Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 14, 2016 9:35 pm So my site has been scrapped and surveyed. Tomorrow the plumbers start tomorrow and then by the end of the week it will be ready for the pour next Monday. So I wanted to know where do I need to keep an eye on for mistakes, where the most important photos for any future use need to be taken for our records, what I need to look at for. Thanks ~Shellby~ GJ Bridgewater 203 11/3/2016 - Site Work Started 29/9/2016 - Handover 142 Work Days 6 Work Days Over https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80174 Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 2Mar 15, 2016 11:54 am Keep a record of the plumbing locations, and photos of where there go, so you can find the pipes later if necessary, or help diagnose any problems. For the slab, record the reinforcing layout, and confirm against the engineering plans. Check the condition of the bottoms of the trenches. They should be fairly clear of rubble, and to the specified depth. Before pouring, make sure the pipes that go through the concrete are lagged so that the concrete doesn't touch them. What can happen is the plumber may wrap the pipe where it goes through a slab beam, but the trench side collapses some more, leaving exposed pipe that will get grabbed by the concrete. Make sure that the reinforcing is adequately suspended off the trench bottoms everywhere, and not not touching any trench sides or formwork. If it isn't fully immersed in concrete, it can rust, causing concrete cancer. The problem with checking all this is that many of these things may not be finished right up until the time they start pouring. Even then, the reo gets pushed around as the concrete gets pumped in, and you still rely on the concreters to take appropriate care. Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 3Mar 15, 2016 12:17 pm shellby So my site has been scrapped and surveyed. Tomorrow the plumbers start tomorrow and then by the end of the week it will be ready for the pour next Monday. So I wanted to know where do I need to keep an eye on for mistakes, where the most important photos for any future use need to be taken for our records, what I need to look at for. Thanks There is a lot to know and a lot to look for. Get your slab preparations inspected by experienced building consultant. Photos won't help you if your pipes are in the wrong spot or your levels wrong. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 4Mar 15, 2016 12:48 pm I would strongly suggest in engaging a private building inspector to be there the day BEFORE slab pour and inspect the form work and the positions of all your plumbing. We did that and he picked up on a few minor things that were corrected prior to our slab pour the next day. Just think about it, once that slab is poured and form work is not measured correctly or got forbid one of your pipes is in the wrong spot you'll have serious problems. If your budget allows it, also get an inspection for "pre plaster" as well, that's where "mistakes" can and sometimes are hidden. I just finished building my dream home, I was renting the house next door so I was very lucky to have easy access to our house on a daily basis, while our house was getting built at each stage. I took heaps of photos and video on my iPad, more for my record not that I knew where I should take photos. But I also hired a private building inspector to check EVERY building stage and he took the right photos and indicated what needed to be rectified prior to the next stage in his report. For us he was a god send, as we had a frustrating situation prior to our bricks starting where our builder was giving us the run around with our kitchen window, we had upgraded all our windows to have brick infills including above the garage opening, but when it come to our kitchen window the builder was claiming they have never done brick Infills for the "bay window style" for our kitchen as I said they gave me the run around for abit, saying they will fix it and the rest, but when my inspector came to do our frame stage report I told him about the situation and he said leave with me. Well, let me just say this, those few choice words that were included in our inspector's frame report did the trick, the next day the builder contacted us to have a meeting to rectify the brick infill situation for our kitchen window. Yes we got what we wanted and paid for, (at one stage I nearly backed down to having fibre cement infills) but my private building inspector wasn't having none of that. My inspector kept on reminding me everything is achievable when building, it's just the builder protecting their profit margin at the end of the day! Alternatively if you have family member or friend adequately qualified I would be asking them to keep an eye on your house build. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your house build, as I did mine. Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 5Mar 16, 2016 7:04 am To those looking to do their own inspections, this is what you are up against: 1 Defective work 2 Incomplete work 3 Non compliance with regs 4 Non conformance with contract 5 Thermal imaging and other equipment to find otherwise invisible defects. 6 Contractual administration matters 7 Compelling builder to rectify 8 Lack of knowledge and experience 9 Lack of cloud cover from an expert Remember, someone who has inspected thousands of homes will walk up and zero in immediately (because they have seen it before), others will blunder about for hours not knowing what to look for( pretending length of time they spend is being thorough). Sometimes I will spot significant issues before I get out of the car. There you are Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 6Mar 16, 2016 8:59 am shellby So my site has been scrapped and surveyed. Tomorrow the plumbers start tomorrow and then by the end of the week it will be ready for the pour next Monday. So I wanted to know where do I need to keep an eye on for mistakes, where the most important photos for any future use need to be taken for our records, what I need to look at for. Thanks Hi, Do you have the complete site engineers report and Following info 1. Footing & Slab engineering details 2. Wind loading Classification and details 3. Stormwater Drainage and retaining,etc 4. Framing, beams lintels etc engineering details I do recommend you get proper inspections done...but not everyone can?...so try to understand what are the important elements in the engineering drawings, 3D engineering details help, as do simulations,etc, Do not authorize the pour until photos are taken and checked. If you are OK with putting up photos I can take a quick look, I am a structural Engineer and concreting contractor Goodluck. