A listed grade two building; task to alter the garden completely. First I drew plans, then peg the garden out with large sectioned level markers and the contractor sent in his mini digger and driver; off he went into the garden; teatime arrived, so called to see him; asked him if he was happy; yes he was; he had dug up all my level markers; wondered what they were said. He had no idea of what was level; he used his own eyes he said; marvellous. Next they built a patio with riven slabs and two days later after starting; I visited them; five big burly blokes stood there looking blank; what is wrong chaps, bit of a problem; that dreaded sentence; heard so many times before. OK then tell me, well then we are 9 inches in 21 feet out of level; is that alright; I said not really; why they said; I said because....in the summer when my patio table is out my olives will roll off the plate; need to sort it out and also 2 inches of down as base is rather somewhat thin; six inches is what your boss quoted for; GET IT SORTED NOW.
The Patio was to be surrounded partly with a dwarf brickwork wall, they dug the foundations for it, then laid the patio, cutting the edges upto the edge of the foundation...then built the wall; it don't fit master, we have got to take up all the cut slabs and recut again. I said Good Man, one normally would did ones foundation;build one's wall.....then here is the technical bit; then....lay one's slabs and cut them to the wall allowing a space of course upto the wall.
Next job on the site, a long wall 44 feet long they built for me; 4.875 inches out of level; not bad considering they have a faulty bubble in their level, must be tolerant with them I suppose.
Finally Remove and re-render the outside large area after stitching toothing the brickwork with new bricks. visited them a few days later; finishing the toothing, ran out of bricks Master, using plastic plugs and small metal butterfly ties; What the hell are you lot doing; if you don't get it right, they get off my site and don't come back and forget about getting paying for shoddy work. This company were on the recommened list of the local council's trusted traders at that time.
The Building Trade; the stuff of nightmares.
The Patio was to be surrounded partly with a dwarf brickwork wall, they dug the foundations for it, then laid the patio, cutting the edges upto the edge of the foundation...then built the wall; it don't fit master, we have got to take up all the cut slabs and recut again. I said Good Man, one normally would did ones foundation;build one's wall.....then here is the technical bit; then....lay one's slabs and cut them to the wall allowing a space of course upto the wall.
Next job on the site, a long wall 44 feet long they built for me; 4.875 inches out of level; not bad considering they have a faulty bubble in their level, must be tolerant with them I suppose.
Finally Remove and re-render the outside large area after stitching toothing the brickwork with new bricks. visited them a few days later; finishing the toothing, ran out of bricks Master, using plastic plugs and small metal butterfly ties; What the hell are you lot doing; if you don't get it right, they get off my site and don't come back and forget about getting paying for shoddy work. This company were on the recommened list of the local council's trusted traders at that time.
The Building Trade; the stuff of nightmares.
