Friday, November 11, 2022

A really sad development

Thursday was a lovely day. I had to go out for that horrid pulmonary function test. I seem to have done well enough, though there were no "standards" indicated. We'll see. 

Shortly after I was back, a light rain began to fall. The day before there was a little rain. The scaffolding went up another layer to probably about eight feet, and blocks were raised to the new platform, but there seemed to be dissension on the site. 

The rain continued and the crew did not want to work. Supervisors eventually appeared and walked the new platform and indicated work was to continue.

The workers were grudgingly unloading the blocks on the platform at eight feet and someone started the concrete mixer, but the workers at eight feet raised some kind of protest at the load of blocks to be unloaded on the fourth side of the platform and the loader took them back to the pile of blocks.

The crew left; the only work accomplished the entire day was the laying of what I took to be the gas line. That didn't begin until well after noon, although that contractor was there at 7 a.m. in the morning, and waited more than an hour for any crew to appear.

Bringing us to this morning. Joanne, who must know everything, was at the window in her nightgown. The scene stunned me. Take a peek:


I've finally decided this structure is an elevator shaft and they really are building more two story units. Blocks are missing. Much of some walls are missing. There is no question it has rained all night. I know nothing about the structural integrity of wet concrete, but I bet all those kids in the crew did, and were arguing strongly for the current lack of structural integrity.

Here are flags for gas (yellow) and the orange flags are water, I think. That pipe in the center left is old and not structurally sound.


Another picture of general wetness. Whoever buttoned up the site last did a questionable job. The concrete isn't covered; neither is the pile of sand. 

Around noon today, still in the drizzling rain, one of the contractor vans appeared and a white haired man with an expensive short beard and moustache eventually got out into the rain, took that shovel jammed into the sand pile and began trenching out to the service road on the right hand side of the picture. 


 

36 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    OH my... shoddy, shoddy and thrice times shoddy! Perhaps Joanne, the observer, needs to become the project manager!!! Your photographic record may prove to be of value later, should an insurance claim arise!!! YAM xx

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  2. Depressing watching lousy work, or planning, going on. That's designed to be a sub- standard building, whatever it is.

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  3. Sounds like that building site is going to keep you entertained for quite awhile!

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  4. A sad development - whew- about the building site , so glad to hear that it is not family!!

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  5. I wasn’t sure what direction this post was taking from your title!! Maybe the engineer is going to be called in? - Jenn

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  6. Construction is interesting to watch.

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  7. construction detective - I do hope they build it safely.

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  8. Huge sigh - and goodness I am grateful that your really sad development is not more personal.

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  9. Is there a building codes department in your town? They should know what's going on. Linda in Kansas

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  10. Sad that you might eventually lose your view (and end up with diminished daylight) and sad that this might escalate into a work site safety issue

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  11. Uiii, Joanne - you told a very thrilling tale - till the end I expected that the description would come when one of the poor workers got an electric shock! I am very glad that it didn't happen (and ponder whether I should limit my consumption of detective novels a bit :-)

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  12. Oh darn! I was writing a comment and it disappeared. Anyway, I was saying that seeing the title to your blog post worried me. I'm glad it was about the construction and not you personally. I look outside my window all the time too and see our neighbor's construction.

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  13. I too was worried about the post title and am glad (?) that it was only shoddy workmanship. There's a lot of that going around these days. :(

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  14. There's going to be hell to pay on that one.

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  15. Sad that you will eventually lose your view.
    Terrible shoddy work though..no wonder modern buildings don't last

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  16. Better than television - chuckle, thank goodness it was outside your framework.

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  17. I have worked on an American building site and I was struck by how efficient they were, but also how ruthless were the foremen.

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  18. Building standards? Inspections? Not if it interferes with profits.

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  19. I would not be filled with confidence.

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  20. I am glad the workers spoke up. You have a front row view for sure! Interesting developments.

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  21. I don't think I'd be buying anything in that building....

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  22. Sometimes when I watch Mike Holmes inspect a home or building, and he unearths shockingly poor and unsafe construction, I shudder to think that it's not the only crap job around. Cutting corners to save money - someone always pays in one way or another. I remember reading "The Jungle," by Upton Sinclair, about the horrid homes that were sold to the immigrants working in the meat-packing industry. Shameful.

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  23. I wouldn't be able to judge the work as I have no experience with building. I was surprised how many thought it was shoddy work when we don't really know anything about it. I am sorry you may lose your view, altho, you will be entertained by the construction work for a while. I just finished a book where the man always watched the people in the apartments across from him - like that movie with Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window). This reminded me of that!

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  24. This is horrible. And these units are going to be part of the complex where you live? Of course you can't lay concrete in the rain.

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  25. If they ever get it built, whatever it is, I wouldn't recommend setting foot in it.

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  26. Building standards are at an all time low. You are a witness from your apartment window. The building inspector needs to check on this project.

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  27. What a puzzlement. It does give you something interesting to watch.

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  28. Joanne, if it's another apartment building, is it close enough (looks like it is) that it will mess up your nice view... or possibly close enough that you will be able to wave at tenants from your window to theirs? Part of your same complex or something different? Someone must know the answers, right?

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  29. It sounds as if the project needs at least one person who knows everything. Pro-tip: don't supervise in your nightgown.

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  30. Oh, man. This is such a bummer.

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  31. Probably so - elevator shaft (possibly a really small room). I wouldn't ever ride the elevator once finished were I you.

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  32. The building work looks like a complete shambles. People arguing with each other, refusing to work, not protecting the site properly etc. At this rate it'll be a very long time before the work is finished.

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  33. Well this has certainly taken a turn and not a good one. I hope that they get it figured out before it is too late. Take care, Joanne.

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