REMINDER: THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to monitor the Forums. However, THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to review any materials submitted to or posted on the Forums, and remove, delete, redact or otherwise modify such materials, in its sole discretion and for any reason whatsoever, at any time and from time to time, without notice or further obligation to you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to display or post any materials provided by you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to disclose, at any time and from time to time, any information or materials that we deem necessary or appropriate to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, contract obligation, legal or dispute process or government request. Click on the following hyperlinks to further read the applicable Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Anyone ever report a contractor to CSLB
- Thread starter Mr Doof
- Start date
Update
1. Got contact letter/information from our case worker at CSLB this Monday past. In the letter they say they have been in contact with the contractor.
2. Got email from contractor by Wednesday and some answers to questions we had previously put in writing to our contractors (and had previously not got an answer back)
3. Contractor had removed the 1/2 inch plywood on the house side of the 'stairs-to be' and put in 3/4 inch ply. Contractor removed the 1/2 inch plywood on exterior side of the stairs-to-be (the plywood had been screwed into the new risers (that had been installed back in November) in January
4. Thursday we had a SF city inspector come by to check out stair progress. inspector asked about front window work (no permit pulled) and asked about "exploratory" stucco removal elsewhere (which was done without consent of owners). Contractor declined to say much more than "We aren't doing any work there." (these points are a primary driver of the complaint)
5. Thursday contractor installed 5/8 plywood on the exterior side of the stairs-to-be. Also handed Sweetie-pie color samples of concrete....she said they were nowhere close to slate and just looked like old freeway concrete. [We had given contractor back in October instructions on the concrete stairs, both color and finish. If 1 is white, 5 is perfect grey, and 10 is black, we want 9, and we want those silicon carbine flakes embedded in it, just like the sidewalk on Montgomery in front of the old stock exchange..Midnight Sparkle I think it was called back in the day.] She repeated our design wishes and pointed out the contract where is says just that.
6. During lunch, I get to draft response to contractor about pulling permit for the front window work we had...they didn't pull one despite removing the window by sawing out, replacing some dry rot beams, then reinstalling it (poorly at that). Here is what SF building code says " DO I NEED A BUILDING PERMIT TO REPLACE WINDOWS? ALL replacement windows that are visible from a street or other public right-of-way require Planning Department review.
So, since there is some movement where there had been none, so far it is looking like the CSLB move is a good one.
Now to report them to the Pest Control board for unlicensed pest reporting and remediation. No half court press for us.
1. Got contact letter/information from our case worker at CSLB this Monday past. In the letter they say they have been in contact with the contractor.
2. Got email from contractor by Wednesday and some answers to questions we had previously put in writing to our contractors (and had previously not got an answer back)
3. Contractor had removed the 1/2 inch plywood on the house side of the 'stairs-to be' and put in 3/4 inch ply. Contractor removed the 1/2 inch plywood on exterior side of the stairs-to-be (the plywood had been screwed into the new risers (that had been installed back in November) in January
4. Thursday we had a SF city inspector come by to check out stair progress. inspector asked about front window work (no permit pulled) and asked about "exploratory" stucco removal elsewhere (which was done without consent of owners). Contractor declined to say much more than "We aren't doing any work there." (these points are a primary driver of the complaint)
5. Thursday contractor installed 5/8 plywood on the exterior side of the stairs-to-be. Also handed Sweetie-pie color samples of concrete....she said they were nowhere close to slate and just looked like old freeway concrete. [We had given contractor back in October instructions on the concrete stairs, both color and finish. If 1 is white, 5 is perfect grey, and 10 is black, we want 9, and we want those silicon carbine flakes embedded in it, just like the sidewalk on Montgomery in front of the old stock exchange..Midnight Sparkle I think it was called back in the day.] She repeated our design wishes and pointed out the contract where is says just that.
6. During lunch, I get to draft response to contractor about pulling permit for the front window work we had...they didn't pull one despite removing the window by sawing out, replacing some dry rot beams, then reinstalling it (poorly at that). Here is what SF building code says " DO I NEED A BUILDING PERMIT TO REPLACE WINDOWS? ALL replacement windows that are visible from a street or other public right-of-way require Planning Department review.
So, since there is some movement where there had been none, so far it is looking like the CSLB move is a good one.
Now to report them to the Pest Control board for unlicensed pest reporting and remediation. No half court press for us.
The on-going saga has a new wrinkle: a break-in this Saturday morning past.
Bix the Cat gave us the alarm....woke both of us up
When I got downstairs, the side door was pushed in, door jam splintered. No one around.
Go up stairs, call police...not a 911 call. Then call construction company.
