‘Well it’s about time!’ I hear
you say.
In
September the roof fabricators started to reassemble some of the
panels. We requested photographs of the cramped panels to be sent
to us as we wanted to see what was happening and which panels needed
to be reglued. Did we receive this information – no! A representative
of the fabricator said they had been filmed by Talkback and we could
get the images from them. No – don’t say anything –
it would be wasted on me – I’ve already discussed it!
Eventually
I was called to say the assembly had been completed and the roof
was sitting on trailers in their factory. Having just had the driest
September on record we immediately walked into the wettest October
and November on record. The roof needed to be erected in dry and
still conditions. The load on the truck was officially a wide one,
which needed special clearance from the police of each county. The
reason for it being a wide load was the decision by the fabricator
to link 3 panels together under factory conditions, therefore having
only 4 lifts at site. The wide load complicated matters to an extent
– but the weather remained the biggest issue.
We
waited weeks to get a weather ‘window.’ The Met office
information was useless. It is clear that over more than 2 days
you cannot secure an accurate forecast. The third day always managed
to be the opposite of the forecast issued by them. We wanted 3 clear
days ideally. In the end I called the media department of the Met
office (which is part of the MOD incidentally) to be told that to
get an accurate forecast I should invest £17 and speak to
a forecaster – this I did on 2 occasions and the information
still proved inaccurate. Believe me get a beetle and a matchbox
– watch what the cows are doing and all the old wives tales
– they are as accurate as the Met Office and less costly.
On the Met Office Website they ask; HOW ARE WE DOING? They then
advise the surfer “brilliantly.” I think this is called
- Asked and Answered in law - They invite no comment, which is telling.
I phoned to say I wanted to comment, and also wrote in – guess
what – no one has returned to me to ask about their wretched
service. I’m sorry for anyone dependent on this service –
its useless.
Well
eventually on the 7th November the roof arrived – as did the
crane. Fitters without tools also arrived. The reason for this according
to the fabricator was because they only had 24 hours notice. Well
they had known they were only going to get 24 hours notice for almost
5 weeks as a result of not being able to get accurate forecasts
from the Met Office. The Ainscough crane arrived a little late.
It had been ordered by the fabricator but they had only supplied
the driver with their office number – not a number for the
fitters on site, so he was unable to call and advise of his hold
up. Does this surprise you?
The
crane pulled in and set up and was ready at 08.31. He asked who
the appointed person was (Alan from the fabricators) because he
wanted to get his Method Statement and the Documentation signed
by the “Appointed Person.” Alan, unknown to me, had
gone to Hemel Hempstead to rent some tools – if he had told
me I would have directed him to a place 4 miles away – not
14 miles away. No lift could occur without Alan signing things off.
Chris asked for the Banksman’s certificate. None of the fitters
had one on them – it had to be faxed. The fax rang and started
printing very slowly. I received a page of dots that took 12 minutes
to receive. Eventually after several calls the full certificate
was received. Time ebbed away on the first clear dry day we had
seen for weeks. Eventually at about 10.15 Alan reappeared to be
shocked that sections were not already up. He seemed unaware that
he had to sign anything – and when Chris presented Alan with
the documentation to be signed by the ‘authorised person’
Alan histrionically tore it up and said he was not signing anything
like that and had never need to before. More calls to the fabricators
office more standing around – more time being lost. The following
day had been forecast reasonable two days earlier and was now looking
grim. The fabricators had estimated that most of the roof would
be up on day 1 – with finishing off day 2. If only! Ainscough
then asked Alan for the fabricators method statement – you
guessed it – there wasn’t one. More calls – fax
rumbles with Mark back at the office writing it all.
Eventually
Ainscough got the required documentation signed and completed and
the first lift was ready to go. I became convinced that I was in
the middle of a repertory theatre performance, a Brian Rix Production
with steroids.
