ᐅ Bending-resistant slab foundation driven over by a truck in less than one day
Created on: 16 May 2019 21:32
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-Sleepwalker-
Hello,
we are just starting to build our own home on the neighboring lot from a local developer. Unfortunately, the beginning has been far from pleasant. But let me explain step by step:
We are handling the groundwork ourselves through a contractor. The start date was April 29.
Our assigned site manager already pressured us about 4 weeks ago because another construction project had fallen through or something similar. He wanted to proceed quickly with the foundation slab. Since the groundwork contractor was repeatedly pulled away due to other tasks, the planned date for the foundation slab didn’t happen.
Now, once the groundwork was properly underway, the site manager started pushing again on May 6 because someone else had dropped out. He wanted to do the detailed surveying on May 10 and pour the foundation slab on May 13. Unfortunately, our groundwork contractor said that despite some difficulties, they could still manage if the slab got in their way. Apparently, this was taken by our site manager as a green light.
After two days of reflection and discussing with the groundwork contractor, I told him that we would prefer to complete the groundwork before the foundation slab is poured. Since we are also planning a carport with a tool shed, I wanted the surveyor to mark everything at once and also begin the masonry work on the garden hut ourselves. I brought this up several times with the site manager, explaining that we were not yet ready for the detailed surveying or the foundation slab. Everything was consistently dismissed with claims that it would all be fine. The evening before the detailed survey, I called the surveying office myself and canceled the appointment for May 10 because the site manager showed zero responsiveness.
On the morning of May 10, I got a call from the site manager saying that I couldn’t do that because he had already scheduled the workers and ordered everything two weeks earlier (why didn’t he tell me this two weeks ago? Very strange...). He rescheduled the surveying company for the detailed survey, which they unfortunately did. So I sent an email to the developer that morning saying that I was not okay with this and found the way they were treating their customers outrageous. To this day, no response. Consequently, the foundation slab was poured on May 13 as planned by the site manager and against my wishes. I was furious.
Additionally, our construction execution drawings were not finished yet; we only received them by mail on May 11. On Sunday, May 12, we relocated the washing machine, which involved rerouting a drain. We informed the developer the same day and requested immediate feedback. Nothing was signed off yet (and still isn’t). A call to the developer on Monday morning shocked me even more. They said the drain relocation was no longer possible. If I hadn’t personally instructed the workers on site (luckily I was working from home), we would now have an incorrect drain in the foundation slab. I couldn’t believe it.
Now to my question...
The foundation slab (reinforced, because the ground is not stable) was poured on the 13th around 2 p.m. and covered around 3 p.m. The following day, late morning (around noon), the bricks were already delivered. Since my parents live next door, they were able to observe and take photos. Around midday, I received a picture showing the truck with bricks driving onto the foundation slab, lowering its support legs to unload the bricks behind the “house.” Our groundwork contractor just shook his head and asked why they were driving on the foundation slab. “We always do it this way,” was the answer. I was horrified that the drivers dared to bring a 20-ton truck onto a slab less than a day old. Is this normal? Apart from the fact that the Ytong blocks were placed on the slab, although those areas are relatively light in weight compared to others.
In the evening, after work, I checked the site myself. The formwork for the foundation slab was slightly indented and cracked, and some of the slab surface had chipped (the masons have since patched and covered the damage. There are photos available if anyone wants to see them).
Is it allowed for foundation slabs to be driven on so quickly with such heavy equipment? Our construction expert tried to reassure me but said there was nothing they could do, and my photos wouldn’t help.
I feel like I’ve aged ten years in the last few days. I’m completely speechless about how a client is treated right from the start of construction.
Maybe someone can offer some advice. I’m really desperate right now.
we are just starting to build our own home on the neighboring lot from a local developer. Unfortunately, the beginning has been far from pleasant. But let me explain step by step:
We are handling the groundwork ourselves through a contractor. The start date was April 29.
Our assigned site manager already pressured us about 4 weeks ago because another construction project had fallen through or something similar. He wanted to proceed quickly with the foundation slab. Since the groundwork contractor was repeatedly pulled away due to other tasks, the planned date for the foundation slab didn’t happen.
