House build start to finish

[hunterdan]

We sold our home and were staying in a small singlewide while building our dream home. Dream home is small house and large land

Home will be single floor with walkout basement. Footprint is 28x28 and 3br 2b. We are subbing out the shell and acting as our own contractor. I will be finishing the interior from floor to ceiling and toilets to cabinets...
So far the basement has been dug, footers dug and poured and basement walls going up this week.

I'll try and ad picks throughout the project.

 

[hunterdan]

Pics

 

[hunterdan]

Went to the property today to see if the mason really dropped off the block. Turns out he had started the walls already. After they left I did some inspecting and have a few questions. They have no power out there so on the corners he just broke blocks with a hammer and then filled with mortar where the gap was larger than a normal joint. Also, I noticed that there is not much mortar under the bottom blocks. In some spots it's squirting out and other areas I can stick a pinky under the block. There is mortar under all of them. After lots of rain lately there is some dirt on top of the footer. They scraped most away but are laying bottom run on 1/16" of dust/dirt. Will that be a problem? When walls are done they will be stucco'd and then tarred and wrapped from what I gather.

 

[rockcity]

It's fine. Roll with it.

I mean, he should be cleaning off the footers down to concrete but stained from clay is fine. If he's laying on top of dry mud/dirt/silt that can be swept/shoveled away, then that could be an issue.

 

[jeepinmatt]

As someone who has laid block before and is a bit OCD, the clay on the footers would bother me a bit. Kind of hard to tell how much it is though. If it's basically just staining, the Portland cement will mix and bond through it (though you still will have clay particles in the pores, which decreases adhesion). Also the insufficient mortar on the bottom course just seems a bit sloppy. Shouldn't cause any problems, but it's "less good" than it could be. The shortened blocks at the corners are no issue, just a result of a wall length that isn't divisible by a 16". Blame your architect for that. As long as there's mortar filling the gaps it will be fine. If you want to be super cool, fill all the cells with concrete when you are done and it will be many times stronger than just a block wall.

 

[hunterdan]

Thanks for the reply. He has been laying the block on a fine layer of silt. It is supposed to rain in the am so hopefully I can get over there and clean up the remaining areas. Maybe what he has already laid won't cause problems...

 

[hunterdan]

As someone who has laid block before and is a bit OCD, the clay on the footers would bother me a bit. Kind of hard to tell how much it is though. If it's basically just staining, the Portland cement will mix and bond through it (though you still will have clay particles in the pores, which decreases adhesion). Also the insufficient mortar on the bottom course just seems a bit sloppy. Shouldn't cause any problems, but it's "less good" than it could be. The shortened blocks at the corners are no issue, just a result of a wall length that isn't divisible by a 16". Blame your architect for that. As long as there's mortar filling the gaps it will be fine. If you want to be super cool, fill all the cells with concrete when you are done and it will be many times stronger than just a block wall.

Thanks for the help. I'm a bit OCD also... especially about this house. The walls will have rebar every 30" and then pumped full of concrete.

 

[rockcity]

When building a house, OCD usually = $ spent with little return.

I'd recommend staying off the property until it's time to do a walk through with a sub or inspector.

 

[jeepinmatt]

When building a house, OCD usually = $ spent with little return.

I'd recommend staying off the property until it's time to do a walk through with a sub or inspector.

There's some truth to that, but there's also a lot of idiots out there who happen to be in the construction business and even have their contractors license (no offense intended, assuming you're not an idiot ).

 

[rockcity]

There's some truth to that, but there's also a lot of idiots out there who happen to be in the construction business and even have their contractors license (no offense intended, assuming you're not an idiot ).

Hopefully you can filter through most of them by doing your due diligence before awarding them a contract.


Like, when you ask for them to name you as an additional insured and they storm off all pissy and refuse, it's likely a good indicator they should not be on the short list, ever.

 

[hunterdan]

When building a house, OCD usually = $ spent with little return.

I'd recommend staying off the property until it's time to do a walk through with a sub or inspector.

hope the smiley face means your kidding. I am the contractor for our build and am using a local contractors crew for the basement and shell. I am paying him a small amount over cost of materials for using his guys and him giving advice along the way. I worked in construction for 25yrs and I know how many lack character in the business. Going the extra mile these days is rare so all I expect is people doing it right. I'm not going to be so particular about the framing and the rest but as far as the foundation and basement.... yeah I want it done correctly.

Thanks again for the sound advice of the forum.

 

[rodney eppes]

I'm no Mason or ever laid block, but I've Seen a Lot. The questions you raise do seem legit! I'd expect a little better quality. And as a contractor, it would seem he could have enough of a generator, to run a Saw, & not be busting chunks out of the corner blocks. Glad you mentioned the rebar & concrete! It may be only commercial, but I've seen some rebar formed up from the footers. Then others just drop it in loose. Grout or a fine mix is the usual fill. There's also an Insulated fill, that might be worth looking at. Just my 2 cents.

