Yesterday
morning it looked like we would end up crushing my favorite flower bed, but
careful planning saved most of the flowers. While we working in the
garage and driveway (which occupies most of our front yard), the masonry crew
was in the back setting up a truly maze-like array of forms for the concrete
pour which is scheduled to occur on Wednesday. We are now off for
the weekend, but the masonry crew will be back on Monday despite the holiday.
It will truly be a laboring Labor Day here, as the crew has a lot of work to do
before the building inspector, two engineers, and various other contractors
appear to walk through the site and hopefully get approval on Tuesday afternoon
so the pour can proceed on Wednesday.
And I seem to be becoming the "homeowner from Hell" as I once again
was out on the site, blueprints in hand, explaining plans, pointing out was not
being done correctly and generally trying not to be too much of a nuisance
while insisting that things be done correctly. When they try to ask
G he always refers them to me "She’s the engineer" he says. And
to think I never knew I would love reading blueprints so much.
About a quarter of the work done today is not correct, but it is a particularly
complex portion of the job. Unfortunately by the time the crew got to
that portion, the foreman and general contractor had both left and only the
non-English speaking crew remained on-site. My pathetic attempt at
explaining the engineering issues and how the form construction was wrong in pidgen
Spanish was not effective. I desperately need to refresh my language
skills, although this was never my strong point.
truly be a busy day as I go over the site with the foreman before he progresses
further. I am not worried that the pour will go wrong. The engineer
who designed the set up for the electric pool cover will be here Tuesday, as he
prefers to oversee the preparation for and pouring of, the supporting concrete
for his part of the project, and the current framework will not accommodate the
housing for the motor and reel for the
pool cover. The structural engineer is
known for his meticulousness and being a stickler for detail as well so I am
not worried about the final job. But I do hope to avoid further delays
and get the set up correct on the first try.