No
plans had been sent with the artic drivers – (just like the
northern roof). More calls to the fabricators office. The two artics
had been readied for unloading and then someone said the trucks
were about to be unloaded in the wrong order – so positions
were changed, more calls made etc, etc. The fitters were having
to speculate which sections went where as they had no drawings.
This sucked me in as I was concerned about time being lost. So here
I am paying for the job to be done, and then doing elements of it
myself to assist the guys at the sharp end. My drawings are different
to the fabricators production and fit drawings but I was able to
assist to an extent.
I
watched and participated in all this with increasing ill temper.
I had been to see the fabricator weeks earlier and pointed out the
shambolic performance to date. I felt that the office had let down
the people who arrived at site to fit their product. Here we were
again – exactly the same cock-ups happening encore une fois.
How can you send men to site without tools and drawings explaining
where and how the product is to be positioned?
Shortly
before the first lift was finally made, Trevor from the fabricators
arrived with drawings – hurrah – why were they not posted
to site weeks earlier ready for the men to look at as soon as they
arrived? Can anyone tell me – no of course not – silly
question really.
Eventually
at 11.31 the first lift happened. Yes – that’s 11.31
- got it? Three after the crane was ready to make the first lift.
Yes that’s 3 hours – when time is essential!
The
first section was gently manoeuvred into position – a bit
of heave and shove and it was there. The second arrived and proved
altogether easier despite the fact that the slings that had been
put through had been poorly connected to the crane chains causing
the section to twist. I took a photograph of this and also yelled
at Alan pointing out the problem – amnesia will have set in
by now and he will have forgotten – my digital camera has
not though. We had been assured that the sections were cross-braced
– this one was not. A second section arrived. I went to level
3 so I could look at the underneath side of the roof – immediately
I noticed that there were substantial differences in the shadow
gaps of the fixed sections. I commented on the differences to Trevor
and Alan.
A
300mm timber drill bit was required to fit the sections to the steel
structure. Alan had learned from his previous error of leaving site
and came to see me. Despite the unusual length a bit was on site
1 hour later thanks to a couple of calls and Judy making a trip
to High Wycombe. The company expects to be billed for this and other
items that were sourced during their unsuccessful visits to site.
The
first section was fitted to the steel and not where it should have
been. I pointed this out and asked who asked for it to be fitted
in this position to be told it was Trevor. I was then called by
the Contracts Manager – Mark asking what I wanted doing with
the balance of the roof as the weather the following day was not
favourable any longer and light was fast disappearing. Now this
is a very naughty request to make of a client – as Mark very
well knew. I responded – “it’s your call you are
responsible for supply and fit and the condition of the roof until
handover. Leave it to you.”
Mark
then instructed they lift the other sections into position –
a move I considered unwise and it appears I was not alone. The reason
for this decision was to save crane cost not to protect the roof.
To ensure damage did not happen to the roof it would have been safer
to leave it on the ground and cover the pieces in thick polythene.
With
all sections lifted onto the steel – the crane driver was
then asked to lift one off so a swap could be undertaken –
it was dusk. Only one section was bolted. The lot was covered in
polythene – and gales were forecast for the weekend. These
duly arrived. The following week the fit team turned up again but
the weather was poor. It was still possible to undertake work to
one roof that seemed to have been forgotten about on the northern
wall. The guys did this very well and most efficiently. Others undertook
another roof/floor that had not been done because of steel fixing
needing to happen. The same company also started the ‘link
roof’, which was to have been done by the fabricator as the
roof cladders needed to get access to the area.
David
Grindley, Philip and me looked at the sections dangling unfixed
at approximately 20 feet. It was frankly amazing they had not blown
away during the gales. The shadow gaps ranged between 7 and 25mm.
Some ply boards had been used upside down – sections were
showing signs of delamination, panels appeared to be of different
tolerances – things did not line up. Certain panels were not
to specification of class B ply.
I
requested Mark come to site to look at the issues. He did with Trevor
on the same day that two guys from the factory were also at site
to resolve matters. Adrian and Stephen inspire confidence –
a couple of apprentice-trained joiners who know how to read plans
and don’t need to be hand held around site.
