A general building site question.

[Sir Ramic]

If you were working for a small builder ( maybe a sole person) who was buiding one or two houses on a plot of land. Would you expect the basic items such as runing water, electric point and a Loo to be readily available on site?. I do, but in this country it seems it isnt always the case. Last week i was working for a regular builder as i have for the last 8 years and when arriving on site i found that there was no water, no power and no parking ( Site was alongside a main road and the driveways were being block laid at the time.
Now a few years back i had the fortune to work in Melbourne, Australia for 15 months and every new build site i went on had its own power point and stand pipe (you had to carry your own tap to screw in) You would also have the house to yourself until you had finished and no other trade was allowed in until you had finished.
I reallly dont think its much to ask ( power and water) So do you think they should be supplied?
I was told that water was available by asking one of the neighbours to use their outside tap and if i needed power i would have to get a generator. I had to get the water but i managed without power. So i have wrote a letter explaining my terms in future and await their response.
I do think that British building sites and building standards are falling behind, what do you think?

[floydyboy]

yea i agree with you Sir Ramic, there are health and safty laws in place but unfortinatly the small builders do not always folow them due to cost a canteen should be supplied anything over 2-3 houses as far as water is concerned well that is infuriating being a plasterer we get through gallons of the stuff and is no joke when you got to ask neighbours, and as for a toilet and leky that is a must and the sooner the local authorities start pushing these guidelines the better.but my exsperience with small builders they all say it is ready for you when you get there its like a bombsite and loads of tradesmen under your feet so as a rule i tend not to do it anymore not worth the hastle

[wetdec]

You spend to much time working its the country thats falling behind not just the sites.

I dont think basics are much to ask but yrs ago we didnt expect like we do now for some reason.

When I began sites I learned 2 valuable lessons, you never pick up someone elses tools and you bend to accomodate other trades men. If you have no power, water etc neither do they its the one place that you must work together or get no where.

tiler


..

[floydyboy]

Originally Posted by wetdec

You spend to much time working its the country thats falling behind not just the sites.

I dont think basics are much to ask but yrs ago we didnt expect like we do now for some reason.

When I began sites I learned 2 valuable lessons, you never pick up someone elses tools and you bend to accomodate other trades men. If you have no power, water etc neither do they its the one place that you must work together or get no where.

tiler


..

Water is an essential item on a construction site and SHOULD be supplied at all times and years ago there were hardly any power tools being used on sites so i agree with you there there was not much call for leky on the site but in this day and age the amount of power tools being used i would say it is a vital and not only that the neighbours don't thank you when you start a noisy geny up outside

[Dave]

I do work for a couple of builders neale and i have no probs when it comes to amenities ......the odd time there is no toilet but you make do ()....buckets come in handy.....
Water is a must when tiling..so that should at least be on....as for power then it is an advantage..i have a genny just in-case but as i said my builders are on the ball.....i wish all were....

[andy-p]

i do some work for small builders and i always insist on power and water, but i remember in the past working on a site in winter with only a gas lamp to see what the hell i was doin , -10 outside and in !! bad times ,never again!! tho you can pick up gennys really cheap these days...

[Dave]

OH!! and yes..Heat in the winter...shouldn't be using adhesives below 5dgs anyway...

1... manufactures don't recommend it

2.. tilers don't like it....

[grumpygrouter]

Originally Posted by Dave

OH!! and yes..Heat in the winter...shouldn't be using adhesives below 5dgs anyway...

1... manufactures don't recommend it

2.. tilers don't like it....

....neither does the adhesive!

[Sir Ramic]

Oh i am fully kitted out for every eventuality but how the hell have they built 2 detatched houses without water ???
Power, yes i have a genny but i would charge them for the fuel because its another expense.
And, yes working tempretures ??? How come that a lot of teh builders i work for (esp the larger companies) are banging on about health and safety, CSCS cards, and NVQs but when it comes to sites freezing up (as they did earlier this year) they still want the tiling done. the want the tiler to have NVQ but still wont listen to their advise when the tiler says a surface isnt suitable.
I could go on all day about the health and safety aspect but i wont, i am sure we all know the score there.
I really do think that the british building trade is falling behind the rest of the world, having seen other countries working and making it work...why cant we? TOO MUCH BULL 5HIT thats why. rant rant rant

[Dave]

I totally agree neale.......we are well behind on some aspects of the building game...

i always incised on sky TV ,a power shower, fully stocked bar and a female masseur myself

[MrSpoon]

im currently working on site and i didnt find the water supply till the afternoon of the second day, i got a few "points" when i asked other people where it was but ended up dipping my bucket into some dirty water beforehand, as for emptying th crasp out i still havnt discovered this muck pile that im told about and i just get told to empty my crap onto the floor as it'll be covered at a later stage anyway, as for other tradesmen there, theres sometimes only me in the particular appartment at a time and sometimes up to 6, tools/supplies are piled into the middle of the rooms and thats about it, oh and ive found that no matter how much i want to listen to radio 1 (well it only picks up radio 1 and classic fm), someone will always come in with their nice big dewalt site radio and put on radio 2, drowning out mine. so i switch mine off, thne when they;'re done whatever they are doing they take their radio with them, so i have to get up and retune the radio to radio 1.... then 30 minutes later someone else will appear with a radio playing radio 2 etc etc.. its a vicious cycle