Hi everybody,
I figured I might as well kick off this forum as anybody--though I wish I wasn't!
I'm having decks rebuilt (professionally) and on one of them, a concrete footer is in the wrong place. Of course by the time I realized it, they had completed the deck. (You're all probably saying, SOME MODERATOR, HUH!?)
The footer is supposed to be in the middle--but it's about 2 feet to one side. So the center post looks off-center when you look at it.
Atop this "center" post is where they put the joints in the edge beam (two 2x8s I think). So I think the effect is mostly cosmetic.
So I guess my question is how much of a deal to make out of this--or if I should just forget about it. It's not all that obvious--it is just that--heck, if I wanted to do an unprofessional job I coulda done it myself :)
Your thoughts please? Thanks in advance!
Regards,
-k2 in CO
Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous
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Good morning K2,
First let me start off by saying that even though we are moderators, we, too, make mistakes. But on the other hand, PROFESSIONALS.... they are getting paid to do things the right way. Not do a half a$$ed job and get away with it.
If you took your car to the shop to have the brakes fixed and they only replaced one shoe or one pad, you'd be taking it back...wouldn't you? I would hope so. So, if it were me and I were paying these professionals to do a job, I'd make them do it right. But I'm a stickler for perfection. That's one of my hubby's pet peeves. In my profession, there is absolutely NO room for error, it could mean a life.
So there's just my 2 cents worth. It's really up to you. If it doesn't bother you then I wouldn't worry about it. Little things like that get under my skin tho...but that's just me.
Sorry to ramble on, doc has me on some good meds for my back, I'm a little chatty this morning. Hey, let me know what you decide, and come visit my board sometime.
Happy Thursday!!!
MiniFoxx
Moderator - Construction Project Blog
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Construction_Project_Blog/flat-page1.html
Some have better luck next time around,
some don't, and some don't even try.
First let me start off by saying that even though we are moderators, we, too, make mistakes. But on the other hand, PROFESSIONALS.... they are getting paid to do things the right way. Not do a half a$$ed job and get away with it.
If you took your car to the shop to have the brakes fixed and they only replaced one shoe or one pad, you'd be taking it back...wouldn't you? I would hope so. So, if it were me and I were paying these professionals to do a job, I'd make them do it right. But I'm a stickler for perfection. That's one of my hubby's pet peeves. In my profession, there is absolutely NO room for error, it could mean a life.
So there's just my 2 cents worth. It's really up to you. If it doesn't bother you then I wouldn't worry about it. Little things like that get under my skin tho...but that's just me.
Sorry to ramble on, doc has me on some good meds for my back, I'm a little chatty this morning. Hey, let me know what you decide, and come visit my board sometime.
Happy Thursday!!!
MiniFoxx
Moderator - Construction Project Blog
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Construction_Project_Blog/flat-page1.html
Some have better luck next time around,
some don't, and some don't even try.
Thanks MiniFoxx,
Half-a$$ed is right. I think I can deal with the deck the way it is (it's visible but not THAT visible). But I'd rather not hear them say any more about what a crummy job previous workers did on the house.
I sure let the contractor know I wasn't happy about it. You pay all this money for plans and supervision....and they don't read the plans!
What's funny, I could've dug the holes myself (to save some money)--but my body was in too much pain from other work I'd been doing. I would've put the holes in the right place. But I didn't pay enough attention to where THEY were putting them... (Should I have been? What am I, a babysitter? I guess so, because this 'amateur' work will be visible for years to come.)
Thanks again for the response, and for letting me vent.
Regards,
-k2 in CO
Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous
Half-a$$ed is right. I think I can deal with the deck the way it is (it's visible but not THAT visible). But I'd rather not hear them say any more about what a crummy job previous workers did on the house.
I sure let the contractor know I wasn't happy about it. You pay all this money for plans and supervision....and they don't read the plans!
What's funny, I could've dug the holes myself (to save some money)--but my body was in too much pain from other work I'd been doing. I would've put the holes in the right place. But I didn't pay enough attention to where THEY were putting them... (Should I have been? What am I, a babysitter? I guess so, because this 'amateur' work will be visible for years to come.)
Thanks again for the response, and for letting me vent.
Regards,
-k2 in CO
Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous
I love your attitude.
Contractors...they can stand there and knock someone else's work and not even see their own screw ups. It's unbelievable.
