Willy's new Workshop

[Gaza]

Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen
Well things are happening, but I am not full of confidence.

1. Concretor tells me sand for the pad will be delivered Sunday. I tell him to let me a time so I can be there, sand gets dumped in the driveway. I get a phonecall from the tenant, who isn't blocked in, but she was surprised where they dumped it. They wiil have to move it, to get access to the rest of the block. Not a good start.

2. I am sure I paid for sand. I expected brickies sand, not someone else's left over fill.

I would like to keeep a closer eye on things, but can't spare the time from work

Willy
Jarrahland

its just filling sand to protect plastic that's ok that's it not new bickies,

you are going to need to sort this driveway out before you end up in a fight with tenant, it's either shared thus can not block ie sand or caravan or it's the back blocks to use

[Willy Nelson]

Crikeys,
I thought I would be smart and knock off a bit early from work and check his progress. He was meant to start this morning 'when he gets there'!!
Anyhoo, dropped in to check the progress, NONE!!!!!
In fact more sand blocking the driveway. I rang him, said 'How is it going mate?' Bobcat is broken, he may get around to the slab next week!! Wow, how can anyone run a business like that. Didn't bother talking to me, let me know what is going on. Another delay, lucky I have 10 months still up my sleeve
Crikeys, the sooner this shed is built and I can revert back to being a hermit the better

Sincerely

Willy

[Willy Nelson]

Good Afternoon ladies and Gentlemen

Despit request to be informed when work will progress, I had an irate (and quite so) tenant email me stating
1. She woke up at 0800 Saturday morning to the bore guy using a hammer drill into her bedroom wall, front outside whilst she was sick. He told me he would there in a weeks time

2. By mid morning the bobcat dude rocked up and spread sand everywhere so he could get through the pile and start the slab

Here is a photo of the earthworks so far. I have no idea when they will return, he always take offence when I ask him

Cheers
Willy

[KBs PensNmore]

UMMMM what happened to the photo???????

[Willy Nelson]

Sorry, here are the photos as previously promised.

Well, the concreter is again upset, he didn't tell us he was arriving today, so no water hose was put out for him. Tenant has big dogs, so we aint going in there. He wants to compact the sand. Tenant finally turns up and gives access to hose. He tries taking off the compactor but the wire winch is too tight. Watched him spit the dolly, then I was able to fix it for him and get the compactor off the trailer, grrrrrrr

Anyhoo, he is down there walking behind the compactor, holding the hose ???????
Oh, yeah. I asked when he will presnt the Compaction Certificate he promised. I thought he was going to have coronary. Once he calmed down, he said it will have to wait until this friday.

Crikeys, I can't wait till he is gone

[dai sensei]

What compaction did he say he was going to achieve, and what's on the drawings?

Did he strip the topsoil before spread the so called sand/fill (that looks like it isn't just a bedding layer)?

Normally there is a certifier involved, that inspects the build at specified construction stages. Or is your builder the certifier? What are your council's requirements?

[Willy Nelson]

Hello Neil
Yes, he stripped the topsoil, but I noticed some minor vegetation in the 'fill' he brought in. The Compaction Certificate will be issued by an Engineer, after performing ........the ....bugger I can't remember now, Test. It consists of a penetration test to confirm the compaction.

We are soaking the very dry sand as we speak, it has slumped a significant already

Willy

[Willy Nelson]

Well
The concreter reckons he will start the form work and compaction Thursday. Yaaay

Here are some progress photos

Willy

[Willy Nelson]

Well, Thursday evening, I inspect the slab. Hmmmmmm, I am not a concreter, but the slab appears uneven, that is it will be quite thin in some areas and thick in others.

Secondly, the sand is still not fully compacted.
I asked the concreter about the levels, he called BS as they were done with a laser. Hmmmm, I think I am quite practical, so I come up with a mechanical meansof measuring the slab thickness and I determined that it will be 50mm thick in palces, not the stipulated 100mm. I told not to pour until
1. Levels are correct
2. Compacted
3. With a Compaction certificate.

Crikeys, that set him off, but I stuck to my guns. Eventually he calmed down and said he would be there at 0600 the next morning and will compact. I said I would also attend. He wasn't happy, but there it was.

0600 Friday morning. He checked my levels again with a laser. He agreed, they were out!!!! He also admitted the slab needed more compaction. More fellows turned up and the site saw heaps of action then, including another laser! I will get my 100mm thick slab after all. He also presented me with my Certification of Compaction from a NAT traceable company. I am much happier now, didn't sleep well the last night thinking of the anticipated argument if all was not well.

Cheers
Willy

[Willy Nelson]

After all the problems were agreed to and fixed, the termite guy was able to come in and spray the site. I get a certificate for that as well

Next stage was the water proof barrier and and then the reinforcing mesh into the footings and the slab itself. The footings are meant to be at least 300 x 300, but they are larger than this. If I was doing this the reo, I would have wired them to each other as well, not sure if it is necessary, but I am an Over Engineering practitioner.

The block has a short section of reasonably steep track, made worse by all the sand they had spilt there. In anticipation of the concrete trucks getting bogged, tracks were laid to provide a stable surface.

All is in readiness for the concrete trucks, which were late. I was decidedly happier now with all requirements met. So off I went to get the Lattes for the rough tough concreters plus some ham and cheese croissants.

Cheers
Willy

[Willy Nelson]

Once the trucks arrived, the slab pouring went very smoothly. It took three concrete trucks to do the slab. They started pouring at 0900 and finished smoothing with the trowels by 1130. Looks superb!!!

A conduit was placed in the reo to allow passage of cabling.

Once it was able to be walked up, they used the helicopter to trowel the concrete smooth. They then removed the form work. I had bought 100 meters of black plastic to cover the slab and allow it to cure slowly. The day was 30 deg, better than previous days. I hose the slab down a couple of times a day to wet the concrete. I have been advised to keep the plastic on for another 4 days, until after our predicted 39 deg day anticipated for Tuesday.

Next, I get to order the bricks and get them delivered. I am now searching for a brickie. Got a couple of options, a mate who seems a little reluctant to take it on and I am considering asking the TAFE if they need a realistic classroom, it may save me the labour costs and give the kids a real experience. The shed will take an estimated 7,500 bricks.
Any one South of the River looking for work?
Cheers
Willy

[Pat]

Willy, getting the trades there is the problem. Once there, they want to knock over the job, especially when being paid in cash.

Good looking slab, is it large enough?

What will be the roofing for the brick shed?

[Cliff Rogers]

[Willy Nelson]

Willy, getting the trades there is the problem. Once there, they want to knock over the job, especially when being paid in cash.

Good looking slab, is it large enough?

What will be the roofing for the brick shed?

Hello Mate
Part of the shed will be double brick to keep noise down, although the nearesr house is 50 meters away. The roof, I hope, will be insulated tin, both for noise and thermal insulation.
Oh yes, the slab is large enough.........for now

Cheers
Willy

[Boringgeoff]

Willie, there's no urgency to remove the black poly. The longer you can leave the slab covered the better. Ensure it's sealed around the edges with sand and sand chucked on the top to stop the wind lifting it and let it cure.
Geoff.