It truly amazes me when I see some of the workmanship that is apparently acceptable today. Honestly, I cannot understand how this is allowed to happen especially in this modern age of technology and tools.
The stones that you see are part of a garden that has a 45 degree slope down to the main street footpath. Where is edge beam, (or Rat wall as we sometimes call it)?
The steel reinforcement is actually protruding out from the bottom of the concrete slab.
Seriously, what kind of incompetent fool can think that this is acceptable. This was done on a commercial project, so where the hell was the pre-pour inspection?
Firstly, the steel reinforcing was not set up to be in the correct place in the slab, and secondly, how hard is it to dig a small edge beam at least down to the point of intrusion to keep the under slab fill from pouring out from the edges. Also, the steel that can be seen will rust to the point of breaking the concrete path which will then require total demolition of the path and starting again.
By now you can probably sense that I am rather angry. Too right I am!
It is rubbish like this that gives all trades people a bad name, but the people that built this appalling piece of junk are certainly NOT trades people. And what of the so called inspector that passed this. Most likely it wasn't checked.
When people employ someone to perform a task, be it construction or any other industry, they rightfully expect fair work for payment, not sub standard work or product.
As I have mentioned in one of my previous articles, cutting corners to save a few dollars will always cost more in the long run and usually it is at the expense of the original customer.
I have seen way too much of this over the years and I believe that it is getting worse. It is not hard to build something properly. I have put these pathetic attempts of construction down to at least 3 things. Don't Care, Pure Laziness and Cutting Corners to save a few bucks!
Everyone makes mistakes but examples like this are not innocent mistakes. This project I believe should be totally rectified one way or another and the full cost should be taken on by all parties concerned except the client, who by the way, has received a very bad deal.
I welcome anybody that has had a bad experience like this to send me any information and pictures and will I gladly publish them on my blog. This kind of thing definitely needs to be published far and wide at least to make the paying public more aware.
Please use this email address, allrenovations@outlook.com to send your info. If you choose not to have your details published just add, Remain Anonymous, in the subject line.
People who pay someone for a service place their money and trust on the line and should rightfully expect value for money. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous operators out there that continue to carry out sub standard work and are no where to be found once a problem has occurred.
Stay tuned for my next article where I will provide a checklist on what to do and what to look for should you need to employ the services of any contactor.
Cheers for now.
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