Cement mixer apocalypse

This week we’ve had a few minor delays getting to what feels to us as the real starting line – the slab.

The pour was scheduled for Thursday, which was then pushed to Friday which then became Saturday – apparently one of the trucks needed for the guys setting out the slab and doing the pour had broken down and they were a little slow in fixing it.

Tap has been knocked around a bit

waffle pods within the slab

We are using an independent building inspector (in addition to the PD provided ‘independent’ inspector who by the nature of who is employed by, is not independent), who had to reschedule multiple times, but he arrived apparently on Friday afternoon after the guys had gone. He called the SS and advised that there seemed to be a few bits that had been missed, mainly 4 bar instead of 5 bar mesh at the front of the garage, which was picked up before the guys finished on site. We can only assume that they SS took it up with them – which makes me a little nervous.

Anyways, on the third reschedule they were busily at it by 7.30am, much to my neighbours supreme annoyance.. Maybe PD shouldn’t have placed such a huge sign on the fence saying ‘no work until 9am on weekends’. They were asking for trouble.

They also came close to fisticuffs with another very nice and polite neighbour as they literally blocked the entire street, leaving their car running in the middle of the street whilst getting out and walking to the site. That said, when we spoke with them the guys were nice (although a bit messy) and didn’t mind us stickybeaking.

We hung out and watched as the concrete was pumped out on to the site and they raked and smoothed it out. The kids were pretty fascinated with all the machinery and the goings on. Concrete trucks queued the length of the street to fill the pump, trucks and cars and people everywhere.

To the totally un-trained eye, 24 hours post pour the slab looks ok, but with a few minor issues – we noticed water pooling on top in a couple of places this evening and could see some rings where a light overnight rain had been evaporating – so it isn’t 100% perfectly flat. There are also a few small gaps evident along some of the edges, notable the garage front and some crumbling at the edge of the veranda.

With a layer of plastic still on (so not everything visible) there at least is no sign of metal protruding. I’m also trying to trust that they added the bits into the slab that our inspector had picked up on Friday afternoon. We really can’t be sure.

A few presumably minor bits which may need attention
  

The other thing that the jury is out on, is when framing should start. In an ideal world, we gather 28 days is a good period for the slab to sit to harden. We understand that where the day time temperature is 25 degrees, drying time is 25% less (apparently). Anyways, they plan to start framing this week. Tuesday to be exact. That will leave about 2 1/2 days from the time the pour was finished until they start framing, which isn’t ideal.

Our (custom) builder friend was horrified, as were a few other people, but another engineer friend, who I think knows his concrete and has recently built with another slightly less volume, but volume nonetheless builder, wasn’t too concerned – he mentioned that usually it would take them at least a few days to do the ground storey, before they use scaffolding and begin on the second storey – putting more weight and stress on the slab.

Either way, we have post pour inspection tomorrow, and then it is forecast to be a warm week of high 20’s.

It was awesome and weird to finally see the footprint the house will take and to get a sense of our family room, our front lounge, our kitchen etc. At every stage they have seemed small, then big, then small again. Funny how the sense of proportion seems to shift.

We’re also taking bets on the first build invoice. My bet is that we will have it to hand tomorrow. The quickest communication the company offers apparently.

Our BC is away (in cyclone ravaged Vanuatu as far as we know, hope she is ok), and the temporary replacement fill in isn’t any quicker on the response front. Ten days from email to response (by phone) missed the call, left a message, another day before a response. Agreed to course of action which should have meant an email (with a credit for no cross over protection) which of  course hasn’t arrived.

So glad that we had brilliant communication (and humour) from the slab supervisor… he has worked to restore my faith that maybe they can build this house after all and maybe they will be mostly fair and reasonable… Issues came up, but he acknowledged them, dealt with them and was humerous to boot. Much appreciated and if he had turned up whilst we were there we would have bought him a beer or 6. But he didn’t – his loss 😉

An exciting week ahead as we start to see the bones of the house take shape with the frame and get a better feeling for what we’ve gotten ourselves in for!