to my rants

[Crossy]

35 minutes ago, r136dg said:

So there's light @ the end of the tunnel.

 

No, that is the headlamp of an oncoming train!

 

We had an excellent local Contractor (who is still a friend), even so there were errors, some were fixed, some I let go. The saga of our build in on the forum somewhere.

 

I deal with contractors every day in my real job, mostly large international companies who are just as devious as any Thai jobbing builder. For example, "that 1m of cable is not in our scope, please raise a Variation Order" this despite the contract being worth > $20M and the cost of raising and responding to a Variation far outweighs the cost of the missing cable.

 

Something I have learned over the years, and I try to instil into my Thai chaps, is that you don't write a letter complaining about every small problem. Do it by email / phone / meeting, save the official letters for the big issues and they might get looked at rather then getting dumped in "Pending" (or even "Waiting to Pend") with all the others.

 

Back with our home, I'm still doing stuff 5 years after we moved in. Mostly silly things, latest being the water meter fell off the wall because the bit of scrap wood it was sitting on (whilst waiting for the metal bracket) finally rotted away.

 

 

[Steiner]

On 6/14/2017 at 7:02 AM, r136dg said:

I was going to get him a bottle of good whiskey to rid the quilt (<deleted> was I thinking).

 

Buy him presents for doing a sub standard job, then moping about it!
Stick your foot in his ass and tell him to do one!

I have no issue telling them what to do, which was p*ss off on the 2 occasions that a Thai did any sort of work for me.
I wouldn't let a Thai change a light bulb, untrained idiots that have zero respect for the work they purport to do.
After the last time I told one to clear off, I went and bought a full tool kit, best thing I every did, I add to it regularly and it rivals any western tradesman's kit now.

There are some great western builders in Thailand now, that's the way to go, finished on time, knowledgeable and done properly.
I see guys posting pics of their Thai house with costs like they got a bargain, pah!
They got a jerry built single walled shed!

 

I work in property, I see and survey houses every day, it's a joke, poor design, ridiculous electrics, placement and instillation. Looking at a 4.5 kw shower instillation an hour ago with 1.5mm wire!  They had cemented it into the wall, didn't even use conduit, that's getting ripped out tomorrow.

When they run out  of a colour of wire (a lot have their own colour code anyway) they just join another colour and carry on!

I've seen parts of houses wired completely in green because they ran out of other wire and wouldn't go buy some, live, neutral and light ring ALL IN GREEN EARTH WIRE!

Ridiculous plumbing, they have zero understanding of gas flow or pressures in drainage systems. Never cover pipe ends so pipes are always getting blocked with the dirt they force in as they push them through, it's pure stupidity and laziness.

No DPC's and so much rising damp.

I saw one using a vibrating plate about 6 months ago, nearly crashed the car I was so surprised! 1st one I've seen on 10 years, they usually do the walk up and down like Peruvians making Nazca lines.

None of them know what they're doing!

[kannot]

9 hours ago, Steiner said:

Buy him presents for doing a sub standard job, then moping about it!
Stick your foot in his ass and tell him to do one!

I have no issue telling them what to do, which was p*ss off on the 2 occasions that a Thai did any sort of work for me.
I wouldn't let a Thai change a light bulb, untrained idiots that have zero respect for the work they purport to do.
After the last time I told one to clear off, I went and bought a full tool kit, best thing I every did, I add to it regularly and it rivals any western tradesman's kit now.

There are some great western builders in Thailand now, that's the way to go, finished on time, knowledgeable and done properly.
I see guys posting pics of their Thai house with costs like they got a bargain, pah!
They got a jerry built single walled shed!

 

I work in property, I see and survey houses every day, it's a joke, poor design, ridiculous electrics, placement and instillation. Looking at a 4.5 kw shower instillation an hour ago with 1.5mm wire!  They had cemented it into the wall, didn't even use conduit, that's getting ripped out tomorrow.

When they run out  of a colour of wire (a lot have their own colour code anyway) they just join another colour and carry on!

I've seen parts of houses wired completely in green because they ran out of other wire and wouldn't go buy some, live, neutral and light ring ALL IN GREEN EARTH WIRE!

Ridiculous plumbing, they have zero understanding of gas flow or pressures in drainage systems. Never cover pipe ends so pipes are always getting blocked with the dirt they force in as they push them through, it's pure stupidity and laziness.

No DPC's and so much rising damp.

I saw one using a vibrating plate about 6 months ago, nearly crashed the car I was so surprised! 1st one I've seen on 10 years, they usually do the walk up and down like Peruvians making Nazca lines.

