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.
Tag Archives: Renovation
3 Possible Options
Julie and I had a long discussion today about how we should move forward with the house if we can’t get everything worked out with our GC. Basically we came up with 3 options: sell the house, redesign the house and make it smaller or not do all of it now and phase some of it. Even just talking about this gets me upset, we’ve possibly been put in a position where financially none of these make sense. If we have to pay to fix all of the issues that have been created by our GC and then construct it the way it was supposed to be built then I don’t see how we can justify all of the added expense. In a perfect world we would ask for our GC to refund what was already paid to him, however he’s already told Julie that the money we advanced him has been spent. Plus, I found out today about 2 more jobs that he has recently completed where the home owners have been experiencing major issues with his construction. This just isn’t a good situation and I need to find a way to make it right so we can finally get in our house.
He’s Been Here Before
Received some unsettling news today that our GC already has judgments against him and is in default on one of them. Oh, and it gets better, another job also has foundation problems that he’s trying to work through, while another past client of his is in the process of pursuing a claim against him. I’m more than scared, but he really has us in a bind being that we’ve already paid him more $ than the work he has actually completed. Scarier, I’m only starting to scratch the surface with his past and current clients.
This is a horror movie, I can clearly see what has happened to those before me but I’m trapped and can’t escape.
Pull it up and Get it Covered
Julie informed our GC today to go ahead with pulling up the carport slab as well as removing all of the previous concrete debris from past pour failures since he just had piles/chunks of it scattered throughout the backyard which we were concerned was creating a potential safety hazard for neighborhood children. She also asked him to cover the unused lumber so it wouldn’t get wet. Hopefully he’ll be able to salvage some of the lumber, I would hate to see it all go to waste.
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?
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?
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.
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.
Morningside Renovation 