Workmen removed holding cement for swing?

[nameisme]

Hello all,

We recently got synthetic grass installed in our back garden. We had a swing also installed shortly before the synthetic grass was installed and had it concreted into the ground as recommend by manufacturer.

We told them we wanted swing left alone. They then asked again the day they came and said yes we want it left secure in place.

However, we noticed the swing legs were moving when in use. We though thats strange as concrete job was very good.

So we asked the synthetic grass installers how the synthetic grass was installed as I need to remove a small area around the swing legs as concrete is not working. They advised it was just pinned in and we can pin it back in no issues.

So a handyman came out today and found it was not pinned in, definitely not around the swing legs anyway, there was nothing holding it in, fair enough if thats how its meant to be.

So handyman cut a square patch around swing leg and discovered they have totally removed all the concrete and it was just sitting in rubble/small stones and a little mud.

We are not happy at all. Now the patch of grass that was cut out wont attach back on and is totally loose. I contacted company but they are just ignoring me.

Is there anything I can do consumer rights wise and anything I can do to secure those 4 patches of synthetic grass back on?

Very upset about it as the grass is ruined because the removed the swing base secure setting when I told them I wanted to leave the swing alone. Now I have had to damage my synthetic grass to repair what they damaged.

Is there any reason they could not have completed the job without removing the swing leg concrete setting?
At the very least they should have told me they were going to remove the swing leg concrete set and do I wish for them to do as swing will have no secure setting. But they never did. They just removed it and didnt say anything and ofcourse hid it over the grass so I would t notice until we saw the swing legs moving and had to dig up to see.

I have emails/WhatsApp messages telling them to leave swing in place.

 

[Koolpc]

Just concrete the swing legs back in and put the grass back....nothing else you can do....

 

[nameisme]

Thanks. What can I use to secure the synthetic grass back on? Thanks

 

[big-all]

no expert at all but iff i tackled this it would be a large X i would cut with 4 flaps ---and not cut a section out
i assume for a patch you will line the edge with a material of great strength but minimum bulk to not raise the edge plus match up the lay off the fibres

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Surely the concrete for the swing legs should have been set a 6 inches or so beneath the surface of the fake grass? Then whatever the base is for the grass could have just continued over concrete swing bases, sounds like the bases were installed too high initially. Fixings like these are used at perimeters I think, depending on the exact system https://www.google.com/search?sca_e...AHc8ZFFcQtKgLegQIEBAB&biw=411&bih=735&dpr=3.5

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

no expert at all but iff i tackled this it would be a large X i would cut with 4 flaps ---and not cut a section out
i assume for a patch you will line the edge with a material of great strength but minimum bulk to not raise the edge plus match up the lay off the fibres

Agreed, the 'handyman' has made things worse, now the patch has to be joined to the existing bit and that should be a strip of special joining fabric underneath both bits and a special adhesive used to join both bits to the fabric strip.

 

[nameisme]

Agreed, the 'handyman' has made things worse, now the patch has to be joined to the existing bit and that should be a strip of special joining fabric underneath both bits and a special adhesive used to join both bits to the fabric strip.

Thanks. Yes he did. Can you please give me a link to the products needed to do what you mentioned please.

 

[stevie888]

The question is surely would you have been happy with long joints in the grass that they would have had to have cut to fit around the swing to work round it?

This is one of those PPPPPP situations. You should have planned properly but the grass folks should have had a conversation with you before theymoved the swing and the handyman should have thought through remedials.

 

[nameisme]

Well the handyman only put concrete in from the edge of the bottom of the swing legs.
But Ive read that Cement needs to be at least 18-30 inches (approx. 45-75 cm) deeper than the swing set's legs to provide stability.
So 24 hours after he has been the swing legs still move up but this time rather than just the swing leg in its own it moves up and down taking the concrete slab with it. Ie the ground moves up and down. Only by a few cm though.
So what needs to happen to fix this? Do I need to now remove the old cement? What tools do I need? Or can I simply dig a hole around current cement and under current cement to add more cement?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Thanks. Yes he did. Can you please give me a link to the products needed to do what you mentioned please.

Something like this https://www.grasswarehouse.co.uk/collections/accessories/products/artificial-grass-joining-tape
and this https://www.grasswarehouse.co.uk/collections/accessories/products/artificial-grass-glue-cartridge
But you might have to check with the actual grass manufacturer (if you know it) to check compatibility.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well the handyman only put concrete in from the edge of the bottom of the swing legs.
But Ive read that Cement needs to be at least 18-30 inches (approx. 45-75 cm) deeper than the swing set's legs to provide stability.
So 24 hours after he has been the swing legs still move up but this time rather than just the swing leg in its own it moves up and down taking the concrete slab with it. Ie the ground moves up and down. Only by a few cm though.
So what needs to happen to fix this? Do I need to now remove the old cement? What tools do I need? Or can I simply dig a hole around current cement and under current cement to add more cement?

Well we don't know how long the posts are so difficult o comment on the exact depth but if it were me I'd remove the old concrete and I'd look at fitting the legs into holes say 8-10" diameter (but will probably end up bigger as the poles aren't vertical and you'll have to remove any existing concrete, they should be say 3" deeper than the poles with the top of the concrete depth down from the surface enough to allow for the necessary substrate build-up under the grass and allow the fixings to work. You could use postcrete, will need a couple of bags per hole and if you buy them from somewhere where they will take them back for a refund if unused then you can buy a few extra to be sure, it's surprising how many you need, look on youtube for fitting a fence post in the UK, the process and tools required is the same.

 

[flameport]

Everyone involved is to blame.

Those who thought covering the garden with plastic was a good idea.
Those who removed concrete they should not have.
Those who hacked a section of the plastic out rather than just cutting it.

Now all of the above must live with the consequences.

 

[mrrusty]

Fake grass is the work of the devil

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Boring troll boys.

 

[nameisme]

UPDATE.

The company who installed the synthetic grass have said today they did not remove the swing concrete footings.

However, they were absolutely removed as per photos. They refuse to help resolve the issue and have said warranty is mow void as handyman lifted up the grass to inspect. (I realise not the best way to lift up grass, should have done an X shape).

I have now had the swing footings refilled with concrete by another tradesman and swing is now 100% stable. He added kiln sand etc back but its not level.

But synthetic grass is a mess around swing poles and area around swing poles is not even with surrounding synthetic grass. This is what I want fixed now. Ive been told by another synthetic grass installer that this can not be fixed without doing the entire synthetic grass again as to make level the surface the entire surface needs to be accessed not just the square areas around the swing. Is this true?

I have been told by another synthetic grass installer that it is impossible to fit synthetic grass without breaking concrete swing footings and lifting up the synthetic grass. He said its not possible to fit synthetic grass without removing swing first.
So hes saying the synthetic grass installer is not being honest about leaving the concrete swing footings as he would have HAD TOO.
Is that correct?