The Builder's MISTAKE that Seriously Weakened My Floor
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
- In this video, I tackle a critical error in my block and beam floor installation where the contractor missed installing crucial floor beams. Due to a miscommunication between the builder’s merchant and the block and beam supplier, vital beams were omitted, leaving the floor weak. I show how I identified the problem and installed new beams, supported by block piers, to ensure the floor’s stability. Watch as I correct this contractor oversight, demonstrating essential DIY repair skills. If you're dealing with floor beam issues or construction mishaps, this video is a must-watch. Learn how to prevent and fix hidden floor flaws efficiently.
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About me:
I'm Aiden and I'm documenting what was supposed to be my barn conversion, which has now ended up being a new build. I don't have a trade, I just have a go and I'll be doing lots of work myself. This is the boring bit in grand designs that you don't get to see. Subscribe and follow along to find out how our future home turns out.
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contact email: aiden@acer-view.com
The similarities are scary. I blew out my rotator cuff on the very last day the builders were on-site.
It only happened because I was left doing months of remedial work that the builders caused through their incompetence. Shoulder is still goosed after nearly 2 years of physio.
Wife keeps telling me to stop looking for the builders mistakes, as it costs time & money to fix. Me being me, I simply can't turn a blind eye to shoddy work.
Keep going lad... you're not alone on this journey.
Having had building work done, and also being a DIY enthusiast/self builder type, I've vowed to never have builders do anything, other than select jobs and by people I really trust. So either I'm doing it or no building work! That will keep me from getting ideas, and will mean I only have myself to blame should stuff go wrong, which is actually easier to swallow than when you've paid a professional to do it and fuck ups happen. Good for skill development and good for the planet!
@Orgakoyd Couldn't agree more. 😂 It's much like having kids... you can explain all day long what it's like, but nobody can really appreciate it until they've gone through that door themselves.
@@ottofumbler7267 I think if someone picks up the bricklaying and structural timber work of an extension/conversion type project, they can get the more finicky stuff done by professionals, and if a mistake happens on the finish type work, it's not gonna be a disaster. The brick laying and structural stuff is quite simple really. You can save tons by doing the ground work yourself for example, arrange concrete, do drains, build the walls, put on a roof structure, even roof it yourself. Then you could hand the enclosed space you've created to electricians, plasterers etc and get them to do those more specialist jobs. Well there is me getting ideas!
@@Orgakoyd Ah... that word "professionals". Alas, every trade involved in my project bar one (structural engineer), made horrendous mistakes, blamed others, and told barefaced lies when confronted.
In this industry, all that word "professional" means to me is: someone who will take payment for work. There was no shred of common decency, integrity, dependability, or tradecraft in their work.
I admit, I was unlucky to be stuck with such terrible trades, but if it's a coincidence, then it's a massive coincidence if they're the only bad trades in my area. I think it's more pervasive now than it used to be, as I did previously have very good connections. Unfortunately, many have since retired or moved away.
The only works I wouldn't do now is the stuff I'm legally not allowed to do, e.g. gas work, or consumer unit. I don't enjoy ladder work, but I'm fine with scaffolding.
try carnivore diet - mend itself
Love seeing the jigsaw finally completed at the end. 😀
You seem in a better place mentally, very happy to see that. I love the clean tidy site! Pace yourself and keep steady
16:14, what a lovely ending! Perfection!
looks good. peace of mind is the best
hadn't realized floors are basically lego!
I remember watching your first couple of vids and thinking na, this guy hasn’t got a clue. Then after a few more vids, I warmed to you Aiden. Today, you have my complete attention and respect. Well done buddy, your skill, knowledge and perseverance are what makes you a really decent fella. You sound like you’re in a good place too, which is noticeable. Well done and keep up the great work 💪👌👍
Oh that's interesting, was that my very first videos when I started the channel?
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT yeah. Back then you were so blasé 😂 Different channel today and all very useful information (and a joy to watch 💯👌👏)
That massive clear up has got you right back on track 😊 nice end to video well tidy finish 👏👏
Thanks 👍
I’ve been watching for years. Laughing out loud at the cowboy hat on the representation of the builder 😂
Is he implying they are cowboy builders!🤪
Really interesting video Aiden. The tidy up is superb, bet it feels great working on the now. You're back in the game mate. 👏🏻
Thing is I have to move loads of stuff from the bottom of the lodge into the barn and then move it all back again 🙈 I really need another massive storage unit 😆
great to see you back in the game Aiden, your place is looking pretty smart after the tidy up !
