Problem with a building contractor

Dozer1

Just wondering if any of you had experience of this:-
In the process of building a new shed and the guy who has the contract of the job hit one of the pillars with the arm of the digger as he was finishing the floor. As a result the pillar is slightly bent out of line.

I spotted it at the weekend and said it to him, his solution initally was to cut out the bent section and weld in a new piece. I didn't think this was good enough really as I'd spent the extra money on getting all the pillars galvinised so a welded in section was going to look crap around the welds.
Then he said he'd replace the pillar from the floor up which looks like the compromise now.

As the floor is down and finished he doesn't want to have to cut out the floor and dig down to the base to replace the whole pillar....
I know its not my problem but what would you guys recommend? Is replacing from the floor up good enough?

vanderbadger

Dozer1 wrote: »

Just wondering if any of you had experience of this:-
In the process of building a new shed and the guy who has the contract of the job hit one of the pillars with the arm of the digger as he was finishing the floor. As a result the pillar is slightly bent out of line.

I spotted it at the weekend and said it to him, his solution initally was to cut out the bent section and weld in a new piece. I didn't think this was good enough really as I'd spent the extra money on getting all the pillars galvinised so a welded in section was going to look crap around the welds.
Then he said he'd replace the pillar from the floor up which looks like the compromise now.

As the floor is down and finished he doesn't want to have to cut out the floor and dig down to the base to replace the whole pillar....
I know its not my problem but what would you guys recommend? Is replacing from the floor up good enough?

will the pillar work away as it is? if he wont replace properly and the pillar will actually be ok then i would be knocking the cost of the pillar off what I pay him..

ihatetractors

I would make him change it, just because of his carelessness why should you suffer (even if it isn't a huge deal). You paid him good money to do a job which he didnt do right, imagine if you sent a tractor to a mechanic to be serviced and it came back with a big dent on the bonnet becuase he dropped it on the ground from a bit to high up.
Or at very least i hope he doesn't come looking full pay!

denis086

ihatetractors wrote: »

I would make him change it, just because of his carelessness why should you suffer (even if it isn't a huge deal). You paid him good money to do a job which he didnt do right, imagine if you sent a tractor to a mechanic to be serviced and it came back with a big dent on the bonnet becuase he dropped it on the ground from a bit to high up.
Or at very least i hope he doesn't come looking full pay!

That tractor example might not run here when our new case mxu135 was being delivered the mechanic driving (idiot yet head mechanic) tore the tip off the exhaust pipe and bent it :mad: He then proceeded to get a ratchet strap tie the exhaust to a pillar of the hay shed while standing on the bonnet which left a dent in the bonnet. We were promised a new exhaust still waiting 4 years later and the top is well burned off it now. :mad: Theyre not exactly looking for return customers are they :rolleyes:

ihatetractors

denis086 wrote: »

That tractor example might not run here when our new case mxu135 was being delivered the mechanic driving (idiot yet head mechanic) tore the tip off the exhaust pipe and bent it :mad: He then proceeded to get a ratchet strap tie the exhaust to a pillar of the hay shed while standing on the bonnet which left a dent in the bonnet. We were promised a new exhaust still waiting 4 years later and the top is well burned off it now. :mad: Theyre not exactly looking for return customers are they :rolleyes:

Should have braught it back and block the yard gate til you got it replaced , wouldnt let'em away with that, sher a new exauhst would be in the 100's!

denis086

Well we were promised a new one so we thought nothing of it but we left go too long and we couldnt go back and demand one then we have yet to pay them for repairs to hydraulics which is a significant amount with the idiots 25hrs labour on it even though he told us he didnt know what was wrong with it after 22hrs when we called up :eek:
I dont know if a new one would have lasted that long but the top of the original wasnt long going off it the quality just isnt in them a fella working up there told me theyre constantly welding new tips or replacing elbows they just rot away :rolleyes:

Dozer1

Thanks For the replies,
Pillar will work as it is but its one of the pillars at the main door of the shed so I'll be looking at it for the next 30years hopefully.

Haven't fully paid him yet and won't be until till I see how this turns out.

Figerty

I know this might sound obvious but,,,, could he not straighten it with the Digger by forcing it back towards where it should be?

marzic

I'd be for digging it out and fully replacing it. Its supposed to be holding up the roof, and a piece welded in doesnt give you the same strength at all. In fact i'd say that any movement in the shed, which it will have due to settlement and wind load, may well crack the weld, plus the galvanising is not worth diddly with a piece welded in. It might be a bit of a mess to do now but it is the right thing to do, goog luck in any case

Dupont

i hit one with the teleporter and just bent it back as best i could. u would still notice a belly in it but the farmer didnt and never said anything.as long as its not the very outside girder it wouldnt matter if it was cut and welded or a new piece from the ground cos ive often took out uprights and im still here to tell the tale.

Figerty

marzic wrote: »

I'd be for digging it out and fully replacing it. Its supposed to be holding up the roof, and a piece welded in doesnt give you the same strength at all. In fact i'd say that any movement in the shed, which it will have due to settlement and wind load, may well crack the weld, plus the galvanising is not worth diddly with a piece welded in. It might be a bit of a mess to do now but it is the right thing to do, goog luck in any case

A good weld, properly done, would be strong enought to withstand and force the roof would take. That said, a weld is only as good as the welder and the equipment used.

If you are going to accept a weld on, then just ensure that it is plated also. In other words cut and weld in the new RSJ, Grind back the welds and then weld four plates on the faces of the RSJ about 200mm long, 100mm above and below then joint and have the welded in.

Make sure the galvanise is ground back. If you could get the joint area sandblasted and then primed with a zinc paint and then finished it should be as good as new. Get a quality welded,, coded preferably.

Propose this to your contractor and he will probably dig out the RSJ for you!

Dozer1

The problem is the pillar is more twisted that a straight on bend, so not as easy to straighten.

The guy doing the shed seems to be pretty good in fairness to him all welds look good and solid and not botched like you see in alot of places. He'd probably be using an arc welder to do the repair on-site would that make any difference to the weld quality?
I think if its done properly cutting it from the ground and welding in a new RSJ is what I'll probably go with.
Time is an issue aswell as the shed was to be finished 3 weeks ago...roof only going on today.

Figerty

What solution did ye come up with?

Dozer1

Due to pressure to get cattle in due to snow ended up straightening the pillar and he's knocking it off the bill, also doing some extra concrete work for me aswell. Its resonably straight looking but i'm sure I'll look at it every so often and think why didn't I get it replaced.