Police show up, we discuss matters. Construction company rep shows, we discuss matters.
Nothing appears stolen....none of our stuff, none of their stuff.
They broke their 1/4 inch screwdriver shaft in the successful prying of the door, half of it was on the ground along with the some plastic from the handle.
Neighbor from across the street shows up, he might have something on his security cam.
The other neighbor, Joe-the-retired-cop comes over to talk.
I need to talk to the neighbor up the street and see if they got anything on their camera.
Sweetie-pie and I spend rest of the day rebuilding the door frame and put in new security features. We had just reinforced our doors a few months ago because we know homes undergoing long term work become targets for crime.
PS
Just got copy of video surveillance from the neighbor across the street. Looks like the driver of a white newish hatchback Accord sedan had two accomplices. Not good enough to catch the plate though. 5:11 AM through 5:16 AM. Can see their flashlights play over the scaffolding, the rebar on the steps, and by the door they got through. Not super helpful in IDing them, but provides time and get-a-way car. I'll see if I can post up a screen grab of it....can't post the whole vid though.
PPS
Another inspection is sceduled for today. Gotta inspect the rebar installation this time. I will point out that this is the 2nd time they have built the rebar steps. On Tuesday they were done, then Wednesday, they had the engineer out, then removed all the rebar steps, then Thursday through Saturday, they rebuilt the rebar steps. If it passes inspection today, they build the forms next then do then pour, then a final inspection.
Bix the Cat gave us the alarm....woke both of us up
When I got downstairs, the side door was pushed in, door jam splintered. No one around.
Go up stairs, call police...not a 911 call. Then call construction company.
Police show up, we discuss matters. Construction company rep shows, we discuss matters.
Nothing appears stolen....none of our stuff, none of their stuff.
They broke their 1/4 inch screwdriver shaft in the successful prying of the door, half of it was on the ground along with the some plastic from the handle.
Neighbor from across the street shows up, he might have something on his security cam.
The other neighbor, Joe-the-retired-cop comes over to talk.
I need to talk to the neighbor up the street and see if they got anything on their camera.
Sweetie-pie and I spend rest of the day rebuilding the door frame and put in new security features. We had just reinforced our doors a few months ago because we know homes undergoing long term work become targets for crime.
PS
Just got copy of video surveillance from the neighbor across the street. Looks like the driver of a white newish hatchback Accord sedan had two accomplices. Not good enough to catch the plate though. 5:11 AM through 5:16 AM. Can see their flashlights play over the scaffolding, the rebar on the steps, and by the door they got through. Not super helpful in IDing them, but provides time and get-a-way car. I'll see if I can post up a screen grab of it....can't post the whole vid though.
PPS
Another inspection is sceduled for today. Gotta inspect the rebar installation this time. I will point out that this is the 2nd time they have built the rebar steps. On Tuesday they were done, then Wednesday, they had the engineer out, then removed all the rebar steps, then Thursday through Saturday, they rebuilt the rebar steps. If it passes inspection today, they build the forms next then do then pour, then a final inspection.
do the new security features include a claymore mine or are you going with the traditional punji sticks?
There are any number of statistics that show homes undergoing repair/maintenance suffer a higher than average break-in rate.
The fact that we were in bed sleeping until our cat woke us while they were breaking with tools in bumps this up to felony category.
I suppose that had I to jumped up the moment Bix first started meowing and grabbed the ceremonial sword off the wall and run down the stairs to the garage, things may have been a little more entertaining to report.
The officer who showed up more or less confirmed the nature of the break-in "They were probably not expecting anyone to be home with the scaffolding up like this but may have heard your cat and then your movement and when they knew the house wasn't empty left."
On a side note, the old VCR next to the drill press in our box-of-things-to-take-to-Goodwill was in prime view of them if they had gone a few steps in...guess thieves are getting picky.
The fact that we were in bed sleeping until our cat woke us while they were breaking with tools in bumps this up to felony category.
I suppose that had I to jumped up the moment Bix first started meowing and grabbed the ceremonial sword off the wall and run down the stairs to the garage, things may have been a little more entertaining to report.
The officer who showed up more or less confirmed the nature of the break-in "They were probably not expecting anyone to be home with the scaffolding up like this but may have heard your cat and then your movement and when they knew the house wasn't empty left."
On a side note, the old VCR next to the drill press in our box-of-things-to-take-to-Goodwill was in prime view of them if they had gone a few steps in...guess thieves are getting picky.