Looks good to me 😁 What do i know, bugger all. I have faith in you Aidan 😁
12:25 is giving me deja-vu… last month I was required to rig up a garage for moving from one property to another. To lift the building I used left-over/recycled H-beam, but to move them into place I used a castor each end so I could scoot them around on the concrete floor (and under beams already in place. Amazing how much weight one can shift on their own with some simple kit.
I have never specified a foundation to tie two long foundations together!! Maybe in a raft foundation but you certainly don't have a raft foundation. But what you could have done to save you putting in another precast beam and cutting all those blocks is to build a pier off that foundation in the middle to support those two beams that are already in.
As an Architect the last block and beam scheme I did I went direct to the block and beam supplier and negotiated the rate. I then supplied the detailed layout, which the block and beam supplier used to create his layout, this I checked and approved before manufacture. The agreed price was paid by the contractor direct to the block and beam supplier. This is the normal way that specialist supplies are best handled as the checks and balances are in place. Builders simply don't check what is supplied and trust that their order is correct.
As regards merchant mark up, I used to use a contractor's (that we work for) account when purchasing builders materials for my own use. Generally, I got a 45% discount on all those goods. The same applies to other industries like car spares, where I had the privilege to get staff discount from one of my clients that was cost +5%. This invariably meant that the goods were about 1/2 price
Fair play and good effort sunshine though you should of wet the concrete and the padstone before laying the cement to bed the pastimes it helps to make a bond between the surfaces and the cement if the surface is dry and dusty the cement bonds to s dry layer of dust and not the actual surface but non the less well done torturing to rectify your builders mistake 👍🏽
Good point 👍 probably could have done with wetting the concrete foundation but the blocks have been sitting outside exposed for ages so would have had quite abit of moisture in them
I am learning good stuff from your channel, you’re a smart guy. Here’s something back: moving those beams bent double as you were is a huge stress on your lumbar spine. Use a rope or a strap so you can stand upright normally, and get the benefit of your stance and leg muscles.
Ahaa that's a good idea, I was struggling to just use my legs as it was so low 😆
Bricklayer here thats currently got a renovation job on go so i feel your pain, i used some local groundworkers thst got well and truly found out ..anyhow you could have laid 2 concretes blocks flat on the footing to get you to beam height with 3 : 1 muck . Prob be fine anyway but belt and braces is for peace of mind ay ...
Hey, good to see you getting stuff done and with a smile on your face. I think both your on-screen character/presentation and your production values have improved over the last few months. (I should say I think they've always been very good but you've gone up a level). Maybe because the weather is (slightly) better and you're feeling like you're back on track a bit? Your content is good man, I can't believe you don't have more subscribers. Maybe a state of the build video with a list of stuff you're planning on getting done with checkpoints - another whiteboard & cheesy graphics presentaion opportunity. If people know you're going to be tackling specific jobs and can see you making progress towards the thing they want to see they might become subscribers so they don't miss out. I dunno, just a thought - I know nowt about you-tubey subscriber metrics stuff.
Well done. Nice work - you are an inspiration, sir. 🙏
Thanking you 😁
Great video. Good to see you with a spring in your step like a new born lamb 😉
😁 the weather helps
OMG you have floor! "Just need fill that with concrete and slurry the floor" you make it sound so easy ;-)
Nice work and another good video.
Yeah I'll get that last bit done in 10 minutes surely...well that's how long the video will be and loads of people will be thinking that I should be getting loads more done 😆
We don’t have floors(block & beam) like this in the US. That’s why it seems odd to us here!
Had the exact same problem as you with dirt between the blocks in the end it was easier to take the blocks up and replace them then broom the slurry mix in . Not a fun a task . Good luck
I have been considering doing that 🙈
Good work 👏
Another job done ✔️
Another of those annoying jobs that you can tick off. You now know it is done proper like. Good job.....and no legs broken. Although something went out of place (shoulder?). 👍
Never in my life have I seen that type of construction! 😳
Well you haven't lived! 😝 Where are you based?
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT The US. I like the design, but I'm concerned about the longevity of the blocks. Are they reenforced in any way?
@@mspeir it's quite common to have a block and beam floor in the UK. The blocks aren't reinforced they're just high density concrete blocks. On top will go 150mm of PIR insulation and then about 60mm of concrete screed so there won't be any point loads on individual blocks, it'll be spread out
Same. In the US, we'd likely do a grid of concrete piers and lay wooden beams across, with a stick frame from there up. Then again, we have more trees than we know what to do with here. Not the case elsewhere. You work with what you have.
Good job.
Tip: if you're a little short on mortar, any spare slate or tile layered into the mortar makes for a relatively stable filler. Just dampen them first so they bond well to the mortar. It's fine for small jobs in low compression areas.