None of them know what they're doing!

Came here 10+ years ago now thinking I could build something great for a cheap price, reality after starting a  small maids  house (as a practice run) and seeing  how it worked for real made me abandon that project and build two small houses totally myself from mixing mortar to roofing and electrics.....it was the only way I KNEW it could be done properly.......my infamous "we havent finished it yet" roof welding below  which got  ripped  off after I saw it followed by the contractor being  dismissed with me finishing EVERYTHING.

Often is the case they can do MUCH better but are either lazy or ordered to do so by the  boss, before  and after my intervention

[Bangkok Barry]

On 6/13/2017 at 9:26 AM, Pdaz said:

Being constantly "picky" and "fussy" here gets me down too. But in reality we aren't being either. We just have the expectation that a tradesman ( I use that term very loosely) know's his job.

Can you imagine quizzing a real plumber in the West and reminding him that, "the pipe needs to slope down" Can you imagine his response ?

The trouble is when any of the amateur handymen "changs" here get called out on their quality or bad practice they bristle up like a spoiled child.. Suddenly it's our fault for being "fussy" 

"oh nobody do like this"

"It only leak a little"

"it is straight!"

"can clean off, nobody see" 

Cue long face and petulant attitude...

 

The truth is very few have any idea what a good job is and as their own home is probably shoddy they have nothing to base an opinion on. I really only get workmen  in for donkey work now. Anything requiring a good finish or some technical ability I do myself. It's easier.

 

Perfectly stated. I had my house re-built and there are so many places the work wasn't done properly, including laying electric wires that went nowhere. My problem was that half the workers are family so my wife couldn't complain without causing WW3.

[zd1]

When building here you really have to be on top of everything if you leave them to their own devices then your in for a shock.

We are on our 3rd team of builders now and we put this team together ourselves, they work hard and if there is any problem no matter how small I am consulted straight away as they know that I will make them do it again and again until it is right.

The first team we had I had to leave them for a few days and when I came back to say I was shocked would be an understatement, no lintels above windows roof rafters being held on by a couple of screws, windows that didn't fit the frames (maybe this was on purpose so that the windows would open when the frames start to collapse under the weight of the wall above it as they didn't put in lintels). I didn't bother getting him to put it right I just got him of site.

The second team were not much better they set the concrete posts onto wet concrete feet this resulted in nothing being level and I had to install more posts to level the building by the time I got rid of them I realised that nothing was square or level.

On a side note you could make a fortune if you started a not quite square or level shop you could have a range of 97 or 83 degree corners as these are far more common than the 90 degree corners that we tend to use in the west.

Basically you have to watch everything and stop things as soon as you think something is going wrong, measure everything and get them to correct things before moving on to the next task, it may seem like a lot of hassle but in the long run it will be worth it as it is much easier to correct something you spot straight away rather than later and remember that a so called tradesman here is about the level of a newbie labourer in the west.

Another thing that I do which I think is important is pay them well and give them a beer and thank them at the end of the day this creates a bond between you and your work force and they will tend to like you and want to do a good job for you.

[MJL1962]

Don't think that having a falang contractor will help. I had a German who could not control his staff hours/ work ( his guys started about 9.30 two hours for lunch and finished early ) or materials supply, (again his guys took all morning to go and get 100 blocks 20 bags of cement etc at a time) he took the advance payment and walked off the job as i refused to pay more. 

He also had a subcontractor who i found out he didn't pay so i got him to continue on a mix of dayrate and lump sum jobs. The dayrate i supervised closely. You need to be on-site every day all day. 

Even the lump sum work needs close monitoring.

Dayrate was paid weekly in cash, keeps the workers happy knowing they will get paid and a box of beer now and again when work progresses well sets a good tone. 

Kick up the arse when it's done badly and make them do it again until it's right.

Carrot and stick in equal amounts.

[williamgeorgeallen]

dont build or renovate in thailand. i did it twice. you want to ruin your life in thailand get married, at least you will get the honey moon period.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

I warn anyone that want to work for me before they start that I am a pain in the backside and that I will correct them if I think they are at fault but that they should take it as a learning experience about how picky foreigners can be, not as critism. The contractor before last only lasted a day before he packed up because he tried to double cross me on what we decided to do. The last guy that took over from this guy was great and did the work as agreed. But to be honest they are more scared of my wife than me she dont hold back. 

[minikev]

I just employed a construction team to build a large roof frame. 15metres x 19 metres. I gave them the drawing and they started the next day with a promise of a bonus if they complete including painting and mounting in 14 days. 

