More pics of my house build.

MERIJONS97LSC

MERIJONS97LSC

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The footing, stone and foundation walls are in. I'm starting to get HAPPY! (ALMOST!)

houseFOOTING6.jpg


houseFOOTING8.jpg


houseFOOTING9.jpg
 
I like the way they did the footings, they look real good. Um with me being a union bricklayer for seven years do you want me to start picking out the shortcomings in their block work now? Cause I already have a small list going. I'm very disappointed in the block work.
 
ground_zero298 said:
I like the way they did the footings, they look real good. Um with me being a union bricklayer for seven years do you want me to start picking out the shortcomings in their block work now? Cause I already have a small list going. I'm very disappointed in the block work.
Click to expand...

YES!
 
1st pic
1. This wall is all jam block, not structurly sound, Wire on the wall. If this wire is under grade it will crack the joints. I'm gonna take a stab and say they didn't fill the block solid below grade either. This will cause leaks and cracks on the foundation.
2. This must be the new guy. The joints are smeared, #1 sign you don't know wht the :q:q:q:q your doing. Mortar works by compression, it's not a glue. Also their all jam block (square edge).
3.WTF is this? a 4 inch cut in the wall? Never a smaller peice then a halk block on something like this. Plus its smeared and not keyed ( keyed is filing the ends in with mortar to lock it in place.
4. All jam block again, plus these are splitable block, very not good. Splitable have that little gap in the middle web, Hit them with a hammer, and bam instant half block.

houseFOOTING9.jpg
 
I wouldn't plan on a finished basement. Those walls are going to leak depending on how well you get the water away from the house. I'm not a bricklayer but my friend and I built 7 houses on spec for resale and we always did poured walls for that reason alone. The lots we built on though were always walk-out in the back so the basement were always partially built out with water/sewer etc so people could make nice finished basements without the fear of water infiltration.

I'd make sure they double up their efforts on the exterior wall treatment for waterproofing.
 
Pic 2, oh my god.
1,2, and 3 are cold joints. Thier is nothing bonding these walls together. They should have run the block across the 45 to fix this. These will have cracks in the corners by next year.
4. LMFAO, looks at the head joint holes. Half of these are empty. You have no mortar between these. And the bad thing is empty joints on the outside allows the walls to be pushed in.
5. is just all those jam block again.

All in all their not going the extra mile to build a quality product let alone a decent one. If my guys every got caught building stuff like that I would knock it down with the skytrac and have them redo it, Those walls will not pass inspection if a inspector showed up and seen them.

Our crew trained IMI inspectors for 2 years to get them ready for the field.

houseFOOTING8.jpg
 
New foundations get the field drain running around them, keeps the water off them. If they plaster the walls with a 1/2" mortar coat then tar it they won't leak. Plus he's on a high elevation, his walls will not leak

Poured walls is not a trade, its actually killing a very respectable one. To become a great bricklayer it takes many years of working with the old school guys to teach you, then applying it. A good stone mason is like a artist. Guy making poured walls is like a, well you know.
 
You want a real basement you use 12" burnished, scored block, then have them rodded and filled solid.

SAMPLE.jpg
 
I'll come out and do it, I love road trips :)

Today I spent 4 hours fixing a beautiful 20ft tall, 4 flue, random ashler pattern chimney, all out of sand stone. Guy wanted to tear it down and rebuild with block, I told him that chimney was execptional quality, and stone like that today would cost him 8 grand and 4 grand in labor. It was a piece of art, all this joints were in proper spec. Guys today can't even do that. I felt lucky to redo it.
 
So, are these faults not up to the minimum standards of the building codes and regulations?

What should John do now? Is there a regulatory authority that can come out, condemn the work and force the contractors to either start over or refund John's money?

What steps would you take next, GZ?
 
OK, I printed the comments you gave and I'm going to give them to my main contractor. I'll find out whats going on! THANK YOU!!!
 
Woot! plane rides, I love those more then road trips!

It's not ruined, it's block. You could dry stack those block and build a house on it, that would last for 40-50 years. I would have it gone over to make sure its sound. Maybe pay a masonry inspector or such their show up rate and have a inprogress (Phase) inspection done.

Not sure what his building code is for his state, I know michigans for block, stone, flashing, grouting, and tuck pointing. But I can bet money that would not pass inspection when those pics were took.

It's hard to find good masons now a days. All the good one are working, the ones that couldn't cut it work cash jobs. Good ones build commercial, leftovers do residential. Their is exceptions to this. Unless your in michigan, our union over priced us right out of work. Think their was 1600 on the local 1 list looking for work still.

Quality control for residential is primarily the builders who build it. Those general inspectors have no idea about masonry code. If they can see flashing hanging out their always happy and sign off. Inspectors we train will take the temp of the mortar being used, check bond, wire every 2 courses (row of block or brick) above grade, make sure below grade (dirt) is filled solid with mortar, check for weep hole, their height, make sure their clean, pan flashing is correct, will look behing the wall for excess droppings, half full head joints, x ray the building to check for rod placement and overlap. The list goes on and on.

Our company spent alot of time and money to put the confidence back into our trade so people will skip the precast buildings. Plus it helps regulate the good company's from the bad when bids start rolling in.

The house will stand on those block just fine. But your going to run into problems 5-20 years down the road, corner cracks in the next year or 2 and them bastards will tell you its normal because the house is settling, yeah right.
 
I know the blocks are strong and can stand on their own, I built a block wall in another house that's still standing for over 20yrs, But it didn't have a heavy ass house on top of it! I appreciate your time and friendship in helping me to point out the defects in the workmanship. Now when I see those guys and point out those things you told me about, I'LL LOOK LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!:D And I'll give them a little of this :bash: and some of this:slap: and a whole lot of this argue2 and this :F.
 
Let them have it!!!!! it's your house and money. I get pissed when I see people half assing something like that.
 
The plans look amazing from the other thread... it's really cool seeing it become real!

I hope everything gets squared away.


Bricklayers are a unique breed, Stack's dad is a union bricklayer.... guy knows his stuff. Helped him work on a chimney that was built very poorly... and by help I mean I carried and lifted things...
 
kustomizingkid said:
The plans look amazing from the other thread... it's really cool seeing it become real!

I hope everything gets squared away.


Bricklayers are a unique breed, Stack's dad is a union bricklayer.... guy knows his stuff. Helped him work on a chimney that was built very poorly... and by help I mean I carried and lifted things...
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll be posting pictures with every stage of the build, This way you guy who are framers, electricians, plumbers and roofers can catch any problems like Ground-zero298 did with the foundation, BELIEVE ME, I REALLY WILL APPRECIATE IT!!!!!
 
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