The
day that Mark and Trevor arrived a crane was also meant to arrive
– but guess what – Alan had not ordered it so the boys
could only get on with bits. Does this surprise?
By
now my fuse with the administration of the business was non-existent.
I had sent an email to Farrell O’Nolan, the Financial Director
of a large Irish engineering firm called Pearse, of which the roof
fabricator is a subsidiary.
“Matters worsen significantly in regard to the roof ******
has produced.
It presently sits between 2 right angle metal legs some 35 feet
in the air (Bearing approx 75mm ea) There are 4 sections each weighing
1.5 tonnes - only 1of these is fixed into position the other two
are there courtesy of gravity but are not fixed and the very few
acrow supports underneath would not stop them coming down in windy
conditions.
In response to me telling Mark ****** that the company was shooting
itself in the foot as a result of the present situation (a list
of faults has been sent to the Company) - Mark ****** replied 'I
don't care
I just want to get off the job.'
Such is the customer care and pride in the job that I the customer
am communicated with in this way. I am not shocked sadly - its par
for the course.”
Did this receive a response? You see you are getting to know this
firm!
Philip,
Trevor and Mark stood under the roof and looked at the complaints
– I was in the site hut getting on with the myriad of things
I needed to do. Adrian and Stephen were lifting the Kaliko gutter
to rectify the lack of fall in the ply base. The gutter was puddling
badly by up to 20mm at the most easterly end. Stephen ran a line
to get complete accuracy – and finished it off. Mike Masters
from the guttering material company arrived a couple of days later
to reapply new material to the problem area and also do the circulation
link that was finished by Adrian and Stephen – and done very
well!
Brooding
in the site hut I thought of the good chaps up on the roof being
utterly let down by the office based management. Sad and hugely
annoying for everyone at the point of delivery. I can think of several
companies that would pay Adrian and Stephen very good money to work
for them. I came out of the hut and yelled a few to the point facts
at Mark and Trevor and for that matter at Philip. It went something
like – “get all the issues sorted or none of them. If
you decide you don’t want to do the former then take the roof
away without delay.”
As
the roof in the Northern area is now largely complete we can get
on with rendering and glazing as well as insulation. The southern
area cannot progress at all until the roof is on. All measurements
for the glass come from the roof – not the cills. So until
the roof fabricators complete to satisfaction we cannot progress
with glazing manufacture or rendering. The fabricators have known
this since the beginning.
Adrian
and Stephen returned to site this week and made significant progress
with the shadow gaps. The fabricators have worked out precisely
what is causing the variation. A crane turned up on day 1 and moved
things around to facilitate work on the sections. In effect all
the sections are being separated (12) with packers being adjusted
and reconnected. As single sections these can be moved about on
the steels quite easily and there is no need for a crane. Three
sections remain on the ground, which facilitates the movement of
the other 9. It takes time for these to be worked on – on
day one the crane was dismissed and told he would be required next
week. The following day a rumble of a crane was heard at 7.30. I
went to see if it was for us or another job in the area. It was
Ainscough again – he parked up the road as I had not opened
our gates. Apparently the office had ordered it. The office had
not communicated with Adrian who is running the job. I spoke to
our glaziers to see if they could use it yet but unfortunately they
are still a few days off a crane.
Sadly
its yet another example of the endemic problems the business has.
By the time they get these issues corrected they will have so blighted
their name that it will be a slow growth prospect.
The Renderers
During
all this fracas with the roof the renderers have arrived –
Peter Fitzgerald (Guvnor) Baz (brother) and Malcolm. The gear to
be applied arrived from Weber
SBD part of the giant St Gobain organisation for which Peter
had at one time worked and maintains very good relationships with.