My other half hates it when I start on a project and get him involved, because he knows I'll be over his shoulder the every step of the way. And it isn't that he isn't capable because he is...I just know how easy it is to cut corners to hurry up and get it done.
We added a porch onto a modular...all from scratch...no plans or anything. It came out so nice. I'll have to see if I can find pics of it. But there were a few times, we had to back up and do it again.
If you are going to do something, you should be proud of it and who wants to be proud of something they did a crappy job on...trying to teach that to my children right now...yeah right mom whatever.
You should jump over to the FIF and check out our whiner of the day http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/236595.html
I'm surprised my reply is still there.
Okay, you can come work with me anytime. But right now it's diaper time..YEAH!!!
Talk to you soon.
MiniFoxx
Moderator - Construction Project Blog
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Construction_Project_Blog/flat-page1.html
Some have better luck next time around,
some don't, and some don't even try.
Contractors...they can stand there and knock someone else's work and not even see their own screw ups. It's unbelievable.
My other half hates it when I start on a project and get him involved, because he knows I'll be over his shoulder the every step of the way. And it isn't that he isn't capable because he is...I just know how easy it is to cut corners to hurry up and get it done.
We added a porch onto a modular...all from scratch...no plans or anything. It came out so nice. I'll have to see if I can find pics of it. But there were a few times, we had to back up and do it again.
If you are going to do something, you should be proud of it and who wants to be proud of something they did a crappy job on...trying to teach that to my children right now...yeah right mom whatever.
You should jump over to the FIF and check out our whiner of the day http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/236595.html
I'm surprised my reply is still there.
Okay, you can come work with me anytime. But right now it's diaper time..YEAH!!!
Talk to you soon.
MiniFoxx
Moderator - Construction Project Blog
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Construction_Project_Blog/flat-page1.html
Some have better luck next time around,
some don't, and some don't even try.
Hey K2,
Sorry to hear about your dilemma. My feeling is that if you had a set of plans for the contractor to follow and the plans show the footing in the center they did NOT fulfill their contract.
Virtually all contracts must be completed according to the plans and specifications of the designer. If it bothers you, you have a legal right to make them redo the deck as it was designed. Just depends on the how far you wish to pursue this. If it is worth the aggravation to get the contractor to rework the deck so it conforms to the plans your legal system would most certainly uphold your desire.
If you need help formulating a sequenced plan in how to pursue this issue let me know and I will be happy to help. I deal with contractors on a daily basis.
Glenn
Moderator: Construction Systems, Foundations, and Masonry & Stone
For more information about me and/or my qualifications please visit my website at:
www.consultationdirect.com
Sorry to hear about your dilemma. My feeling is that if you had a set of plans for the contractor to follow and the plans show the footing in the center they did NOT fulfill their contract.
Virtually all contracts must be completed according to the plans and specifications of the designer. If it bothers you, you have a legal right to make them redo the deck as it was designed. Just depends on the how far you wish to pursue this. If it is worth the aggravation to get the contractor to rework the deck so it conforms to the plans your legal system would most certainly uphold your desire.
If you need help formulating a sequenced plan in how to pursue this issue let me know and I will be happy to help. I deal with contractors on a daily basis.
Glenn
Moderator: Construction Systems, Foundations, and Masonry & Stone
For more information about me and/or my qualifications please visit my website at:
www.consultationdirect.com
Thanks for your reply on this, Glenn.
The contractor came up with a mutually agreeable solution. He added a column; it doesn't look perfect, but it looks a lot better than before and we're happy with the result.
He's worked with me on a couple other things; overall I'm happy with him.
I do think his lead carpenter gets in too big a hurry. Takes shortcuts. I let him know about it, too.
At this point I'm glad to have them mostly done with this project and not around the house anymore! :)
Thanks again Glenn!
Regards,
-k2 in CO
Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous
The contractor came up with a mutually agreeable solution. He added a column; it doesn't look perfect, but it looks a lot better than before and we're happy with the result.
He's worked with me on a couple other things; overall I'm happy with him.
I do think his lead carpenter gets in too big a hurry. Takes shortcuts. I let him know about it, too.
At this point I'm glad to have them mostly done with this project and not around the house anymore! :)
Thanks again Glenn!
Regards,
-k2 in CO
Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum
http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous
