A running commentary on the trials and tribulations of getting piles - now, now, matron!
I’m starting to get estimates for the build. As this is something I've never been involved with before the protocol is a bit mysterious.
Take, for instance, two quotes for a specific task. One was £40k the other £20k. The former had all sorts of strings and if and buts attached, the second was sketchy and lacked detail. How to choose?
I’ve asked my trusty architect about it but heard nothing as yet.
So what would you do? This is a huge expense and will not even get the project out of the ground. I’m a Yorkshireman and thriftiness is part of my DNA but in this case if I choose wrongly my house will slip down the hill.
Baffled, yet again.
Sorted But Not Sorted - 6.8.21
When the above was written I hadn’t heard from the architect. He confirmed my thoughts about going in cheap but expecting it to increase. He also suggested I look at the geological report to see what the bedrock depths were.
I did the calculations and emailed him. “Christ!” was his reply. Using the depths from the reports would add another £24k to the bill. The cheapest it was then!
Only, the contractor didn’t have the equipment to work at such depths having sold it the year before but could use it over and over now! His comment, “Such is life!”
So in one way it was sorted - we ended up with no contractor at a reasonable price.
Paul got back onto the structural engineer to see if things could be altered in any way to reduce the number of piles and we await his reply.
A New Search
The structural engineer says that any changes will have knock on effects on other areas so he's standing by his plan.
The kit required is a bit specialist but I found two relatively local companies that could do it. They’ve been emailed and so I sit, rain-bound, in a tent in Scotland on a Sunday feeling just a bit frustrated.
Time is ticking and we’re nowhere near out of the ground.
Still Sufferin’ - 19.8.21
Non-responses and inadequate quotations leave me baffled. Why would a company quote for something when it patently says in the report that a particular piling method needs to be employed - and then only down to a shallow depth?
Where this leaves anyone planning a build like ours is that a cheap quote comes in, is accepted, work begins and then (inevitably) things don’t go as planned so you end up paying more because they hit a problem. Wouldn’t it be better to give as near to an accurate quote to begin with rather than fleece the client by duping them and the charging loads more when things go wrong?
I actually have a site meeting with a contractor next week with whom I’ve already spoken on the phone. The company was my first choice based on research but I went with recommendations from the pros first.
The contracts director (whom I’m meeting) has already said the work will involve quite a bit of expense - no surprise there, but he’s also shown that he’s read the geotechnical report in some detail and wants to talk to the structural engineer too. This is altogether more professional. The price might be high but he’s shown an understanding of the geology and the issues that might occur. I have every confidence that he will quote for a job that will be the right one even if it breaks the bank.
Look out for an update next week.
”I’m a Yorkshireman, I have to be honest!” - 24.8.21
No, it’s not about me, it’s a statement made by one of the most honest and sensible people I have yet to meet with regard to this build.
Craig’s attitude matched my own - quote for the job being done properly from the start. He’ll go down to bedrock with drilled piles but they will take more weight than those proposed by the structural engineer, so he’s also making a modified plan which should take out some of the piles and reduce the cost.
The retaining wall will be done separately and rather than sub-contract that he’ll give me the contractor’s number. “If I ask him, I’ll only add 20% on for doing it. You might as well get in touch with him direct.” Wow! Honest indeed.
He has a job starting in Halifax in the next few weeks and if the price is right (we’ve still to negotiate that) he would be able to follow on thus saving money moving kit around.
My faith in humanity is restored!
WTF! 28.9.21
So the latest, honest, estimate is in. We’ve worked with the structural engineer to reduce the number of piles as the company could achieve higher load rates than he’d specified but even so the final total (some £66k for piling alone) has proved too much for this thrifty couple.
We’ve done a lot of soul searching but when it’s looking like £80k just to get the ground prepared it doesn’t leave us much left to actually build with!
We’ll have to think again.
Faith Restored - 11.10.21
I let the contractor know that we wouldn’t be proceeding and thanked him for his professionalism and honesty. I was then surprised to get a reply from him offering to pass on the documents to a friend of his who could do more ground investigations. I was shocked by this - he didn’t have to do it but he did. Another gesture that is very much appreciated.
The weird thing was that I’d already contacted his friend as a result of my architect and when I replied to tell him. He said, “I’ll have a chat with him, see if we can’t figure something out between us.”
Amazing! Absolutely amazing!
I’ll lay this thread to rest and pick up the story when things get going again.
Comments