63redvette

Good luck with your Court Battle Hitch, it should definitely go your way, you deserve better than that bs construction that GC dude tried. We went through the same thing in our last home about 9 years ago...nightmare construction cuz I was deployed to Iraq the entire time it was being built. The GC lied at every turn to my wife, made promises they never kept. She cried in that house for the whole 8 years we owned it. We sold it and I am leading the owner build with a reputable foreman/contractor manager, great subs, and reputable local vendors. Nothing against the GOOD GCs out there, but woe be to the turds who do what that guy did to you. GO GIT'EM HITCH!

DRM500RUBYZR-1

The years the lousy experience took from your life will be added back, but doubled, as you begin to use and enjoy the new garage.
Have FUN!

Marty

MidShark

This whole thread leaves me feeling sick, as I am a small GC. No wonder my profession gets such a bad rap. Not sure what the trick is to finding a good contractor, other than spending a lot of time checking out references (making sure they're not his buddies or brother-in-law). It amazes me how many guys are in business that have neither honesty or pride in workmanship. I've been doing this for 38 years, and I don't know how I could have survived without those two things. I don't have a lawyer- never have needed one. Every sizable job has drawings and specifications. At least four of my sub-contractors have been doing work for me for over 25 years. My most used tool is my shop-vac, I like to keep a clean job site. I'm not trying to toot my own horn- this is just the way I go about things. Most of my work comes from word of mouth. And hey, sometimes things do go sideways, but how it is dealt with and put back on track is huge.
So it kills me when I see all these horror stories that cost people money, or time, or both. The shoddy workmanship on Hitch's wall is disgusting, just another short cut to make more money. As far as the concrete floor, I haven't pitched a garage floor in probably 30 years- we always put floor drains in. I'm glad it has all come together and you now have a nice garage, sorry that it turned into such an ordeal that still isn't over. A project like yours is supposed to be a pleasant, if not fun experience, not all trials and tribulations. States need better licensing regulations that come down harder on bad contractors. Most penalties are nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
Rich

Jud Chapin

Looks terrific now. Nice work.

Gary's '66

All of this reminds me of when I built my home as the "owner builder". Every time I looked at the work being done which, was almost daily, I'd find something wrong. One time I had to stop the guys (idiots) that where installing the windows. It was so obvious. They had the weep holes at the bottoms facing to the inside!

Hitch

I'm almost to the point that I have my CO just trying to finish up the plumbing..

Hitch

DansYellow66

A fair statement - wish you lived somewhere down here. It is tough sorting the good out from the bad. You can't rely completely on references as a lot of people have no idea what is good work and what isn't.

It can definately be a love-hate relationship. I really liked about half the subs that worked on my house, thought they did great work and have hired many of them back for small projects. The other half were a nightmare - cabinet maker with a long history with the builder just fell off the face of the earth still owing me some cabinet doors. The trim guy started out good but quickly went south to the point I showed up at one meeting with him with a pistol in my pocket (found out later my builder did too). And after he disappeared we later found him in jail on meth charges. The painters were - well what can I say - painters.

DansYellow66

Yeah - I have one little, fixed accent window by our entry, set in faux stone work under covered porch that is upside down with weep holes at top. About ready to move in when I spotted it and told them to leave it as it was way under an overhang and virtually impossible to get damp. Nearly done and tired of the whole thing. Very hard to spot in a corner but will probably pay for that decision someday if I ever try to sell the house.

JohnZ

We've moved at least ten times in 40+ years as my career progressed, and we've built many homes, including our current (and last) "retirement home", which we also designed from scratch, then hired an established custom builder and an architect to bring it to life. We've learned a LOT along the way, and I've summarized a bunch of "tidbits" in the document below that should be helpful to anyone considering a building project.

31g8r

Very comprehensive list in the attachment. I would add the installation of a on demand water heater (tankless) in place of traditional water heater system. We installed a natural gas fired system it is programable remotely for temperature and amount of water poured into a tub.

We never want for hot water and it arrives at the faucet just as quickly as a tank system. The shower doesn't end prematurely because someone else used or is also using hot water. All of this and no wasted cost to heat water only to let it cool several time a day.

Chuck Gongloff

When we began to build our house in Florida in 2008, John was kind enough to send me his list, and we incorporated many of his ideas and suggestions.

Chuck

Craftsman51

Great list John, I lived in 15 houses in a 30 year Army career but most were Government Quarters and I have yet to build a house. These are great recommendations and I will incorporate them in the retirement home we will build in a couple of years.

DZAUTO

John,
That's all fine a dandy, but there are those of us who DO NOT have such an unlimited disposable income, OR, missed an opportunity to have a career which would provide an income to afford the finer things in life.

63redvette

Awesome Hitch! Well just to jump on your bandwagon...we had to release our foreman today not for shoddy construction but something NOT fixable...his extremely shatty attitude toward us and the subs and drama on the job site. Sooooo...guess what? Yep. I just became the primary foreman for our owner build. Just spent 5 hours getting all his info notes into my scheduling book. We are framed out so its easy from here. Guess he wanted to be done. Now the fun begins!

63redvette

Been there...doing that right now. But thank God I we have an awesome framer. He knows what weep holes are. Last house we lived in the idiots who framed thought weep holes were screw holes AND caulked over them as well.

63redvette

Did I say "reputable foremen/contractor manager a week ago? My my how quickly things went down the drain. (Pun intended)

Hitch

It appears that just like business time can change everything. I hope that you get your project done with less drama...


I worked on completing the plumbing today... I don't think I did to bad. Last weekend I cut all the holes in the Engineered beams and the Laminated beams.. This weekend was to put all the pipe in and glue it up... Tomorrow I need to complete the vent through the roof and the shower rough in, then strap it all every 4'... I'm sure there is a plumber in the group that can let me know if I screwed anything up.. All I know about plumbing is **** goes down.. stink goes up.. hot on the left and cold on the right..


Something to add to John's list and I may have missed it is switched outlets.. 400 amp service gives you the opportunity to have a larger service to a detached garage (Wife was so happy to have a detached garage so all the fumes from painting.. old cars with no CATS...etc..

oldgold49er

I was a manager for most of my working life, toward the end I have found the work ethic of these newer generations to be seriously lacking. Many expect a great life without having to put in the time, and shoddy workmanship to be OK. Many get $ without having to work for it. They never learned what a real days work was. Sad.
Great looking garage Hitch. Enjoy. We are having a blizzard currently, and although my garage is only a few feet from the house, I am having a hard time seeing it today.

63redvette

It all looks great Hitch. And yes for that 400A box, we did the same for the same reason.

skids

It appears you have cleanout tee's on the 3", and they look non accessible. Yeah I work for a plumber.