Today is day 6 and the 5th A frame is complete and welded to exacting standards. They have a QC man that constantly measures and checks angles and the width of the gaps to be welded. They have a supervisor that gets mucked in but keeps them all organised and busy. They clean up and put all tools away at 4.45 every day and turn up at 7.45 every morning to place tools where they will be used before work commences.

Their price was lower than my local builder who would have tack welded with an arc welder and I am sure they will be finished to a high standard before the 14 days is up.

I asked where they will go next and the answer was we don't know work is very hard to find at the moment. I am amazed that people haven't recognised the difference in the standard they give. 

If anyone has a construction project I can post pictures of the work they are doing here. I am based in Sattahip

[Tofer]

On 13 June 2017 at 9:26 AM, Pdaz said:

Being constantly "picky" and "fussy" here gets me down too. But in reality we aren't being either. We just have the expectation that a tradesman ( I use that term very loosely) know's his job.

Can you imagine quizzing a real plumber in the West and reminding him that, "the pipe needs to slope down" Can you imagine his response ?

The trouble is when any of the amateur handymen "changs" here get called out on their quality or bad practice they bristle up like a spoiled child.. Suddenly it's our fault for being "fussy" 

"oh nobody do like this"

"It only leak a little"

"it is straight!"

"can clean off, nobody see" 

Cue long face and petulant attitude...

 

The truth is very few have any idea what a good job is and as their own home is probably shoddy they have nothing to base an opinion on. I really only get workmen  in for donkey work now. Anything requiring a good finish or some technical ability I do myself. It's easier.

 

They are the same the world over. I made a UK contractor put a spirit level on drains to prove they were running uphill - not a happy bunny to be caught out.

[kannot]

1 hour ago, minikev said:

I just employed a construction team to build a large roof frame. 15metres x 19 metres. I gave them the drawing and they started the next day with a promise of a bonus if they complete including painting and mounting in 14 days. 

Today is day 6 and the 5th A frame is complete and welded to exacting standards. They have a QC man that constantly measures and checks angles and the width of the gaps to be welded. They have a supervisor that gets mucked in but keeps them all organised and busy. They clean up and put all tools away at 4.45 every day and turn up at 7.45 every morning to place tools where they will be used before work commences.

Their price was lower than my local builder who would have tack welded with an arc welder and I am sure they will be finished to a high standard before the 14 days is up.

I asked where they will go next and the answer was we don't know work is very hard to find at the moment. I am amazed that people haven't recognised the difference in the standard they give. 

If anyone has a construction project I can post pictures of the work they are doing here. I am based in Sattahip

please do, round by me they havent a  clue with a lot of things.

[williet98248]

My landlady decided to replace the gyprock ceiling in my house. It is a long story but the short version is that I told her the ceiling would fall down within in six months because they weren't doing it properly.  She poo pooed my concern.  I moved out to another house next door 5 months and 27 days later.  Four days after I moved I heard the crash of the ceiling coming down next door.  I missed it by a day.

[bandito]

On ‎6‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 5:02 PM, eyecatcher said:

Maybe I am different but i had to show my crew where i wanted to see the bubble on the level and that represented a 1:40 fall.

 

You have to remember its a given that all their new buildings will settle a couple of inches bringing the drainage down or breaking its back.

Level is as good as running uphill.

 

I had no qualms telling my team to keep altering it and it doesnt help when the septic tank decides to float up a foot aswell.

 

As the above poster states...we pay and the customer is always right.

 

Here the customer is never right and should shut up.

Most of them builders even get mad at you for interfering and critizising his workmanship.

Thai contractor knows everything and how it has to be done.

Thai workers are extremely loyal to their boss, to murdering customers which critizise him (the boss).

As I can confirm  (long story) first hand from long ago.

Be carefull.

 

[zoza]

I still get dark looks when ever the "plumbers" are about our building and because I disagreed when we had a blockage

in the shower and they went to cut open pipes below the sink which were about five feet above the blockage and trying

to explain via my wife that water runs down not up was a tense ten minuets before I ushered them out of the condo.

[briando]

On ‎10‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 11:35 AM, Steiner said:

Buy him presents for doing a sub standard job, then moping about it!
Stick your foot in his ass and tell him to do one!

I have no issue telling them what to do, which was p*ss off on the 2 occasions that a Thai did any sort of work for me.
I wouldn't let a Thai change a light bulb, untrained idiots that have zero respect for the work they purport to do.
After the last time I told one to clear off, I went and bought a full tool kit, best thing I every did, I add to it regularly and it rivals any western tradesman's kit now.

