The Home Improvements Thread (2)

Status
Not open for further replies.
ElixirCoder said:
Contractors…. Lol. I’ve had my lot rebuild the steps from my verandah 4 times!
Click to expand...
I had them retile my study for almost a month, it's only 8sqm. Took so long because they had to redo it. Eventually the final time was acceptable. Never used them again.
Then again a guy came to redo my pool, the pool has at least been done, but the light popped out at the start of July... He's not been back
 
Lupus said:
I had them retile my study for almost a month, it's only 8sqm. Took so long because they had to redo it. Eventually the final time was acceptable. Never used them again.
Then again a guy came to redo my pool, the pool has at least been done, but the light popped out at the start of July... He's not been back
Click to expand...
Sheesh … I’m gobsmacked at the general incompetence in this industry. The builders we’re using is not cheap either :( next up is my pool so hopefully it’s done right this time
 
Just had walls built, lots of demo work in the garden, whole house painted outside, and some work inside.

Not a single complaint in the two weeks of work. Helps to get the right crew.

For JHB based work I can highly recommend Owen and Small Tree Projects.
 
ElixirCoder said:
Sheesh … I’m gobsmacked at the general incompetence in this industry. The builders we’re using is not cheap either :( next up is my pool so hopefully it’s done right this time
Click to expand...
Yup, the problem is a lot of people think they can do it, go get a bunch of guys off the side of the road, the one for the tiling was also going through a divorce so he was busy shouting and screaming at his wife most of the time sigh it wasn't pleasant.
 
Lupus said:
Yup, the problem is a lot of people think they can do it, go get a bunch of guys off the side of the road, the one for the tiling was also going through a divorce so he was busy shouting and screaming at his wife most of the time sigh it wasn't pleasant.
Click to expand...
At least my tilers are top notch and I was lucky that they took on the job. They usually don’t do residential but massive commercial projects like malls, etc
 
ElixirCoder said:
At least my tilers are top notch and I was lucky that they took on the job. They usually don’t do residential but massive commercial projects like malls, etc
Click to expand...
The first guy I had was good, spent a lot of time making the tiles perfect, that's why I used the contractor again as his tiler was good, but when he came back it was a different guy. Yeah sigh lesson learnt.
 
jezzad said:
I did my garage floor and it wasn’t that hard, make sure you prep well and remember once you mix the epoxy thats it you have to use it all.
Click to expand...

100% this.

Also did my garage floor many a year ago.

Prep, then reprep. And also get the right tools to ensure that nice mirror like finish that epoxy offers
 
@jezzad @ToxicBunny what did you 2 use or is that one linked about right? I would like something that isn't too slippery when wet and not sure that one is right for that

tbh, I like the imperfections of the floor I want to cover, so I will maybe do some sanding on some pieces of cement that hardened on top, but other than that it will be "as is" for rest
 
Off-The-Chart said:
@jezzad @ToxicBunny what did you 2 use or is that one linked about right? I would like something that isn't too slippery when wet and not sure that one is right for that

tbh, I like the imperfections of the floor I want to cover, so I will maybe do some sanding on some pieces of cement that hardened on top, but other than that it will be "as is" for rest
Click to expand...

I personally used a 2 part SIKA product, something along these lines : https://zaf.sika.com/en/construction/flooring/industrial-flooring/sikafloor-garage.html
 
as I am sure many of you have come to realize when trying to get something done by "professionals" and that is that at the end of the day, YOU actually need to know more about their job and what needs to be done than they do :(

and for me it is difficult to stand by someone and tell/ask them "shouldn't this be like this" or "done like this" because I know myself it can irritate me when I do my job

the sad fact is that, since you aren't the professional, you might miss something or a way that something could be done that may end up better, yet if the person you hired don't even ask you that, then what's the point :(

just an example: we had a concrete floor poured
- it consisted of 2 pieces "connected" where one piece was level and the other was a tiny step lower and then sloping to one side for water
- so I get where it had to be done in 2 section (the level part first then the sloping part), however the fact that it left a 'gap' between the 2 pieces, really didn't seem that good
- then there was a part where it 'met' an existing paved floor where they messed up and the waterproofing they put down actually made a fold which left a hole between the 2 floors. this now had to get 'patched' and the end result not really something to be desired
- then the edge of the sloping piece was just left as a rough edge. no smoothing no finishing nothing. had to get them back to finish it and now I am waiting for it to just fall off as well (already can see crack along the edge)

if I knew concrete I would have opted to do myself, but this was a big job and thought would rather get someone who knows their stuff to come and do it.... riiight
 
