Hello!
I had the landscaping contractor on site, and he told me to make sure that the general contractor leaves the construction site clean. He even said that if cigarette butts are left on the property afterwards, he would charge for waste disposal by subcontractors. Is that normal?
The general contractor, of course, says that he is not responsible for picking up his workers’ cigarette butts and considers small Poroton crumbs as acceptable residue left on the site. Now I’m not sure where exactly the line is—what does the general contractor have to do and what not? It’s actually quite simple: if I know what he is required to do, I can formally ask him to fully clean the property upon completing his work and report back to me. Then I can photograph any remaining debris, set a deadline for cleanup, and refer to deductions from the final payment if necessary.
Another point of discussion will definitely be all the “small” plaster residues in the bushes, etc.
How was it on your construction sites? The contract says nothing about this... sometimes you read about the interior being handed over “broom clean” — but I cannot find any similar term for final site condition outdoors and don’t know what is generally expected there.
I had the landscaping contractor on site, and he told me to make sure that the general contractor leaves the construction site clean. He even said that if cigarette butts are left on the property afterwards, he would charge for waste disposal by subcontractors. Is that normal?
The general contractor, of course, says that he is not responsible for picking up his workers’ cigarette butts and considers small Poroton crumbs as acceptable residue left on the site. Now I’m not sure where exactly the line is—what does the general contractor have to do and what not? It’s actually quite simple: if I know what he is required to do, I can formally ask him to fully clean the property upon completing his work and report back to me. Then I can photograph any remaining debris, set a deadline for cleanup, and refer to deductions from the final payment if necessary.
Another point of discussion will definitely be all the “small” plaster residues in the bushes, etc.
How was it on your construction sites? The contract says nothing about this... sometimes you read about the interior being handed over “broom clean” — but I cannot find any similar term for final site condition outdoors and don’t know what is generally expected there.
montessalet7 Oct 2018 19:02Leaving cigarette butts on the construction site shows ignorance and disrespect! Cigarette butts are hazardous waste. I don’t urinate in their car—so why should I accept hazardous waste being left on my property, especially waste that has nothing to do with the construction (cigarette butts)? I will definitely make it contractually clear that all waste must be disposed of by the contractor, including cigarette butts.
R
R.Hotzenplotz7 Oct 2018 19:04Zaba12 schrieb:
I’m wondering what you mean by sealing!? Hopefully not sealing during window installation.I think so. During the blower door test, there was air leaking everywhere. The site manager then said the painter should simply apply silicone(?) between the window frame and the window sill, and that would be enough. But what does the painter have to do with that? I wouldn’t go to the electrician and tell them to properly adjust the heating. The painter said he’s not the subcontractor’s lackey and that he doesn’t do anything with the windows.
The expert report states:
“Furthermore, it is not acceptable for airflows to occur below the window sills. When installing windows, it is essential to ensure airtight sealing from the inside and weatherproof sealing from the outside all around, including the horizontal parapet area – before installing the window sills. The airtight bonding should prevent indoor air from penetrating the building structure. A painter’s finishing work may ensure this temporarily, but from a technical point of view, it is not a permanent and reliable solution.”
So this is the contractor’s responsibility. Confronted with this letter, I am still waiting for a response.
R
R.Hotzenplotz7 Oct 2018 19:27Nordlys schrieb:
The plastering of the window sills and their sealing to the jambs, which will be painted or wallpapered, is the painter’s responsibility.If that is the case, which my expert denies, then why didn’t the general contractor ask me to involve the painter during the window installation, but instead installed everything without any sealing? That doesn’t make any sense.
Do you know where I can find confirmation that the painter is responsible for this?
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:
I think so. During the blower door test, there was air leaking everywhere. The construction manager then said the painter should just apply silicone (?) between the window frame and the windowsill, and that would be it. But what does the painter have to do with that? I don’t go to the electrician and tell them to properly adjust the heating. The painter said he’s not the subcontractor’s fool and that the subcontractor doesn’t do anything to the windows.
The expert report states:
“Furthermore, it is not acceptable for air flows to occur beneath the windowsills. When installing windows, an airtight seal must be ensured all around, including in the horizontal sill area—before installing the windowsills—both from the interior and with a weather-resistant seal on the exterior. The airtight bonding is intended to prevent indoor air from entering the building structure. A painter’s touch-up may temporarily ensure this, but from a technical point of view, it is not a permanently secure solution.”
So this is the contractor’s responsibility. After confronting them with this letter, I am still waiting for a response.I don’t really follow your thread, but I check in now and then. When I read things like this, I’m really glad to build with separate trades contracts, where each trade is known to me personally and has a local reputation to uphold.
Edit: Don’t you have a construction coordinator representing your interests? It seems your general contractor is paying the trades too little, so no one sees proper responsibility. So far, my plumbing and structural trades are communicating about ventilation, openings, and related issues.
R
R.Hotzenplotz7 Oct 2018 19:33Zaba12 schrieb:
Edit: Don't you have a construction coordinator who represents your concerns?I have a building expert and a specialist attorney for construction and architectural law. The general contractor (GC) is responsible for site management.
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