The Units we're building - Page 2

Pedro · 02-09-2007, 09:32 AM

Interesting thread. I was a registered builder but dropped the tools in the 70's to pursue other interests. I bought a 20 years old house in 2004 and did a total strip-out renovation myself. I had to get a licensed builder in to do some major structural changes but I did my own hiring of tradies. The change I noticed most after 30 years was that most tradies don't seem to have any pride in their work anymore. I had to correct every one of them making mistakes due to carelessness or bad attitude.

protd · 02-09-2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedro

Interesting thread. I was a registered builder but dropped the tools in the 70's to pursue other interests. I bought a 20 years old house in 2004 and did a total strip-out renovation myself. I had to get a licensed builder in to do some major structural changes but I did my own hiring of tradies. The change I noticed most after 30 years was that most tradies don't seem to have any pride in their work anymore. I had to correct every one of them making mistakes due to carelessness or bad attitude.

the problem today with trades, is most of it is subcontracted out and the principle builder sits on his a$$ in a office with a phone attached to his ear instead of being on the tools himself making sure the quality of work is there, on that note it also comes to the consumer getting 500 quotes and taking the cheapest quote, you get what you pay for in any industry..

my tip to anyone getting anything built by any builder is find a builder that works on the tools and employs full time tradesmen, and steer clear of the builder that sits in a office making calls organizing subbies, yes he may be a little dearer but the quality will shine..

i wonder how many will jump on me for that statement

nugget378 · 02-09-2007, 09:50 AM

Dont see any drainage in the ground Lee,is that first floor carpark?
No stormater or tradewaste needed up there in tropical land?

protd · 02-09-2007, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nugget378

Dont see any drainage in the ground Lee,is that first floor carpark?
No stormater or tradewaste needed up there in tropical land?

very observant mate

: , that it is, also see the step in the back wall it will come down there to keep everything neat

yes stormwater is needed keep your eye's peeled for how it all happens

it has alot to do with why the block has been built up

:

**Falcon Coupe** · 02-09-2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protd

the problem today with trades, is most of it is subcontracted out and the principle builder sits on his a$$ in a office with a phone attached to his ear instead of being on the tools himself making sure the quality of work is there, on that note it also comes to the consumer getting 500 quotes and taking the cheapest quote, you get what you pay for in any industry..

my tip to anyone getting anything built by any builder is find a builder that works on the tools and employs full time tradesmen, and steer clear of the builder that sits in a office making calls organizing subbies, yes he may be a little dearer but the quality will shine..

i wonder how many will jump on me for that statement

Well said Lee, i'm the only full time carpenter for my builder, he usually gets me to finish/make good after he sacks the blow ins.

Some of the large volume builders in Melbourne now employ quality controllers to inspect the work, the supervisors don't have the time to do it.

nugget378 · 02-09-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protd

very observant mate

: , that it is, also see the step in the back wall it will come down there to keep everything neat

yes stormwater is needed keep your eye's peeled for how it all happens

it has alot to do with why the block has been built up

:

Im interested to see how you guys do it.
Let me guess,a couple if strip drains?
Down here we need oil seperators for a car wash bay,retention tanks and a whole heap of other carry on just to get it passed,which is actually good in a way,its how I make my $$$ :P
I know exactly what you mean about some subbies,ATM ive stopped working on our new project to fix all the crap another so called plumber did to a block of 110,I should take pictures its that bad,Ill be there for a month.

protd · 02-09-2007, 10:15 AM

car wash bays will be out the front of the block tony and will have all bullshit required.. i'll make sure i take some good pics of the plumbing for you mate..

rodderz · 02-09-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protd

the problem today with trades, is most of it is subcontracted out and the principle builder sits on his a$$ in a office with a phone attached to his ear instead of being on the tools himself making sure the quality of work is there, on that note it also comes to the consumer getting 500 quotes and taking the cheapest quote, you get what you pay for in any industry..

my tip to anyone getting anything built by any builder is find a builder that works on the tools and employs full time tradesmen, and steer clear of the builder that sits in a office making calls organizing subbies, yes he may be a little dearer but the quality will shine..

i wonder how many will jump on me for that statement

Totally agree mate, subbies will get away with what they can if no-one is there checking up on it all, and the person who checks it is only a foreman for the bigger company, if it were his things would be stricter.

I don't trust a lot of these large builders, working in estates for quite a few years now some houses are put together very shoddily. I can't see most houses getting a good run out of 30yrs or so where houses built 30yrs ago from now are still very sturdy and strong. Some builders are still seen as good but there are some who emplyee people purely for getting the work done cheaper.

I would rather pay a bit extra for an independant builder who had pride in his work, or beiong in the trade myself would organise tradies that I know to build my house ands become an owner/builder

protd · 09-09-2007, 08:58 PM

protd · 09-09-2007, 09:01 PM

and a few more, not allot to look at this week, i was running behind all week and did not really take pics, worked until 8pm Fri night getting steel ready for the 5am start sat to throw in the Crete, but as you can see it's in now, so the next few days are a bit of a cruise then the blocks will start getting laid on wed..

:

DoreSlamR · 09-09-2007, 09:10 PM

Bloody Granos and their safety thongs

protd · 09-09-2007, 09:12 PM

they never wear boots on a slab, although they have to have them for when they step off the slab..

DoreSlamR · 09-09-2007, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protd

they never wear boots on a slab, although they have to have them for when they step off the slab..

Yeah i know, it's one of those things that slips under the radar in worksite OH & C

protd · 09-09-2007, 09:34 PM

Walkinshaw · 09-09-2007, 09:51 PM

looking good. Fantsatic progress. Gotta love the safety thongs

rodderz · 09-09-2007, 11:01 PM

lol... most qld tradies wear the maroon footy shorts to work each day too

Coming along good mate, must of been a bugger having all the steel in the way of screeding and floating, rather than use the helicopter over the whole lot

savagE · 10-09-2007, 12:12 AM

Is that bloke taking a ****s?

DoreSlamR · 10-09-2007, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savagE

Is that bloke taking a ****s?

Looks like he's cleaning the screed bars
maybe by ****ing on them? lol

protd · 10-09-2007, 07:28 AM

he's not taking a p1ss, he's cleaning tools..

yes the starter bars are a pain in the arsse but i don't believe in putting them in later or setting them in with chem set, i believe that if you do a job you do it right, my starters are all tied into place then we poor the Crete, where the chopper cant go a mag float and steel trowel can, because it's such a pain in the arsse i go around and do it myself..

protd · 10-09-2007, 07:56 AM

rodderz · 28-10-2008, 10:50 PM

These all done Leigh, how did they turn out?

NC1183 · 29-10-2008, 06:40 PM

Yeah i'm interested about these too. I was only thinking about them the other night.

protd · 29-10-2008, 08:47 PM

sorry guys i forgot all about this thread, i will get some pics, we have one building finished, the other is about to start after xmas..

we had to go out and do some other work over the last 12 months and it pushed us back a little, will get some pics by the weekend..

pauljh74 · 30-10-2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protd

Like the guy in this pic wearing the his highly protective safety footwear while operating the equipment

DoreSlamR · 30-10-2008, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauljh74

Like the guy in this pic wearing the his highly protective safety footwear while operating the equipment

They never do, Concrete slabs look a bit dodge with boot prints everywhere

blackers10 · 04-02-2009, 03:24 PM

hey mate
was wondering how this went??

and hows she standing up to the current flooding etc??