Homeowner Forum / Construction / April 2006

Hi MikeP,

Thanks for your response.  I'm curious, are you a general concrete
contractor or home builder?  Regarding the post installation crew I
supervise, I'm required to make a 2nd trip back to the slab anyway for
the pre-pour inspection.  If the slab fails because of a problem with
the cable installation, of course we will be assessed a reinspection
fee.   I work for a production home builder, and all of the
subdivisions I work in are very close to each other...all on the same
side of town.   It really isn't a problem to make a 2nd trip back, at
least for my crew.   The way we are currently working, schedule wise,
is they complete the backfill, I install the post tension cables, then
the form setters arrive to close off the front of the house with form
(it's left open when they first set the house up so that the gravel
crew can have room to manuever their bobcat machine and trencher) and
then they put the headers, brick lugs, curbs, and etc after we've done
major installation.  Then I return with my crew and start chairing up
post tension cable, and nailing down the anchors to forms in the front.

But like I said before, the form setters are putting pressure to change
how we do the work...they want to be able to put in all of the headers,
brick lugs, curbs and etc even before I've  started installing post
tension cables or have covered up the slab with polythene plastic, if
it means that they won't have to make a trip back.  At the moment, it's
been an argument in the concrete contractor's office, as he (at the
moment) agrees with me, but he could change his mind.  An argument
being used against me by the form-setter is that "a lot other PT crews
say it's OK and no problem"

I can't help but feel that the form setters are trying to step on me.
If they put in all of their stuff before I do my post tension
installation,  my job is going to be a lot harder, and it's going to
take longer and be much more difficult to nail down the cables under
brick lugs and curbs.   Then I will have to splice plastic pieces
around the headers and braces.   It will be especially difficult if
they place the brick lug in a slab which has very deep exterior beams
that will require additional re-inforcement and cables, as that brick
lug will be in my way.

As I said before, I have checked out some neighboring subdivisions by
other home builders, and I have noticed that the form setters are
stepping on the post tension guys.  Now, I don't understand why any
post tension guy would say it's easier for them that way.   We have to
come back for the inspection anyway.  My suspicion is because almost
all of the people who do the PT installation down here in south central
Texas are illegal aliens (as well as the contractors who supervise)
this could be why they are allowing themselves to get squashed and
taking it with a smile.

So that I why I started this topic....I'm just curious if other post
tension installation crews around the country are allowing the
form-setters to do this to them, before they have even installed their
cables?  I just want to know if this is the way the industry works,
because I'm new to post tension (I was formerly a conventional
reinforcement installer), but this doesn't seem right to me.    But
maybe that's just how everyone works in post tension .  I'd like to
hear from concrete contractors, home builders, and especially post
tension people who may be reading this newsgroup..