It’s Wednesday, our framing package was supposed to be delivered on Monday and framing was to start on Tuesday. Nothing, still no framing package which means no framing – nothing has been done. Julie and I, as well as our Structural Engineer, have been trying to reach our GC by phone, email and text but for whatever reason he won’t respond. What is going on? This is crazy. I don’t even know what to think and why won’t he at least have the decency to call us back?
Tag Archives: house
Mad, Resentful, Angry, Guilty
As I sit here tonight typing out my thoughts I’m basically pissed and feeling very dejected. This house/project/our future home feels as if it has basically been taken from us. I do feel robbed, not saying 100% of this lies with the GC, however a vast majority of it does and I feel as if he has basically ruined what could have and should have been our home. Whether through his inaccurate estimate/budget, lack of knowledge and expertise, pure incompetence, lack of supervision and oversight, costly mistakes, etc…at this point it really doesn’t matter. I feel as if we’re at a point where we need to decide if it even makes sense to continue trying to move forward. Just the thought of abandoning our dream kills me, but I almost see no alternative. I just wonder which would be worse; the frustrations and disappointments that now seem to be created almost daily or throwing it away and just giving up?
Nothing further to add, maybe this site will end up becoming my pseudo therapist.
The Punches Keep Coming
After inspecting our new slab the Structural Engineer we hired feels pretty confident that the slab doesn’t have the necessary grade beams which were in the plans. How is this missed? My opinion, lack of supervision and possibly cutting corners. Question, what is to support the fireplace on the above floor? I think I know the answer, nothing. Glad that I caught it now instead of 5-10 years from now. And… the recently RE-POURED walls for the carport, well they’re actually foundation walls and not retaining walls. Meaning that our Structural Engineer will need to redesign our carport/deck plan – thanks Mr. Architect, great job. Oh, and I forgot to mention, the walls aren’t deep enough which means that we will need to redesign the plan since our GC has stated that he won’t dig it up. Totally doesn’t make sense with his stance, he screwed up so wouldn’t one think that he should replace it. Please make this stop, please!!!
Dig It Out and Shore It Up
Our Structural Engineer met (spoke) with our GC today and was informed that the majority of the dirt has been removed which will give them the ability to properly connect the expansion with the existing structure. Now they will need to build temporary supports to support the existing structure as what was previously constructed by our GC was insufficient and basically put the existing structure at risk of collapsing. 
Better Than Any Toy
What is encouraging is the fact that she laid out the order of what needs to be done as well as how to do it. She pressed our GC for a schedule, yep, you guessed it – he couldn’t even begin to provide one. I hate this feeling that has been created. It’s becoming obvious that our GC has basically drawn a line in the sand that there are two separate parties at work on our house. Us along with our Structural Engineer, and then him and his subs – we’re supposed to be working together as a team. I don’t like this setup and I’m growing highly concerned as to where this is going to lead.
Of Course
I found out today that our GC has yet to give our bank the required updated insurance information – why am I not surprised?
Save us Some Bricks
Nothing much to report however we did notice all of the bricks that will be removed from the existing house and thought that maybe we could find a way to use those, possible accent feature on an interior wall? Who knows? We like the idea though. Julie asked the GC if he could try to set them aside when they’re being removed. His remark, “we’ll do what we can”. Nothing more, nothing less. I have a feeling it isn’t going to happen. Great thought though and I would hate to see them go to waste.
No Idea and No Plan
Our Structural Engineer had a field meeting with our GC today. In her report she stated that he admitted that he didn’t have a plan or an idea as to how to connect the existing house with the new addition or underpin the foundation. He knew he needed to pour the foundation wall and connect it to the house for structural support as well as for waterproofing but he just didn’t know where or how? Concerning, when was he going to ask someone, is that why we’ve been on hold for weeks? Basically it came out during the meeting that he had no idea how to properly put in the foundation and shouldn’t have poured it.
It just won’t end, we also found out today that one of the walls in our carport should have been poured as a retaining wall but instead it was built as a foundation wall. So now our Structural Engineer will need to go back and redesign the framing plan to redistribute the weight of what is hopefully going to be built on top. Not sure if it was our GC or architect who screwed this up – thanks guys.
I wish that I could say that was all, however we also discovered that our GC not only forgot to install a drainage system for the basement but also, and for the 2nd time, he forgot to stub for the wet bar.
I’m going to bed, I can’t even imagine how it could get worse but that is one place where our GC continues to amaze me. How can one screw up so much? It’s as if he just doesn’t give a crap about it.
A New Start
While I was instructed (told by Julie) that I couldn’t attend because of my anger towards our GC, Julie and our Structural Engineer actually met with him this morning and initially it seems as if progress was made – Wonderful!!! Our Structural Engineer had a slew of questions for him regarding his plans for the joist system, support of the existing structure since he removed the majority of the original support columns, various load bearing wall questions as well as a few about the carport foundation wall. Unfortunately but not surprising, both of them told me that it seemed as if it was all Greek to him and he actually kept making the statement that his plan was to “figure it out as we go along” – same line I’ve heard from him so many times and look where it got us.
As for the progress, he agreed to remove all of the framing this Tuesday as well as clean out the existing basement and then the Structural Engineer will meet with him and the foundation guy to discuss the next steps. Our Structural Engineer will design the framing as well as the roofing plan versus the one supplied by our GC which he admitted was created by a computer at a building supply store and not an engineer as he had previously stated…and billed. Our GC also said he was unaware that there were 2 entrances from the new to the existing basement – clearly marked on the plans and JUST discussed in our meeting on May 17th. I’m wondering if when he is faced with something confusing or for which he doesn’t have an answer if his solution is to act as if he forgot about it and hope that it doesn’t come back up?
Bottom-line, progress was made. We’re moving past what was previous done or not done. We’re making sure that everything is structurally sound and we’re going to get this house built!!! At least that’s the plan.
Morningside Renovation 