The Great Wall

Steel Work for the Garage

Form work ready to concert. The only thing I do not like is that the builder has put in polystyrene blocks. NO way I've heard of people jacking up their car and the jack going through the slab.

I've rang the builder left message, waiting for him to call back.

Yeah I wouldnt be accepting that on something that you expect to be putting a decent load on. Its common in house slabs, but you dont jack your car up in the lounge room....

Otherwise looks like it is progressing well mate, quite a bit of earth works involved in this build by the looks of it? Is the whole block a slope? Actually doesnt look that steep in the last photo. Split level design?

Edited December 16, 201510 yr by barnz

Far out! Had no idea foam blocks went in and got covered up...jeez. What thickness is the concrete over the top of those usually?

Yeah I wouldnt be accepting that on something that you expect to be putting a decent load on. Its common in house slabs, but you dont jack your car up in the lounge room....

Otherwise looks like it is progressing well mate, quite a bit of earth works involved in this build by the looks of it? Is the whole block a slope? Actually doesnt look that steep in the last photo. Split level design?

Yeah lots of earth works. So far just over 600t has come out. The block slops upwards a lot right at the front the then a slight upwards slop to the back fence. Yes house is Split level with garage only on the ground floor.

Far out! Had no idea foam blocks went in and got covered up...jeez. What thickness is the concrete over the top of those usually?

Yes Steve they go inside the steel and concert over the top, not a fan dont like the idea. The thickness of my garage slab is 400 but im not sure how much goes on top of the polystyrene blocks.

As normal the builder never returned my call.

How's your going Steve? Frame up yet?

EDIT - I also got an email from them yesterday with variation to some work.

1 it was a copy and paste from a different job. Address was wrong and the date is 4 months ago, WTF!!

2 Half of the variations are included in our contract and are inclusion.

3 Cost for 9 soft close doors to kitchen $1000, OMFG!! really highway robbery. You can buy them from hardware store for like $20 a pair.

4 Black Mortar colour $215.

5 Garage door because not standard colour went for Deco wood $1500.

6 Front door upgrade Jamb from timber to Aluminum $740 - never asked for it to be changed.

7 Bush Fire Zone as per council conditions $825 Just dont get that one

I have a meeting with builder wife tomorrow about the variation.

Edited December 16, 201510 yr by Pixy Angel

Well that's f*cked.

Timber not concrete sleepers? Is thers plastic backing behind them to stop all the mud/dirt washing through.

The rib raft floor should be strong as f*ck, all those gaps between the foam blocks become concrete beams . As long as you have a thick enough slab on top you will be fine- our local harvey norman was built that way , including the store area where the forklift moves pallet stock around.

400mm is mighty f*cking thick for a garage floor

The Styrofoam blocks are just to hold the reo up. Grab your engineering plan. If it specifies the slab rep as 50-100mm BF it means that you have plenty of concrete on top of the Styrofoam. The other option is you have tiny little plastic cones that hold the reo up. Which guess what? They also create voids in the finished bottom face of the slab.

If the slab is 400mm thick Styrofoam is the least of your worries.

I'd be more concerned about how they planned to deal with cracking and curing the slab.

Thanks for the feed back guys.

I just didnt like the idea of having polystyrene blocks because in my old house we had solid slab. I guess if its done right we should have no issues.

I never got a return phone call back from the builder which is no surprise. Ill ring again in the morning to discuss plus I have a meeting with his wife tomorrow at 930am.

@panda in the contract it says we have 75 pies. ATM I have not seen 1 yet in the garage and by the looks of it might be to late because of the steel and plastic already down. Again Ill be asking builder.