There are some great western builders in Thailand now, that's the way to go, finished on time, knowledgeable and done properly.
I see guys posting pics of their Thai house with costs like they got a bargain, pah!
They got a jerry built single walled shed!

 

I work in property, I see and survey houses every day, it's a joke, poor design, ridiculous electrics, placement and instillation. Looking at a 4.5 kw shower instillation an hour ago with 1.5mm wire!  They had cemented it into the wall, didn't even use conduit, that's getting ripped out tomorrow.

When they run out  of a colour of wire (a lot have their own colour code anyway) they just join another colour and carry on!

I've seen parts of houses wired completely in green because they ran out of other wire and wouldn't go buy some, live, neutral and light ring ALL IN GREEN EARTH WIRE!

Ridiculous plumbing, they have zero understanding of gas flow or pressures in drainage systems. Never cover pipe ends so pipes are always getting blocked with the dirt they force in as they push them through, it's pure stupidity and laziness.

No DPC's and so much rising damp.

I saw one using a vibrating plate about 6 months ago, nearly crashed the car I was so surprised! 1st one I've seen on 10 years, they usually do the walk up and down like Peruvians making Nazca lines.

None of them know what they're doing!

 

[briando]

1 minute ago, briando said:

 

You are 120% correct.We are on our 3rd set of "builders" over the last 15 months and none of them know anything or care anything about the job.They completly rubbished the site with their plastic bags, bottles,rusted tools,broken concrete and everything else they brought to the site.Nobody cares about anything and they are incapable of doing a job to even a low standard.One example out of many.They started to tile the bathroom and as soon as I looked in the door I could see the tiles weren't level so I made them do it again.For the floor I sent the builder an email with a photo of how the floor waste should look e.g., the tiles cut neatly at an angle sloping down to the waste and not 10mm above it so you see the cement for the rest of your life.It didn't get done.Then when the tiling was finished I looked in the door and the cistern was 4 cms away from the wall.This kind of WC comes as a unit with the cistern and pan connected to each other.So we contacted the builder and he said it would make it easier to clean the wall.So we told him to put it against the wall, and I sent the builder a photo of an offset for the drain as it's impossible to simply just move the pan back 4cms without relocating the drain.They did the job early one morning before I got there and swore the pan goes into the drain.Sorry, but I don't believe them.When the job was finished water was leaking through the wall so we contacted the builder and he sent a 2 workers who spent a few days digging the concrete and tiles out to find the leak in the pipe that the previous worker forgot to glue.When they put the tiles back (that we had to buy) the floor waste was done the same way even though I tried to tell them how to do it and they broke 2 more floor tiles getting the previous tiles up and didn't tell us (because they knew we would be unhappy).We have then bought more tiles to repair the repair but they won't come back.So 9 months later the bathroom hasn't been used much and the next set of builders have used it to store tools because the workers come on bikes and can't take them home,and the bathroom is filthy dirty.I could go on and on about this but don't have the time as I have to go to work at the age of 75 to try to do at least some things properly.But honestly it's an uphill battle with people who just couldn't give a shit.

[free123]

On 13.6.2017 at 4:26 AM, Pdaz said:

Being constantly "picky" and "fussy" here gets me down too. But in reality we aren't being either. We just have the expectation that a tradesman ( I use that term very loosely) know's his job.

Can you imagine quizzing a real plumber in the West and reminding him that, "the pipe needs to slope down" Can you imagine his response ?

The trouble is when any of the amateur handymen "changs" here get called out on their quality or bad practice they bristle up like a spoiled child.. Suddenly it's our fault for being "fussy" 

"oh nobody do like this"

"It only leak a little"

"it is straight!"

"can clean off, nobody see" 

Cue long face and petulant attitude...

 

The truth is very few have any idea what a good job is and as their own home is probably shoddy they have nothing to base an opinion on. I really only get workmen  in for donkey work now. Anything requiring a good finish or some technical ability I do myself. It's easier.

 

learn fast all the trades plumping...tiles...bricklaying ...electric  etc... otherwise u end up with a thai slum shackle..even in the west not every tradesman is an expert..(. i guarantee more gipsy jokers around than u can imagine ).i always look over their jobs and ask a lot if questions check the job on a constant i am always present at the site..if they think i am a pain in the ass...listen: i dont give a shit..result...my house. here in europe is spot on ...will do the same in thailand cause pretty soon we start a building..and be sure i will not hold back with my opinion if the guy don't show up in time or if he knocks off earlier...the last thing i need is the bimbo system implanted in my life

[minikev]

I just employed a construction team to build a large roof frame. 15metres x 19 metres. I gave them the drawing and they started the next day with a promise of a bonus if they complete including painting and mounting in 14 days. 