Unless I'm missing something in the design, it is customary to set the forms , then set the steel afterwards. The bottom of the footing needs to be free of all loose dirt. Also the stair footings should go at least a foot and a half into competent undisturbed soil. Otherwise you get settling. A house footing goes much deeper, and is the soil engineers call.Mr Doof said:
They are building the forms this morning.
When I let the first worker in at 6:50 AM, I asked about the inspection that was supposed to have taken place yesterday. He said, "It must have happened...the cement guy is here today."
At 7:30 when the project manager showed up, I talked to him.
"The inspection is should be tomorrow or the day after. Trying to pin it down."
When asked about the color of the concrete to be poured and if he had cleared the color (chroma actually, not color) with Sweetie-pie, he said that he had and it would be "slate". To be clear I said, "If 1 is white, and 10 is black, we want a 9, and that corresponds to 'slate', right?" He confirmed it was.
When asked if the form building should be done by end of day, he said, "Yes, today, but maybe a little tomorrow before the inspection."
Sigh, already a little drift in 10 minutes of talk.
By the way, the new stairs, which replace 1930 brick and mortar over wood frame stairs, were supposed to be completed with a single pour (from a cement truck) over rebar and wood forms on properly supported wood ramp and top/bottom landings. Now, it appears they are going to mix it onsite and do a series of pours. More drift.
Oh, one last thing, the footing at the bottom goes into a 2 foot deep trench which already has a cage of rebar that has been drilled/bolted/epoxied into the existing foundation and the new foundation they poured in late Nov. 2018.
When I let the first worker in at 6:50 AM, I asked about the inspection that was supposed to have taken place yesterday. He said, "It must have happened...the cement guy is here today."
At 7:30 when the project manager showed up, I talked to him.
"The inspection is should be tomorrow or the day after. Trying to pin it down."
When asked about the color of the concrete to be poured and if he had cleared the color (chroma actually, not color) with Sweetie-pie, he said that he had and it would be "slate". To be clear I said, "If 1 is white, and 10 is black, we want a 9, and that corresponds to 'slate', right?" He confirmed it was.
When asked if the form building should be done by end of day, he said, "Yes, today, but maybe a little tomorrow before the inspection."
Sigh, already a little drift in 10 minutes of talk.
By the way, the new stairs, which replace 1930 brick and mortar over wood frame stairs, were supposed to be completed with a single pour (from a cement truck) over rebar and wood forms on properly supported wood ramp and top/bottom landings. Now, it appears they are going to mix it onsite and do a series of pours. More drift.
Oh, one last thing, the footing at the bottom goes into a 2 foot deep trench which already has a cage of rebar that has been drilled/bolted/epoxied into the existing foundation and the new foundation they poured in late Nov. 2018.
This thread is making me nervous because I am about to hire a contractor to do some work next year.
As more proof of lack of oversight, last week, they put in the rebar for the stairs on Monday and Tuesday.Mr Doof said:
When I came home that Tuesday night last week, all stairs were done.
When I came home the following evening, the rebar had been removed. Asked Sweetie-pie what the deal was. She didn't know.
Thursday morning, went to talk with the project manager when he showed up to ask what was going on, and observed him providing direction/instruction on how to tie in everything, add more rebar, follow the marks better, etc. Since they were putting the rebar back in and under observation, I figured that when he came by to check on the progress, noted things hadn't been done correctly, so he told them to undo it all, and start over.
So, last week was a perfect example of doing work twice.
He's actually a Family Law Attorney and that is part of the problem. :grin2:Eunice said:Does this contractor surf?
There is absolutely no way to site mix colored concrete, and achieve a uniform color. It's just not going to happen. Next step, get the jack hammers!
I sent them an email today about this aspect.everysurfr said:
Frankly I don't know why is should be too tough to spin up a mix of, say 5 bags of cement, X amount of water, a "bag" of color, spin for 5 minutes (or whatever), pour, mix up another batch using the same ratios, repeat until done, and have consistent color throughout the pours.
But I defer to someone in the trade who has actually done this.
Edit
Passed the inspection of the rebar and forms for the concrete steps.
Paid another tranche for the job as well.
To finish:
1 Pour cement
2 Fix front bay window (they reinstalled it wonky and without permits...part of the reason we reported them)
3 Re-stucco exterior walls (have to wait for concrete to cure)
4 Fix and re-stucco the exploratory holes under stair landing by front door (unauthorized, out of scope work)
5 Complete painting of house after proper prep
The color won't match, because water content, and tooling affect the color. Moisture/ evaporation varies by time of day, sunlight wind tenperature. Also, site mixed is one to two bags at a time max. So unless they are adding color by the tablespoon... and cement by the gram...
The darker the concrete, the harder to match batches.
The darker the concrete, the harder to match batches.