Off-The-Chart said:
as I am sure many of you have come to realize when trying to get something done by "professionals" and that is that at the end of the day, YOU actually need to know more about their job and what needs to be done than they do :(

and for me it is difficult to stand by someone and tell/ask them "shouldn't this be like this" or "done like this" because I know myself it can irritate me when I do my job

the sad fact is that, since you aren't the professional, you might miss something or a way that something could be done that may end up better, yet if the person you hired don't even ask you that, then what's the point :(

just an example: we had a concrete floor poured
- it consisted of 2 pieces "connected" where one piece was level and the other was a tiny step lower and then sloping to one side for water
- so I get where it had to be done in 2 section (the level part first then the sloping part), however the fact that it left a 'gap' between the 2 pieces, really didn't seem that good
- then there was a part where it 'met' an existing paved floor where they messed up and the waterproofing they put down actually made a fold which left a hole between the 2 floors. this now had to get 'patched' and the end result not really something to be desired
- then the edge of the sloping piece was just left as a rough edge. no smoothing no finishing nothing. had to get them back to finish it and now I am waiting for it to just fall off as well (already can see crack along the edge)

if I knew concrete I would have opted to do myself, but this was a big job and thought would rather get someone who knows their stuff to come and do it.... riiight
Click to expand...

Unfortunately this is always the problem with "professionals" really. They know enough to be dangerous, but also enough to baffle the vast majority of people.

Even with my many months of research and reading to get my head around the building codes, my builder still managed to fsck things up monumentally and it was too late by the time I caught on to fix it properly.

Concrete is one of those art forms really, its easy to throw a single solid slab, but when you want to get a slope into it and do other things, then it becomes and art form. If the guy actually knew what he was doing you whole slab would have been thrown at once so you wouldn't end up with that janky and weak join between the 2 slabs you currently have, and it wouldn't have taken long for them to do it that way either.
 
Off-The-Chart said:
@jezzad @ToxicBunny what did you 2 use or is that one linked about right? I would like something that isn't too slippery when wet and not sure that one is right for that

tbh, I like the imperfections of the floor I want to cover, so I will maybe do some sanding on some pieces of cement that hardened on top, but other than that it will be "as is" for rest
Click to expand...
I can’t actually remember the brand or make of the paint I used. It has held up well over the last year.
 
Off-The-Chart said:
as I am sure many of you have come to realize when trying to get something done by "professionals" and that is that at the end of the day, YOU actually need to know more about their job and what needs to be done than they do :(

and for me it is difficult to stand by someone and tell/ask them "shouldn't this be like this" or "done like this" because I know myself it can irritate me when I do my job

the sad fact is that, since you aren't the professional, you might miss something or a way that something could be done that may end up better, yet if the person you hired don't even ask you that, then what's the point :(

just an example: we had a concrete floor poured
- it consisted of 2 pieces "connected" where one piece was level and the other was a tiny step lower and then sloping to one side for water
- so I get where it had to be done in 2 section (the level part first then the sloping part), however the fact that it left a 'gap' between the 2 pieces, really didn't seem that good
- then there was a part where it 'met' an existing paved floor where they messed up and the waterproofing they put down actually made a fold which left a hole between the 2 floors. this now had to get 'patched' and the end result not really something to be desired
- then the edge of the sloping piece was just left as a rough edge. no smoothing no finishing nothing. had to get them back to finish it and now I am waiting for it to just fall off as well (already can see crack along the edge)

if I knew concrete I would have opted to do myself, but this was a big job and thought would rather get someone who knows their stuff to come and do it.... riiight
Click to expand...
so concrete is an interesting beast. When two panels of concrete is poured separately, it is vital to have what is called an expansion joint between them - generally it’s just a gap - as you have described. This is done to ensure the concrete doesn’t crack when it expands - and it will expand and contract all the time.

