You might remember my project with all the problems. Well it’s painting time. Hollow metal door frames are the current fubar-de-jour. They came with a factory primer coat, but have been sitting around way too long cuz the job has been so slow, so there are numerous places where the primer has been dinged, typically on the edges and corners. Painter went in early this week and sprayed everything. I saw it a couple of days later, and noticed two things wrong.
All of the dopor frames are rated at least 1-hour, and there is a label on the frame for proof. He put a piece of masking tape on a couiple of the labels, but most were painted over. I told him that wasn’t right, and he said it didn’t matter. Well if it doesn’t matter, why did we pay a premium for labelled doors and frames? His solution is that he will call the mfgr and have them send a bunch of new lables so he can replace them. I think the mfgr is going to resist.
I noticed many places on the frames where rust is blooming through the paint. I asked the painter what he was going to do, and he said paint over it with rustoleum primer, then color coat. I said you mean you’re going to sand down to bare metal, then prime, right? Nope, he says the rustoleum primer covers the rust, and if it shows through again they will apply another coat of color. “We always do it that way”. That’s the worst thing he could have said.
“Put your creed in your deed.” Emerson
“When asked if you can do something, tell’em “Why certainly I can”, then get busy and find a way to do it.” T. Roosevelt
Replies
Where do you find your help ??
It's really unfortunate. We hire a gc and he hires the subs ... classic construction. My predecessor retired after many years service, and I took over 2 yrs ago. Before me, he had used the same gc for 10+ years, and most of the same subs. So the bad part is that they had been doing this same krap quality construction for a long, long time.
This week I went into probably the last branch my predecessor built so i could show a new cabinet shop what the teller line should look like. This branch was finished in 2005. The laminate on the face of the teller counter, a place that sees absolutely no wear, is literally falling off. The glue has let loose, and the laminate is barely hanging on. And there are way, way too many large cracks in the sheetrock above the doors.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Edited 4/19/2008 8:39 pm ET by FastEddie
But.... is the bank making money? Sounds like it if they're building new branches.
What does making money have to do with quality work?"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Eddie, most often there's a thin plastic film over the label on my suppliers commercial doors. Maybe you got lucky? They put it there knowing that all their doors will be painted. Comes from the door manufacturer.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
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Yeah, but not this time. The good news is that it's not my problem. I shouldn't have to do quality control for the gc. All I have to do (in this case) is tell him it has to pass inspection. And we're building in a town that checks everything."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
>>What does making money have to do with quality work?
Nothing at all, but if your predecessor was using the same cast of characters for all those years then the bank must have been satisfied with the work it was getting.
>>Nothing at all, but if your predecessor was using the same cast of characters for all those years then the bank must have been satisfied with the work it was getting.maybe not. Probably just didn't know better.
Labels get painted over all the time. If our inspections have an issue, we can show them the invoices, which should have the specs. Otherwise the suppliers will supply the info. If dogs run free, then what must be,
Must be, and that is all.
True love can make a blade of grass
Stand up straight and tall.
In harmony with the cosmic sea,
True love needs no company,
It can cure the soul, it can make it whole,
If dogs run free.
I think I could put a piece of masking tape over a fire-rating tag faster than I could dig up the invoice on it.
dogs run free, why can't we?View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
What, the storage system in your truck doesn't have a filing cabinet? If dogs run free, then what must be,
Must be, and that is all.
True love can make a blade of grass
Stand up straight and tall.
In harmony with the cosmic sea,
True love needs no company,
It can cure the soul, it can make it whole,
If dogs run free.
The label on the door, as well as a matching label on the frame, are the only evidence that the assembly meets the required fire tests. No invoice, spec sheet, or any other piece of paper will substitute for a label, if it gets down to it. Likewise - and this may seem strange - the labels are NOT the property of the door maker. They belong to UL, who has tested the doors. Every single one of those labels is accounted for, and the door maker is not going to be able to just send more out. If you need the labels, it's time for that painter to get out an eraser and a razor blade - and be real careful. The sooner the better- as the paint cures, it gets harder to remove without damaging the label. He "always" does this? Well, it's time to hit him in the pocketbook. The possibility that someone will have to buy new doors will have his attitude get adjusted in record time.
You're exactly right. No offense, but anyone who has never dealt with rated doors and frames just doesn't understand the depth of stupidity this painter has shown. Especially if the inspector goes by the book."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Man, you do read like a "fasteddie."
What?"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
ya, what?
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