Now, once the groundwork was properly underway, the site manager started pushing again on May 6 because someone else had dropped out. He wanted to do the detailed surveying on May 10 and pour the foundation slab on May 13. Unfortunately, our groundwork contractor said that despite some difficulties, they could still manage if the slab got in their way. Apparently, this was taken by our site manager as a green light.
After two days of reflection and discussing with the groundwork contractor, I told him that we would prefer to complete the groundwork before the foundation slab is poured. Since we are also planning a carport with a tool shed, I wanted the surveyor to mark everything at once and also begin the masonry work on the garden hut ourselves. I brought this up several times with the site manager, explaining that we were not yet ready for the detailed surveying or the foundation slab. Everything was consistently dismissed with claims that it would all be fine. The evening before the detailed survey, I called the surveying office myself and canceled the appointment for May 10 because the site manager showed zero responsiveness.
On the morning of May 10, I got a call from the site manager saying that I couldn’t do that because he had already scheduled the workers and ordered everything two weeks earlier (why didn’t he tell me this two weeks ago? Very strange...). He rescheduled the surveying company for the detailed survey, which they unfortunately did. So I sent an email to the developer that morning saying that I was not okay with this and found the way they were treating their customers outrageous. To this day, no response. Consequently, the foundation slab was poured on May 13 as planned by the site manager and against my wishes. I was furious.
Additionally, our construction execution drawings were not finished yet; we only received them by mail on May 11. On Sunday, May 12, we relocated the washing machine, which involved rerouting a drain. We informed the developer the same day and requested immediate feedback. Nothing was signed off yet (and still isn’t). A call to the developer on Monday morning shocked me even more. They said the drain relocation was no longer possible. If I hadn’t personally instructed the workers on site (luckily I was working from home), we would now have an incorrect drain in the foundation slab. I couldn’t believe it.
Now to my question...
The foundation slab (reinforced, because the ground is not stable) was poured on the 13th around 2 p.m. and covered around 3 p.m. The following day, late morning (around noon), the bricks were already delivered. Since my parents live next door, they were able to observe and take photos. Around midday, I received a picture showing the truck with bricks driving onto the foundation slab, lowering its support legs to unload the bricks behind the “house.” Our groundwork contractor just shook his head and asked why they were driving on the foundation slab. “We always do it this way,” was the answer. I was horrified that the drivers dared to bring a 20-ton truck onto a slab less than a day old. Is this normal? Apart from the fact that the Ytong blocks were placed on the slab, although those areas are relatively light in weight compared to others.
In the evening, after work, I checked the site myself. The formwork for the foundation slab was slightly indented and cracked, and some of the slab surface had chipped (the masons have since patched and covered the damage. There are photos available if anyone wants to see them).
Is it allowed for foundation slabs to be driven on so quickly with such heavy equipment? Our construction expert tried to reassure me but said there was nothing they could do, and my photos wouldn’t help.
I feel like I’ve aged ten years in the last few days. I’m completely speechless about how a client is treated right from the start of construction.
Maybe someone can offer some advice. I’m really desperate right now.
You can just google that... for one person, they initially own the plot of land, and for the other, you do... And what kind of nonsense is it to say that the photos are not sufficient? She saw that the truck was on it, and the photos have a date—what is that supposed to mean?
It would now be her responsibility to determine whether there is a problem with the slab or not.
If you now have to find an expert to inspect the slab, what exactly will they do?
It would now be her responsibility to determine whether there is a problem with the slab or not.
If you now have to find an expert to inspect the slab, what exactly will they do?
According to Google
A developer is a company that constructs residential and commercial properties for commercial distribution. A key aspect of a developer’s activity is that the developer transfers ownership to the buyer of both the land (or land-equivalent rights) and the building constructed on it.
The general contractor (GC) usually provides all construction services for the erection of a building. The building is therefore mostly delivered by the GC as a turnkey project (turnkey construction). This type of construction contract, as a category of a contract for work, is called a general contractor agreement.
As mentioned, with a developer you usually have limited influence—perhaps on the floor plan and the finishes, but that’s about it.