 

[hunterdan]

OK.. Walls have been done for about 5-6 weeks and now I'm waiting on the plumber. He came out a few weeks ago and did the job but forgot to install line for our washing machine. He was supposed to come finish it yesterday but did not show yesterday or today. I'm starting to get used to it...

As far as the plumbing, I was told by the inspector that the main septic line should go through the slab and make a turn approx. 8-10" below the bottom of the slab towards the septic dropping a 1/4" per foot.
When I showed up to see the plumbing work they have the plumbing about 4" in the ground where it goes to the septic dropping slightly over 8' then a 45 dropping to another 45 a foot and a half down to go under footer.

I told the guy that I thought he should be deeper because the builder was going to come back in and remove another 3" from the floor as it was too high. He said it did not matter and that plumbing in the gravel right up next to the slab was ok.

Any plumbers here? What say you guys? Is plumbing in the gravel ok and is a sudden drop via 45's ok in a main sewage pipe?

I would have thought that the floor would have been cleaned up of all the concrete spills and debris from footer and wall work, excess dirt and final graded before plumbing was installed? I fail to see how the builder will get his bobcat in there and remove excess dirt after the pipes are laid. Lastly will there be a pressure test of the plumbing before it passes inspection? Answers would be great and much appreciated but if I get none I'll ad those insights after I find them out for others interested in the process and details.

Thanks

 

[hunterdan]

Pics

 

[rockcity]

45* elbows on the plumbing like he has it is just fine. In the gravel and under the slab is just fine. As long as the pipe isn't in the concrete it's fine. And really, in the concrete is ok just not ideal.

Like I said before, stay at home and let the subs do their work.

 

[rockcity]

To add, the grade should be a little better finished than it is before plumbing rough in but it just means more hand work for the builder.

Inspector will look at the drain lines but won't pressure test those. The hot and cold water supplies will be leak tested. Tile showers will be flooded to make sure they don't leak.

Plumbing, Elec, and mechanical rough in inspections are typically all done at the same time.

 

[hunterdan]

"Like I said before, stay at home and let the subs do their work. "

Ha!Ha!

Actually, the contractor asked me to get the plumbing inspected so he could go ahead and pour the floor. I then replied " should we get your plumber back to install the washer machine drain line first?"

If I had not been checking on things then I guess we would be removing the concrete floor right about now...

Thanks for the info.

 

[rockcity]

Who pulled permits? If the builder did, why isn't he calling in inspections?

 

[hunterdan]

Who pulled permits? If the builder did, why isn't he calling in inspections?

I pulled the permits and am acting as the contractor. He is just letting me use his guys for the sub work for a fee.

 

[rockcity]

I pulled the permits and am acting as the contractor. He is just letting me use his guys for the sub work for a fee.

Ok. Well then the coordination of the grading and plumbing and washer line and permits are all you. Looks like the plumbing was a little premature

 

[hunterdan]

No...it's not on me. I asked him "shouldn't we do the grading first and then the plumbing?He said no he would do the grading afterwards. As far as the washer line his plumber sub had the drawings but the drawings the contractor gave him had no washer line...

 

[rockcity]

I guess what I'm saying is, as the GC, it's all up to you to make it happen, including knowing the best sequence and that all subs have the correct drawings.


It's the small details like that which can overwhelm people not used to doing it and thus creates value in hiring a GC

 

[hunterdan]

I do see your point. My point is If the contractor was as competent as I am then we would work together flawlessly. Since he has little profit in this job he cares little. Everything comes down to money in the end... doesn't it?
I have some final drawings but not the detailed ones. Ill see what I can do about that.

 

[rockcity]

I do see your point. My point is If the contractor was as competent as I am then we would work together flawlessly.

It rarely works like that.

Hell, I just fired a subcontractor today because he is 6 weeks behind everyone else and can't commit to a date and is screwing everything up. I'm now going to do the work myself.

 

[hunterdan]

Plumber was supposed to show up Thursday then Friday but showed up yesterday out of the blue. I was working on a ditch at the front of our property as he drove back to the homesite. I did not want to rush after him so I took about 10minutes and then went to check out what he was doing.

I thought he would just connect the washer machine drain pipe into the system (only 14' away from the plumbing system) but instead he decided to smash a hole through the bottom block of the basement wall which sits on the footer. I ask "what the hell?" He says," I would have had to drop the other plumbing system another 4" to hook this new line into it. It's too hot to dig so I figured I'd knock a hole through the wall, run the pipe out it and down the side of the home then across the walkout basement and then tie in to the septic line outside the home"
His plan to keep it from leaking was to mortar and then black mammy it. I nixed his whole plan and made him assist me in removing the existing plumbing which took a sawzall and 2 minutes. I then told him I would dig the trenches myself.
He said to call him as soon as I was done and he would come back. I finished within an hour called twice and left messages....no reply as of yet.
I'll ad pics of the hole and new trenching.