Went into Town today

[CrealBilly]

Not exactly sure what is being built but as you can see it's not going so well :gar-La; the construction company sign out front is a non-union company and someone spray painted some choice sailor words on the sign (not pictured) so that everyone that drives by knows this is a non-union job.

Crappy materials + crappy workmanship = break like crappy twig in windstorm.


Looks like they started to clean it up... rule #1. Stack lumber flat and level. If you dont understand - refer back to rule #1. If you still dont understand your fired. This place needs some leadership that knows a thing or two... what a freaking mess... they can't even staple a sheet of fiberglass up without wrinkles. Aren't there supposed to be stakes hammered into the ground and the braces nailed to the stakes?

 

[Fishbucket]

it's ok, the sheetrocker will fix it.

 

[Jeff]

The slam on non-union workers is unfair and union membership doesn't guarantee quality work in my experience (Ohio's steel mills).

Oh #### (what the ####) we'll just slap it together. They can't fire us and the Union will have our back if they try.

Your picture: They sent plumbers/pipe fitters and electricians to build it---it's part of the "all trades" training for workers.

 

[Phil S]

This is the fault of the project superintendent/management, the workers would have done this right if they had been correctly told what to do

 

[CrealBilly]

This is the fault of the project superintendent/management, the workers would have done this right if they had been correctly told what to do

Dont disagree... but a 1/2 decent carpenter should know better. I mean they didnt even tie the walls together with a top plate have a look at the picture...

The slam on non-union workers is unfair and union membership doesn't guarantee quality work in my experience (Ohio's steel mills).

Oh #### (what the ####) we'll just slap it together. They can't fire us and the Union will have our back if they try.

Your picture: They sent plumbers/pipe fitters and electricians to build it---it's part of the "all trades" training for workers.

As for the union... just about everything is union around here. 3 of my sons are working in unions shops. One of my sons makes bombs, (yes thats right bombs) for the military . its 100% union shop and i tell you... you wouldn't want it any other way... get a inexperienced person in there and they could blow up a big part of the county.

Same thought applies to this building. You dont have to like the union if you dont want too... but i would rather have experienced workers than not...

ive been in the teamsters several times in my working career... i never had that mentality nor did any of my brothers or sisters.

 

[Dee2]

Used to make weapons grade nuclear materials in a non-union shop. I've also carried a Boilermaker's card. In both cases, I had an engineering degree. As boilermaker, I learned to burn 50# of rod/day. I've learned from union workers. I've learned from non-union workers.

Poor workmanship is not limited to non-union workers. Quality workmanship is not limited to union workers.

What America wants/needs is workers who take (personal) responsibility for quality work and not to have to be told what to do all the time, what the work rules are all the time and with enough sense to know when to ask for help.

I teach engineering students that their work is done by (hard) work. They apply for work, not a job. When they want to engineer a solution, they don't start behind a desk, they start out on the shop floor talking to welders, carpenters, machinists - craftsman with skills and craftsman who take (personal) responsibility for the work they are assigned.

Rant over.

 

[CrealBilly]

Used to make weapons grade nuclear materials in a non-union shop. I've also carried a Boilermaker's card. In both cases, I had an engineering degree. As boilermaker, I learned to burn 50# of rod/day. I've learned from union workers. I've learned from non-union workers.

Poor workmanship is not limited to non-union workers. Quality workmanship is not limited to union workers.

What America wants/needs is workers who take (personal) responsibility for quality work and not to have to be told what to do all the time, what the work rules are all the time and with enough sense to know when to ask for help.

I teach engineering students that their work is done by (hard) work. They apply for work, not a job. When they want to engineer a solution, they don't start behind a desk, they start out on the shop floor talking to welders, carpenters, machinists - craftsman with skills and craftsman who take (personal) responsibility for the work they are assigned.

Rant over.

Very good summary.... couldn't agree with you any more. This building (what ever it is) is a prime example of exactly what you said.

 

[Gotcha6]

I won't get into the union/non union aspect of this post as I consider it political and may be in need of moderation on previous posts. But as someone who has been in construction their whole life, I can tell you that you happened by at a very inopportune time.
As I look closer into the photos, I can see that the rear wall is double plated, and that the steel beams do not require double plating, only a bolted nailer as they have. It appears the site has had some catastrophic damage, probably due to hasty truss installation, wind, perhaps a fork lift/crane impact or as Jeff pointed out, improper bracing. I see trusses in the second photo that appear to have been on the building and removed to the 'stack' with their temporary strut blocks still on them and stacked haphazardly as Jeff pointed out. I see trusses in the background of the first photo that appear to have had their parapet uprights snapped off and that should NEVER be in the position they are in. I'm not surprised you don't see "Crime Scene" tape around the site and an OSHA inspector out asking questions.
This is the type of companies we have to compete against in bidding projects and the customer wants to know why we can't do it that cheap. Everyone loses on a deal like this. The customer, the contractor, their insurance company, the injured workers, and the reputation of the industry.

 

[junquecol]

Most likely this accident was caused by a freak wind storm, not by sloppy work. Accidents caused by nature DO HAPPEN! I finished building K-Mart in Raleigh that tornado took down. Would it have not blown down if union labor was used. Probably not, so it's unfair to blame disaster on non union labor. As a side note, daughter was hurt on job. She was a union member. Had to sue for proper medical benefits. Did the union help her in any way? Not just NO, but %#@%&* NO! All those dues she paid were a waste of good money. She was an flight attendant. Union agreement made her work "off the clock" about 30% of her work day. They only get paid when the door to the aircraft is closed. Nothing for loading, unloading aircraft, sweeping thru the cabin for left/lost items, plus waiting for connecting flights.

 

[RobS.]

it's ok, the sheetrocker will fix it.

Actually the painters will fix it. They're the last ones in.

 

[CrealBilly]

Before this thread gets out of hand... im going to self moderate and close the thread. Applogies but I totally forgot NC is a right to work state ---> http://www.nrtw.org/right-to-work-states-north-carolina

 

[CrealBilly]

Glad to see these guys learned the importance of bracing flimsy building materials while erecting. Its good to see they have recovered nicely and are making progress, started installing sips now.







Todays stick and sip building techniques with crappy materials are just not all that <--- thats my opinion.

 

[CrealBilly]

I heard after the fall, there was a big stink at city Hall about shotty construction. So they brought the union in to set it right... It's looking pretty good... Still not sure what it's gonna be though maybe some kind of garage or a few stores? Hard to tell.

 

[golfdad]

Was in the Union when I was in my 20's best thing I ever did was get out and I am very exsperienced .......even without the Union. Union has nothing to do with it being right or wrong. Might want to start with a better General Contractor and QC dept