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 7Mar 16, 2016 10:32 am Yeah - I'd just take shots of the block - the pipes going in - starting with the un-scraped block / scraped block / pipe work / etc etc as it progresses. If for nothing else than to have a record for future reference and "laughs". AND - if you don't understand something - ASK !!! Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 8Mar 17, 2016 9:52 am StructuralBIMGuy" wrote Hi, Do you have the complete site engineers report and Following info 1. Footing & Slab engineering details 2. Wind loading Classification and details 3. Stormwater Drainage and retaining,etc 4. Framing, beams lintels etc engineering details Yeah right. And how is average person not skilled in building supposed to read and understand engineering and building drawings, understand building contact and know how to pick up non compliance? Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 9Mar 17, 2016 5:31 pm My problem is - we don't have building inspectors here to hire. I would have to pay for someone to travel a few hours away to get to me and they charge for their travel time as well as the job - and yes I know but this is your most biggest investment - but I don't have an extra dollars to pay someone, plus they need at least 2-3 weeks notice due to being far away and having alot of jobs at their home town. Only building inspectors are the ones working for the council and they are not allowed to do private appointments. I do have the engineering reports as I received them from the council. I have read most of it and researched the stuff I didn't know so have a little idea of what to look for. I also have all my plans, plumbing drawings etc and even researched and did my own changes in the contract. So I do find I'll fairly good at learning, researching and getting around things fairly well - its one reason I ask questions - then I have an idea where to research and what to do. Thanks Structural guy - they have surprise surprise moved my plumbing and slab laying by over a week. You have given me some good tips to look into. I'm planning to go over each afternoon when they have gone to measure and check everything against the plans I have and reports I have. You have given me ideas of what to look for. I will take photos when I get to that point for you to have a quick look at for me. Thank you everyone for your ideas. ~Shellby~ GJ Bridgewater 203 11/3/2016 - Site Work Started 29/9/2016 - Handover 142 Work Days 6 Work Days Over https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80174 Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 10Mar 17, 2016 6:01 pm shellby Thanks Structural guy - they have surprise surprise moved my plumbing and slab laying by over a week. Your welcome, Great that gives you more time to familiarize yourself with the key areas to monitor shellby You have given me some good tips to look into. I'm planning to go over each afternoon when they have gone to measure and check everything against the plans I have and reports I have. You have given me ideas of what to look for. I will take photos when I get to that point for you to have a quick look at for me. I will endeavour to provide you all the info you need You might also want to leave a PM.I have found quite often builders don't provide full Engineering Details to homebuilders (PMs) for obvious reasons , the main one I suspect is that they don't want their work scrutinized by others? Steps 1. Identify key areas for inspection from the plans & engineering Details 2. Provide clients with simplified Visual aids and tools for self assessment of key elements/components 3. Photograph, note and define those key elements..They will either be compliant or non-compliant 4. An engineer can deal with the design codes and all (Non-/)compliance matters, predict fairly accurately the outcome, remedial steps,effects,etc,etc, if required. 5. If the builder/subcontractor chooses to ignore the engineers/clients instructions when given the information/proofs , then in the event of structural failure, the law will favour proofs provided by an engineer only. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 11Mar 18, 2016 6:04 am I'll just leave this here and let you decide whether it's worth getting someone to travel hours to come and inspect http://m.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/buil ... l/1345155/ Granted it's old-ish, but if the same mob are the franchisees, you might want to think about your options a bit more seriously. Perhaps you could track down this rob sands guy from the article Creator of superduperonium, expert at expert things, nobel laureate, can hold my breath for 10 minutes. Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 12Mar 18, 2016 10:30 am Or if you can't hire him, maybe contact a local structural engineer and see if they'd be willing to be a defacto inspector in lieu of anyone else qualified in that area of expertise? Stewie Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 13Mar 18, 2016 4:13 pm Its not the same builder anymore, the new builder brought and took over 2 years ago. The new builder has been in our area all his life and his father for 20+ years and neither have complaints etc brought against them like the past owner. So I have done my homework. ~Shellby~ GJ Bridgewater 203 11/3/2016 - Site Work Started 29/9/2016 - Handover 142 Work Days 6 Work Days Over https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80174 Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 14Mar 18, 2016 7:59 pm Go the blind trust option then How sure are you they aren't the franchisees any more? http://m.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news ... l/2779144/ Re: What areas must I photograph before slab is poured? 15Mar 20, 2016 11:13 pm Very sure - they have the Coffs office, and a different builder brought the Clarence office when they went to Coffs. I have researched, met and done everything with the builder - I have even met the one in Coffs Harbour as well which I wouldn't go with. Goodness, your stuck on this builder - he does not own or runs or builds the houses from the Clarence office anymore. ~Shellby~ GJ Bridgewater 203 11/3/2016 - Site Work Started 29/9/2016 - Handover 142 Work Days 6 Work Days Over https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80174 Hello needing some advice. I was about to build my Alfresco and needed a new slab and remove exisiting slab as its not standard. So they start to excavate and jackhammer… 0 12283 Hey There. No problems re jumping in. My original question was "should I have waterproofed" the concrete slab before putting batons down. We have been told we should… 7 4998 I am in the same situation, would you be able to give some insights in to this? I am in SA 8 18168 |