Regarding the foundation slab
I believe if you don’t see any visible dents or tire marks, it’s not a problem. Concrete has the property of self-healing. Small cracks will close again. Even if the foundation slab has warped, it will harden, and the screed will compensate for any unevenness.
A developer is a company that constructs residential and commercial properties for commercial distribution. A key aspect of a developer’s activity is that the developer transfers ownership to the buyer of both the land (or land-equivalent rights) and the building constructed on it.
The general contractor (GC) usually provides all construction services for the erection of a building. The building is therefore mostly delivered by the GC as a turnkey project (turnkey construction). This type of construction contract, as a category of a contract for work, is called a general contractor agreement.
As mentioned, with a developer you usually have limited influence—perhaps on the floor plan and the finishes, but that’s about it.
Regarding the foundation slab
I believe if you don’t see any visible dents or tire marks, it’s not a problem. Concrete has the property of self-healing. Small cracks will close again. Even if the foundation slab has warped, it will harden, and the screed will compensate for any unevenness.
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-Sleepwalker-31 May 2019 12:46@Nordlys: Yes, that’s the question. From above, I can’t see anything except the now covered, broken formwork and some chipped edge of the foundation slab where the truck drove onto it.
I can’t assess what’s happening inside the foundation slab. If I could, I would be happy.
@Snowy36: Ah, okay. So we’re working with a general contractor (I wasn’t familiar with the abbreviation GC as a first-time and hopefully last-time builder).
We appreciate the reports from the building inspectors (including their notes and defects listed), but unfortunately, we haven’t received more than the reports and a few reassuring words.
@tomtom79: Okay, thanks. There are no tire marks visible in any case. I haven’t found any dents either, only many irregularities that were probably caused by the sand shoveled onto the protective tarp.
Still, it bothers me (maybe without reason). You pay a nice six-figure sum, and this is how other people’s “property” is treated. If only the earthworks contractor had finished earlier... then no one would have been in the way.
I can’t assess what’s happening inside the foundation slab. If I could, I would be happy.
@Snowy36: Ah, okay. So we’re working with a general contractor (I wasn’t familiar with the abbreviation GC as a first-time and hopefully last-time builder).
We appreciate the reports from the building inspectors (including their notes and defects listed), but unfortunately, we haven’t received more than the reports and a few reassuring words.
@tomtom79: Okay, thanks. There are no tire marks visible in any case. I haven’t found any dents either, only many irregularities that were probably caused by the sand shoveled onto the protective tarp.
Still, it bothers me (maybe without reason). You pay a nice six-figure sum, and this is how other people’s “property” is treated. If only the earthworks contractor had finished earlier... then no one would have been in the way.
-Sleepwalker- schrieb:
@Nordlys: Yes, that’s the question. From above, I can’t see anything except the now covered broken formwork and some chipped edges of the base slab where the truck drove over it.
I can’t judge what’s happening inside the base slab. If I could, I would be happy.
@Snowy36: Ah, okay. Then we are building with a general contractor (I wasn’t familiar with the abbreviation GC for a first-time and hopefully last-time builder).
We appreciate the reports from the building inspector (including their comments and defects listed), but unfortunately, we haven’t received more than those reports and a few reassuring words.
@tomtom79: Okay, thanks. At least there are no tire marks visible. I also didn’t find any dents, just many uneven spots probably caused by the sand shoveled onto the protective tarp.
Still, I’m uneasy about it (maybe without reason). You spend a nice six-figure amount, and then others’ “property” is treated like this. If only the earthworks contractor had already finished... then no one would have been in the way.
I don’t get why he had to be there despite the excavator arm? But I don’t see it as critically as you do. No cracks, no problem. It’s frustrating to see something like this, but the ground slab looks good after 18 hours of curing time. You probably would have been better off not knowing about it.
Zaba12 schrieb:
I don’t quite understand why it had to go there even with the grab arm? But I’m not as concerned as you are. No cracks, no problem. It’s annoying to see something like that, but the foundation slab looks good after 18 hours of curing time. It probably would have been better for you not to have known about it. Most likely just laziness. From there, it can easily unload in all directions without needing to reposition.
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