what to do now?

[Gareth Hill]

Hi everyone.

I am in a conundrum, as an experienced project manager with some 30 years commercial and residential experience I was recently asked to work for a growing construction company 24 guys on the tools + subbies. From day one I came across the usual problems, lack of leadership, no scheduling, lack of materials, nothing I couldn't deal with. However as I spent more time onsite, I had to continually approve 'best practices' with the construction company owner who wanted overall control and for me not to get into the methodologies used.

Their removal of cast in situ concrete lintels was done by hand, with all trades manhandling this .8t beast over 40mm of broken bricks weaving between a field of acro jacks. When I suggested clearing waste before removing the lintel, the owner baulked and said that it would take more time.

There was also a refusal from the top down on PPE

There was a refusal to build to the architects spec, "why put 50mm of sand blinding down even if it says so when 25mm will do" I get their reasoning, 25mm should be enough to remove the possibility of the dpm being punchered but....

There was a refusal to tape dpm, "just overlap it"

There was a refusal to to back to the client and ask for a site meeting when 80% of the plaster was blown and needed removing and hardwalling/ d&d, as this would take the client overbudget. "we will just patch it up and skim over." Good luck with that 10 months down the line.

When removing a ground floor wall, the wall upstairs became unstable. The builder refused to use a crack stitching kit to re-stabilise. "we will just hardwall and skim that"

When installing the UB below, some 2 courses were removed. This space was just bricked up and packed with standard wet mortar mix, not something I have ever approved. Though not a major wall, the UB supported the wall above and roof joists.

a 300w x 450l pillar was built 300mm too long, the bricklayer mentioned this to the builder and said he was just going to leave it how it is "the client wont notice"

The builder is quite young "i've been doing this 8 years", well I've been managing construction companies for 30+ years"

So subsequent to the above conversations the builder pulled me aside and said it wasn't working and he wants a PM that he can train up himself to do things his way. I have no problem with that at all in fact good luck.

My dilemma is he is a local builder to me and as you know this industry is very small.

Do I just have a cup of tea and a biscuit and leave this mess for him to clear up eventually?
Do I think well as a home owner you are responsible for all works and you chose your builder so good luck to you all?
Do I just advise all my clients to stay clear of this particular operation and leave everyone else to their own demise?
Do I bring this up with local building control?

I don't want a ruckus, just some advice on doing the right thing for the industry

thanks in advance

Gareth

 

[JohnD]

Your professional reputation is at risk.

When (some of) the faults become apparent, it is possible that the builder may say "oh my goodness, that's terrible. I kept telling the PM that quality was paramount, but he kept cutting corners. In the end I had to sack him because the work wasn't up to the standard I wanted."

You could try the BCO, or you could offer your services to the client.

 

[teaboyjim]

Have you thought about setting up your own high quality small builders business?

 

[blup]

Take advice from your professional body on your legal and professional obligations, although with thirty years in the industry I suspect you have a very clear idea what they are. Subject to that what you do is a matter of personal conscience.

Blup

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Yee ha!? I've stuck with the bigger outfits for years, partly to avoid these kinds of practices. Good luck with them, but I feel that if they are unwilling to change their ways sooner or later they'll end up either with someone getting injured (or worse killed) and/or having the arse end sued off them by a client with a bit more savvy and the wherewithal to do it.

As ever, but you know this, document everything. A comprehensive and well written journal detailing every infraction or cut corner might not always be acceptable in a criminal court, but AFAIK it is classed as "contemporaneous evidence" in a civil court and is acceptable, especially in defence

 

[KenGMac]

Gareth, been there, but in a far more "formal / Structured" setting.
I worked for well over 25 years as a Civil Servant, not stuck in an Office, my office was a portacabin on a building site whose value was [generally] well over several £M for various Government bodies. Left that environment, found insurance [similar work] but??? far, far better £££

As "JobAndKnock" above, the part about "contemporaneous evidence" is absolutely crucial, any type of daily diary with things like
1/. I said / He said
2/ Mr. XXX and i discussed YYY
3/. It was noted the the Builder that ZZZ was not correct ---because---
So long as there is a date per page and your comments and thoughts, I often wonder if it would be possible to make a "Recorded Verbal Diary" far faster than typing or writing.

OK, Bottom line in the need to keep records?
Last project I was working on as above was in England, moved family Et-all down for 4 Years, this [not disclosed project] started life at about 75 and the final cost I heard of was over £ M 275

The at that time, well known Main Contractor screwed up his processes something rotten, got loads of things very wrong, I kept writing letters to him pointing out defective workmanship / practices Etc Etc.

The above + the all important daily diaries were at the end of the day absolutely crucial when the Architects, were called to account and make an appearance over several days in front of the Public Accounts Committee, because of the contemporaneous evidence this very, very well known Architectural Practice Came up smelling of Roses.

I later found out that that was the last project that main Contractor ever, ever undertook.

As far as I am concerned, be truthful to yourself, you sleep better
Give best advice to your "client" good and bad, and say No when the answer is NO
All you need in litigation and a load of other situations are records, what else Records, and finally RECORDS [as above]
Suggest you review and "collate" any documentation you have, at this point it will be up to your conscience as to whether you "augment" the records you have??????

I would distance myself from your cowboy, advise all clients and anyone who asks to avoid them, do not bad mouth, just make it very clear do not touch no matter how cheap the price !!!

As for future work? suggest you expand the geographical area you cover?
Try to find more clients?

I work "freelance" for 5 / 6 different [Insurance based] firms

Ken