The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[xrapidx]

This industry never ceases to amaze - bought 25L of bond liquid - tiles installed today, tilers just left, and I'm cleaning up outside - what do I find - 20L bond liquid barrel unopened - which means they used water. Like, why would you do that? The stuff is paid for - it makes no difference if you used water, or what I bought.

 

[CamiKaze]

Hi guys. Let's say that you have a boundary wall of 1.8m high and the builders up unto that height, as per the building plan, then everything should be ok.
But what if you add column heads that pushes the column height a bit higher, but the rest of the wall maintains the height as per the plan.

Does the municipality take the column height into account? Would this be breaking the agreement of said plan?

 

[SAguy]

This industry never ceases to amaze - bought 25L of bond liquid - tiles installed today, tilers just left, and I'm cleaning up outside - what do I find - 20L bond liquid barrel unopened - which means they used water. Like, why would you do that? The stuff is paid for - it makes no difference if you used water, or what I bought.

Had the same thing... bought a 5l. End of the day came and looked and they didn't open it.
I don't think they know how to use it

 

[xrapidx]

Had the same thing... bought a 5l. End of the day came and looked and they didn't open it.
I don't think they know how to use it

It's literally a water replacement. I even said, use this instead of water.

 

[ElixirCoder]

Hi guys. Let's say that you have a boundary wall of 1.8m high and the builders up unto that height, as per the building plan, then everything should be ok.
But what if you add column heads that pushes the column height a bit higher, but the rest of the wall maintains the height as per the plan.

Does the municipality take the column height into account? Would this be breaking the agreement of said plan?

Columns and supports are ignored. Wall height above ground level is the regulation requirement

 

[Smokey mcpot]

That’s probably because your tiler is just a good general labourer who happens to know how to tile. Please note I’m not saying he won’t do a great job.
Normally a tiler would request these things before the job starts or at least ask if you want to use these things.

like even I know how to tile (I would only do this myself in my own home though... I lie, even then I use my tiler haha). I do however miss tiny things that matter to a tiler. I remember when I was out at @WAslayer to play with him... wait wait I mean quote. I took measurements and the bulk of things I noted, yet I insisted I go back with my tiler for him to be sure I didn’t miss anything... which I did. This is exactly why I always insist he checks out a site before I quote.
When I say tiler I mean a guy who won’t do anything else except tile because tiling is all he knows and he knows it very well. He won’t even have anyone mix for him and I was forced to take his guy along with him. No regrets though, the two of them work together so well. The assistant will have things ready without the need for him to ask at all.

 

[ToxicBunny]

That’s probably because your tiler is just a good general labourer who happens to know how to tile. Please note I’m not saying he won’t do a great job.
Normally a tiler would request these things before the job starts or at least ask if you want to use these things.

like even I know how to tile (I would only do this myself in my own home though... I lie, even then I use my tiler haha). I do however miss tiny things that matter to a tiler. I remember when I was out at @WAslayer to play with him... wait wait I mean quote. I took measurements and the bulk of things I noted, yet I insisted I go back with my tiler for him to be sure I didn’t miss anything... which I did. This is exactly why I always insist he checks out a site before I quote.
When I say tiler I mean a guy who won’t do anything else except tile because tiling is all he knows and he knows it very well. He won’t even have anyone mix for him and I was forced to take his guy along with him. No regrets though, the two of them work together so well. The assistant will have things ready without the need for him to ask at all.

Damn you!

Stop teasing us non-CPT people with your good work ethic and staff who know what they're doing ffs!

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Damn you!

Stop teasing us non-CPT people with your good work ethic and staff who know what they're doing ffs!

I also keep saying that I’m small fry, there are a lot of great guys in the business. My honest opinion is that the best guys don’t advertise because they’re too busy. Their business name is completely unknown and some don’t even have a business name and are merely known by their first name. I know one guy like that and there have been a few times where I have seen him quoting at the same client that I do. I immediately go and strike a deal to share the job with him haha. Makes my life easier having a team like theirs on my side. Split the load of stress and away we go. Even the bulk of his work (like 95%) is in 2 areas. I even refer him or bring him in for certain things that I don’t do and I know he does well.

I think I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, nobody does everything. In my opinion a good contractor will be honest and say “I’m subcontracting this guy for X” and explain that it’s something he doesn’t do. Honesty is a great start!
You get some terrible contractors like a guy I’m dealing with in one of CPT’s more affluent areas. He sub contracts quite a few guys but plans terribly! It’s like everything he does on site is back to front. Beautiful wooden floors installed, followed by plastering, skimming and painting. Beautiful paving outside and then asks me to fit a gate and motor where I have to dig up the paving to run the power underground. Paint the exterior walls then asks us to clean the roof afterwards resulting in dirty freshly painted walls lol. I’m grateful for the business he brings though. He’s a foreigner and does buying and renovating on behalf of wealthy foreign clients where money is not a problem. Numerous times I’ve asked him to let me run a project for him to save on costs, but it seems like he just loves being in control of things no matter how many hiccups along the way.