Regarding where it meets the paving - make them do it properly and voice your concerns that it looks kak and you want it done right.

I babysat the entire outdoor job, and made them redo things over and over until it was perfect. I’m well hated by the builders but I honestly don’t care, as long as it’s done right.

I have the added complexity of tiles being done on top of the large concrete slabs, so I was extremely anal about it being done right as I don’t want these tiles cracking. All in all, the concrete work is about 220 sq meters including steps, excluding the pool refurb, and every little mistake could have big consequences later on.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Maybe you should get in touch with Stone Connection and see what they have and who their installers would be.

They have an option called Colonata : https://www.stoneconnection.co.za/product/colonata-2/
Click to expand...

Thanks for this suggestion. I contacted them and they sell whole slabs. For their colonata 3200x1800 it was Just under 10k. And surprise surprise, their preferred installer is Granite Objects who quoted me 4k for this installation (with my cut list).

So 14k all in; which is much better than the 20/27k I've been quoted by other guys.
 
abudabi said:
Thanks for this suggestion. I contacted them and they sell whole slabs. For their colonata 3200x1800 it was Just under 10k. And surprise surprise, their preferred installer is Granite Objects who quoted me 4k for this installation (with my cut list).

So 14k all in; which is much better than the 20/27k I've been quoted by other guys.
Click to expand...

Always a pleasure :)

I was very pleasantly surprised by their pricing on quartz.. it was comfortably 50% of what other places were charging at the time.
 
abudabi said:
Thanks for this suggestion. I contacted them and they sell whole slabs. For their colonata 3200x1800 it was Just under 10k. And surprise surprise, their preferred installer is Granite Objects who quoted me 4k for this installation (with my cut list).

So 14k all in; which is much better than the 20/27k I've been quoted by other guys.
Click to expand...
Definitely recommend granite objects.

I had 3 different companies work on quartz tops for me in the last year, the only one I'd ever use again is Granite Objects.
 
ElixirCoder said:
so concrete is an interesting beast. When two panels of concrete is poured separately, it is vital to have what is called an expansion joint between them - generally it’s just a gap - as you have described. This is done to ensure the concrete doesn’t crack when it expands - and it will expand and contract all the time.

Regarding where it meets the paving - make them do it properly and voice your concerns that it looks kak and you want it done right.

I babysat the entire outdoor job, and made them redo things over and over until it was perfect. I’m well hated by the builders but I honestly don’t care, as long as it’s done right.

I have the added complexity of tiles being done on top of the large concrete slabs, so I was extremely anal about it being done right as I don’t want these tiles cracking. All in all, the concrete work is about 220 sq meters including steps, excluding the pool refurb, and every little mistake could have big consequences later on.
Click to expand...

this is definitely not an expansion joint and if it is, then adds to my point of, them not informing me that it will do that and if there might be other ways to do it so it doesn't look like that. expansion joints can be "worked into" the floor right, forming a part of it not just being a gap

basically the 1st piece was poured and a piece of lip channel was used for the form (the other ends were all against walls). the 2nd part was then poured against it and now that is where it looks like just a crack/gap

I would have easily suggested expansion joints running along the width of the piece, rather than this piece running the length of it
 
Seeing as I'm having my island custom cut, could I have it wider than 900; so having a longer overhang? Initially the plan was to have it If 2100x900 , but seeing as I have a slab that I can use, I could make it 2300x1200.

Is extending the overhang by 300 too much; considering it'll be sitting on stove/cupboards that are just 600 deep.

Or also a disqualifier... will it look stupid :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X