I had chosen this company’s product for several reasons. Firstly
I liked the fact that the expanded polystyrene panels are fixed
to the walls with an ingenious device (belt and braces really but
its worth it in my opinion) instead of just relying on the fixing
mix. The company has a render with a slightly rougher mix than absolutely
smooth which can so easily show the poly panels in certain conditions.
The company is pleasant to deal with and their technical assistance
in the form of Keith Hansen has been very good. The last coat of
the material that is applied is a through coat paint render which
gives you a low maintenance finish. At ground level extruded polystyrene
is used (for water resistance) and a polymer based adhesive mix,
which is also water resistant. Above DPC it’s expanded polystyrene,
which is then coated with the render.
The
boys just vanished around the back of the building and got on with
it. A lot of banter, and measured professionalism. When Peter had
a problem he arrived with the problem and a solution, which was
up for discussion. Let me tell you this is very helpful and just
what you need in a busy environment. If truth be told we may have
got Peter to site a little too early but he cracked on and finished
most of the Northern building to penultimate coat. I got a heater
in (solid fuel) which on the odd very cold day helps the material
to be worked a little better. Given all the chats that were going
on it became like a mothers meeting in the warm while the rest of
us were freezing. Malcolm threatened to wear shorts and a colourful
shirt – so I started calling them the ‘girls’
to which they surprisingly responded.
During
my discussions with Saint Gobain I met the area manager Julian Still.
Julian has a staccato sense of humour. Driving down to a local hostelry
for a small Malvern Water with him I pointed to a house on the hill
and mentioned that a retired bonker (a) lived there – his
response was – yes John Ketley lives at the end of my road.
Well Julian if you ever read this would you please would you get
your John K to assist with accurate weather forecasting.
Webers
product contributes very significantly to the finished look of the
building as well as the huge SAP rating the property achieved 103.4.
I’m looking forward to seeing it in its entirety.
The
Glaziers
Also
during the fracas with the roof others were also getting on with
their roles. I decided that we were going to use Pilkington’s
glass – for among other reasons their principle competitor
was singularly unattracted to the job and the second reason is I
like the green tint of the glass. Pilkingtons supply glass to independent
glaziers and undertake no fitting themselves. Of these glaziers
a number are accredited installers of Pilkington Ply glass. We had
also decided to use a steel window frame system that is very cleverly
engineered. Our chosen glazier is not only an accredited Pilkington
Planar ™ (structural glass) Installer but also accredited
in the window profile we intended to use.
Our
house is 60% glass in the vertical surfaces – the most glazed
house by percentage in the country I understand. Initially it was
thought that the glass was going to have to be fabricated in the
Pilkington factory in Germany because of the large sizes. The largest
on site so far weighs in at over 340 kgs. Eventually it was manufactured
in the UK and is on the cusp of what the UK line in St Helens can
produce. We are using sealed units that are fabricated at Pilkington
Ply ™ Glass and which are called Pilkington Insulight ™
which incorporate Pilkington K Glass ™ .
In view of the huge area of glass the environmental
analysis was very important. As you can see from the calculations
details were put onto a model, which calculated the most cost-effective
glazing for the house.
Mick
and his team arrived, as did deliveries of glass on stillages. A
large JCB telehandler was delivered to site to lift from the road
onto site. Space was becoming a premium – and reorganisation
was required. Powder coated steel frames were delivered that lifted
into position. Progress was being made.
The
steel frames we used have a very well designed thermal break. The
frame is thin and being steel can accommodate huge weight. We have
also hidden the frames beyond the line of the structure –
in other words frames will not be seen – creating that wonderful
connectivity with the garden. Many of the window frames travel through
2 floors. Between the ground and first floor a panel is fixed to
(in part) support the upper frame. These panels are insulated and
are of such a weight one suspects they have been filled with sand!
As many of the windows are fixed – we have opening steel louvered
vents to ventilate the rooms. Doors that are incorporated into the
frames are also steel with a thermal break. Again they are very
heavy to get to position but delicate to open.
Presently
we have only one piece of glass in place – next week will
be a big week.