Morningside Renovation

Our Journey Through The Renovation Process Of Our Future "Forever Home" In Morningside (Atlanta,GA)

Tag Archives: Foundation (engineering)


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You Want Us to Pay For Your Mistakes?

Our GC informed us that he isn’t going to pay for a new joist system for the basement which would get us closer to achieving what was on the plan.  Basically he won’t even try to remedy his mistake even though it still wouldn’t be correct.  So he doesn’t dig the basement area deep enough to give us the ceiling height that was written in the plans and now our choice is to either accept his mistake and us have a ceiling that is significantly lower or “WE” have to pay for an alternative?  That makes absolutely no sense.  There was nothing preventing him from digging deep enough he just measured wrong and refuses to admit it or make it right and then he tells Julie that he doesn’t have the funds to dig it up and do it correctly – and how is this fair? How does he not have the funds?  It’s beyond scary that he has already spent all of the money that we fronted him which financially should have taken him through framing and roofing.

I so want to be done with him and would but we would be upside down since we’ve already given him a substantial amount of money that he told Julie he’s already spent on other jobs – we’re his hostage.  We’re stuck and this could have been prevented with a little supervision and probably just “some” knowledge.  And now Julie wants me to have a meeting with him?  I just don’t see a point.


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But It Makes More Sense

I sent an email to our GC today asking for a copy of the mechanical plans, he said that isn’t done with residential construction and they always figure it out on-site?  Damn, that scares me every time he says something about figuring it out on-site. 

I mentioned that water was STILL getting into the back bedroom and that we would not be paying for any damage that this creates and that I’m expecting him to do so. 

Also, showed how it would make more sense financially for him to remove the basement slab that he incorrectly poured and do it the correct way as well as what was in the plans versus the new framing system and all of the other various modifications that will now need to be made.  I asked why he wouldn’t consider it and I’m anxious to receive his answer as it truly does make sense to start over. 

I’m starting to have concerns if the job is even doable financially from the numbers he provided us. I think that I’m going to have a couple of people look at them and give me their thoughts to see if it can be finished.  I just wonder why else he would be stalling? 

More great news – I found out that another completed job of his is unable to receive a Certificate of Occupancy because of code issues, and I heard about ANOTHER judgement in which he is in default.  Not sure if this is one of the ones I previously found out about but damn this is scary – what are we doing?  Julie keeps persuading me to give him an opportunity to let him make it right but I wonder if he has the ability to be able to do so?


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I’m Really Trying

Our GC supplied us with 3 joist/flooring system alternatives since we won’t be able to use the originally designed system.  Still, none of these will give us what was in the plans with regards to ceiling height, why do I feel that I’m getting pressured into settling for something less than what was originally intended as well as highly achievable?  I’m trying to accept these options but it’s hard to get past that fact.


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So Our GC says that I’m Unreasonable

I received an email today from our GC stating that “while the goal for the basement was to have a ceiling height of 8 feet,  we’re as close to that depth as they could get based on the site”.  Why did he tell us during our on-site meeting with him on March 31st that the ceiling height was correct?  Was he lying, I hope it was more ignorance than deceitfulness.   Side note – I checked on this and this just is not true, there was nothing physically or structurally that would prevent someone from digging any deeper. The subs told me that they dug to the depth of what was told to them by our GC. 

He also informed me that he will not remove the slab, that he can’t afford to remove it because he has already spent what we have given him and that “any reasonable person” that saw the site would agree.  So now I’m unreasonable wanting what was 1) shown in the plan and 2) highly achievable.  He stated that he’s going to put everything on hold until we decide what we want done. 

I guess that means either we accept the slab that was poured at an incorrect depth, at least 8″ too shallow, or he’s walking? 

So he screwed up and we have to accept it or else I’m unreasonable?


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Lack of Communication or Just Incompetent?

I received a rather rude email from our GC today, his response to me asking that the carport slab be pulled up and poured correctly and re-poured as according to the plan.  Basically his feeling is that I’m being unreasonable for asking this and we should be satisfied with it. The slab was poured incorrectly and can definitely present a water issue with the house, it’s not our fault that he did it wrong.  

I also asked about the repeated delays, his crew has yet to work more than 3 days in a row, of course he wouldn’t address that question.  The carrying cost is costing us a lot of money, we were originally supposed to be in the house in May however now we are at least 4 1/2 months away if they hustled. He also chose not to respond to my request for a meeting to discuss how we can prevent further problems and delays – a lot of the issues that have arisen had already been discussed numerous times and should not have occurred.  Really makes me wonder if there is a lack of communication between our GC and his subs or if it is just simple incompetence?


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I Hope He Understands

Today I sent an email to our GC letting him know that we want to stick with the construction plans as drawn.  Further, that I wasn’t comfortable with the way the carport slab was poured, being that it slopes to the house and that there isn’t an elevation change between it and the basement slab, both noted on the construction plans. I’m also wondering if the supports he put up for the existing structure are permanent or temporary – I hope temporary. 

All of this is starting to make me curious if there are other issues with the work that he has already done and we just aren’t knowledgable enough to know about it?  I would love to know all that Mike Holmes would discover – although I think even he would be overwhelmed.


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Poor Pour and Not the First Time

I asked the architect today about his initial plans with regards to the foundation pour and would he be concerned about the carport foundation slab being flush with the basement slab.  He was very quick to point out that it was a poor pour.  YIKES!!!!.  He said that he’s unsure how to handle this – I do, rip it up and do it correctly.  Also, found out that this isn’t our GC’s first time to have foundation problems and even more concerning is that he is currently dealing with the same issues at another house. 

I need some help, someone who can give me some guidance without having an agenda but is knowledgeable about construction.


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I Don’t See How This Could Be Good

So I went by the house today after work and besides the fact that the retaining wall for the carport is in the wrong spot, I also noticed that the carport foundation is even(flush) with the basement foundation, plans call for it to be 1″ – 2″ lower with a gradual decline to aid with channeling water away from the house.  If that wasn’t bad enough, the carport foundation slopes toward the basement, basically channeling any water towards the house.  How does this happen and why am I the one catching it?