Today is day 6 and the 5th A frame is complete and welded to exacting standards. They have a QC man that constantly measures and checks angles and the width of the gaps to be welded. They have a supervisor that gets mucked in but keeps them all organised and busy. They clean up and put all tools away at 4.45 every day and turn up at 7.45 every morning to place tools where they will be used before work commences.

Their price was lower than my local builder who would have tack welded with an arc welder and I am sure they will be finished to a high standard before the 14 days is up.

I asked where they will go next and the answer was we don't know work is very hard to find at the moment. I am amazed that people haven't recognised the difference in the standard they give. 

If anyone has a construction project I can post pictures of the work they are doing here. I am based in Sattahip

Some photo's of the progress.

All frames were cut and tacked in a temporary jig they made on H beams then moved along and stitch welded using mig.

I've measured and there is no discrepancy they are all within 1cm.

We will have a Hiab come and lift into place to bolt to the H beams this weekend.

Edited July 12, 2017 by minikev
I wanted to add more text

[kannot]

12 minutes ago, minikev said:

I just employed a construction team to build a large roof frame. 15metres x 19 metres. I gave them the drawing and they started the next day with a promise of a bonus if they complete including painting and mounting in 14 days. 

Today is day 6 and the 5th A frame is complete and welded to exacting standards. They have a QC man that constantly measures and checks angles and the width of the gaps to be welded. They have a supervisor that gets mucked in but keeps them all organised and busy. They clean up and put all tools away at 4.45 every day and turn up at 7.45 every morning to place tools where they will be used before work commences.

Their price was lower than my local builder who would have tack welded with an arc welder and I am sure they will be finished to a high standard before the 14 days is up.

I asked where they will go next and the answer was we don't know work is very hard to find at the moment. I am amazed that people haven't recognised the difference in the standard they give. 

If anyone has a construction project I can post pictures of the work they are doing here. I am based in Sattahip

do they just do steel work or general  building?

[minikev]

They have ground workers, tilers,a very good electrician that has just installed a delta earth system to my house, in total a team of 16 men usually working in rotation on 3 sites.

[r136dg]

1 hour ago, minikev said:

They have ground workers, tilers,a very good electrician that has just installed a delta earth system to my house, in total a team of 16 men usually working in rotation on 3 sites.

Decent tools, wheel barrow, good scaffolding, even a hard hat. Not your average bunch.

What's that perimeter wall?

[Mooner]

The levels they use are usually wrong. Have bought a few low/medium cost levels here fo diy work and they are not accurate.

That coupled with when you lay drainage underground the pipe should be layed and covered in shingle/small stones. Without it when you throw soil over pipes the settling of the pipe especially over distance can cause the pipe to bend causing the water not to flow and causing blockages 

[minikev]

9 hours ago, r136dg said:

Decent tools, wheel barrow, good scaffolding, even a hard hat. Not your average bunch.

What's that perimeter wall?

They all wear hard hats when the boss is about. One man was made to stand at the perimeter as he had left a leather glove unattended and a dog had run off with it. He was allowed back to work when I gave him another glove.

The wall is simply for security later as it will have steel fencing on top and a large gate.

They have had a lot to deal with as it's rained every night but they changed the program and accepted the steel will all have to be rubbed down and primed and painted after all the welding is finished. 

[zd1]

4 hours ago, minikev said:

They all wear hard hats when the boss is about. One man was made to stand at the perimeter as he had left a leather glove unattended and a dog had run off with it. He was allowed back to work when I gave him another glove.

The wall is simply for security later as it will have steel fencing on top and a large gate.

They have had a lot to deal with as it's rained every night but they changed the program and accepted the steel will all have to be rubbed down and primed and painted after all the welding is finished. 

Just a thought when I get my steel delivered I get them to prime it straight away, as i'm by the sea, steel and sea air is a recipe for rust I try and get some level of protection on the steel straight away. When the welding is done and grinded down nicely they just have to prime over the welds then, it can also save a bit of time as it is easier to prime the steel when it is on the ground and if the steel is in good condition when delivered you could save more time as it may not need rubbing down. The top coats will have to be done when the structure is up so the painting is even though.

A friend mentioned the other day about a method called cathodic protection where you run a 12 volt current through the steel for rust protection i'm going to do a bit of research into this as it may give my steel structures better protection.