 

[xrapidx]

RE: The tiler - came recommended with pics of his work from people - unfortunately - that really doesn't mean much if the people don't actually know what goes on the background. All he does is tiling. The tiling itself seems ok. So now I just hope for the best, I wanted tile bond for the extra flexibility and adhesion - as well as an extra little bit of protection in case the sliding door leaks again.

Anyway, this industry is incredibly unreliable - no matter which way you turn - there's always something. If I ever become jobless I know what I'll be doing.

 

[TedLasso]

RE: The tiler - came recommended with pics of his work from people - unfortunately - that really doesn't mean much if the people don't actually know what goes on the background. All he does is tiling. The tiling itself seems ok. So now I just hope for the best, I wanted tile bond for the extra flexibility and adhesion - as well as an extra little bit of protection in case the sliding door leaks again.

Anyway, this industry is incredibly unreliable - no matter which way you turn - there's always something. If I ever become jobless I know what I'll be doing.

But will we be able to trust you ?

 

[xrapidx]

But will we be able to trust you ?

Well that's part of the problem. The industry is too easily trusted. Doing things properly is taken for granted, no one checks up.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

RE: The tiler - came recommended with pics of his work from people - unfortunately - that really doesn't mean much if the people don't actually know what goes on the background. All he does is tiling. The tiling itself seems ok. So now I just hope for the best, I wanted tile bond for the extra flexibility and adhesion - as well as an extra little bit of protection in case the sliding door leaks again.

Anyway, this industry is incredibly unreliable - no matter which way you turn - there's always something. If I ever become jobless I know what I'll be doing.

Like I said, doesn’t mean he isn’t going to do a great job. He just lacks the reason behind using certain products since he was just used for his labour. Whoever he learnt from most likely did not want him to grow too much and “overtake” them in the industry which is very common amongst knowledgable contractors who don’t want to have their good staff as competition.

as for the other bit, the industry is not fun and games. I personally and trying to do less trades and specialize only in a few things (paint, steel fabrication and automation). These are less stressful (at least to me) and things which I enjoy doing. Building, plastering and roofing really does become stressful. Then I won’t even go into the details of dealing with clients... most of the time it’s easy, but when you get that difficult one it really can feel like the 15 good people you dealt with previously didn’t matter.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Well that's part of the problem. The industry is too easily trusted. Doing things properly is taken for granted, no one checks up.

True... but I’ll give you a flip side to the coin. Some clients expect rome to be built in a day. It’s possible to do... by cutting corners. And some guys do this to “please the client”. Then it becomes the norm with clients who don’t want it done.

right now I’m”tricking” a client in terms of time to finish something. He wanted a gate fabricated, galvanized and powder coated in a week. We finalised last week Thursday late afternoon and he paid deposit Friday. We agreed that I’d be getting 5 working days which are Monday to Thursday, then long weekend and we fit on Tuesday... 5 working days makes a week. He was happy.
Over the weekend we fabricated a gate, Monday to galvanising, today it went for powder coating and we’ll be getting it Tuesday morning delivered to site for fitment. Rail has been fitted and concrete base is already curing to be ready on Tuesday. Had it not been long weekend I would have declined the job, but the weekend worked in my favour and I could negotiate the above deal with him. In his mind he is having his way of “a week” whereas I could make that “week” work on my terms.

now had I said no, some a-hole would probably have used galvanized spray and just sent for powder coating (have seen this before) and fitted for him tomorrow

 

[jezzad]

Looking for recommendations for someone who can do a new kitchen for us in Cape Town (Southern Subburbs)

 

[xrapidx]

What would be the best glue to keep skirting boards fixed to the wall?

Most of them are going in with screws - but I have a section with electrical cable behind I'd prefer to just glue (+- 3.5m)

 

[WAslayer]

What would be the best glue to keep skirting boards fixed to the wall?

Most of them are going in with screws - but I have a section with electrical cable behind I'd prefer to just glue (+- 3.5m)

No more nails.. I came to find that all the skirtings in my house are fixed to the wall with no screws, just no more nails, when I had to pull some of them off for my office space.. they are on the wall proper..

 

[xrapidx]

No more nails.. I came to find that all the skirtings in my house are fixed to the wall with no screws, just no more nails, when I had to pull some of them off for my office space.. they are on the wall proper..

I was also thinking no more nails... I have a tube somewhere. Not really a fan of using glue - but will do so.

 

[Steamy Tom]

yeah no more nails will take the plaster off when you try take them off xD

 

[ToxicBunny]

yeah no more nails will take the plaster off when you try take them off xD

I've had totally the opposite experience of that crap... I find it totally useless myself.

 

[WAslayer]

I've had totally the opposite experience of that crap... I find it totally useless myself.

Interesting.. every time I have used or come across it, it's done exactly what it was supposed to do..

What were you doing with it..?