I've been watching your videos from the beginning, 4 years ago and really have enjoyed watching them. I thought it would be interesting to watch the first one again, there was a great quote "this is my barn conversion that I will be working on for the next year" Well thank god you didn't finish it in a year as we would have missed out on 3 years of videos.
😂🤣😂
It’s important for people to know just about EVERY SINGLE business marks up a product, service or labour. EVEEY SINGLE ONE. So the power companies gouge your eyes etc etc, but a small building company or a one man band that’s wrong of them to do. Just got to be aware of that, focus on the reality.
I wonder if your former contractor with the hat watches your videos Aiden? Good vid.😀
I'm not sure he knows what a computer is 😆 one of the bricklayers used to watch but I'm sure he probably doesn't anymore after I probably upset him in another video
Why not build the walls through off a footing run beams up to wall.?
Cause I'd either have to pay someone to do it or take a year to build a wall myself 😆 I'm not well practiced in brick laying
That was very cool! 👍
You love Trench Blocks!
I don't like to be the guy that's criticizing, and I'm not a structural engineer, but personally I would be slightly concerned that this modification added a shear point. Because it has an additional support that's not in line with the rest of the floor, and this point will likely will have much less dead load than the other footings that are supporting the walls and roof. So it's possible that this middle support will (effectively) punch up through the floor as the outer walls settle on their foundations.
It's fine, the foundation that goes underneath these beams is connected to the foundations either side and at the same depth. Off the top of my head about 1.5m deep at this part. There is no way it would move independently from the outer edges. The majority of settlement has already happened, the shell got built 3 years ago 🙈😂 I'm just rather slow at getting it finished
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT All good, I'm sure it will be fine! I probably spent way too much time dealing with old houses with crappy foundations :)
@@enemyofthestatewearein7945 old houses are just built on dirt aren't they 😆 yeah my foundations are pretty substantial, I had to bend the arm of the structural engineer to go for trench fill instead of piles and a ring beam. Luckily enough my neighbour agreed to remove an oak sapling that was the closest at 10m away so I could save the 50k
I thought I had a similar issue, the beam manufacturer calculated that once I install the slab. I could building a block wall in between the centre of a block, so it wasn’t going to sit on a beam either. 6 years on. No problems. Obviously spams need to be taken into consideration
Yeah I think once the screed is down it would spread the load better. I'm building straight off the beams though, thought I'd best be cautious just in case 😑
Hi Aiden, have you put guttering on the outside of the outhouse your living in?
What are you going for if not, galvanised ?
I'm looking at roof art or galeco galvanized guttering just wondering if you had any input/opinions
I haven't as yet 🙈 I was supposed to be going for galvanised but I'm not sure if I should do it on both the house and the lodge now 💷 😬 I have a few free samples of Infinity through Rainclear, although that's a tad more expensive. I had considered just asking them if they wanted to sponsor and supply the materials 😬🙈 the next option was to go for the Galeco as they seem to have a better guarantee than roofart. I have to make a decision whether I want to pitch to a company or just go for plastic on the lodge or maybe I'll just go plastic on the back? 😅 Robin suggested I speak to Lindab, I'm sure I recall him installing their gutters on his place...maybe that was on the skill builders channel.
It's hard to make a decision on these things if you're looking for value/quality for money rather than just the cheapest option. Maybe see if you can get a free sample of each to help with a comparison?
Thanks for the video. I never use Travis Perkin they are over priced and have too many dodgy relationships with so called builders
I think all builders merchants are the same really
Keep them viewing stats! You’ll have to see how many check to see if the vid just dropped out and got to start again.
“Strategy, don’t know get it done.” 😂👍
That's a first for me 😄
Place looks a million times better after your big tidy up, bet it’s paying dividends for getting the rest of the work done now as well!
Love the builders hat, lol ...
God damnit I got confused with the type of hat they wear 😆
I've seen some videos from across your timeline. But there's quite a few wheere your builders screwed up (walls cracking, door not fitting, now this). I'd think there would be some way to put through a complaint, as they are supposed to deliver it up to spec. You might see some of this, but a regular customer might have their bath break through the floor. Is there no liability for contractors in the UK? If so thats very weird to me, you should be reimbursed for the work you've had to do to fix their mistakes...
Of course there's all the same liabilities and censures here in the UK as elsewhere but who are we to ask our host to come clean with how he got the contractors in the first place;
how they were engaged ~ by written contract at one end or by handshake at the other;
how he's dealing the duff stuff;
how they fit into the local area ~ they might be all powerful right nasty bar stewards, or they might be caring for someone and getting no sleep and so messing up their work.
Rest assured that again like everywhere else at one end of the retribution scale there's the send the boys round right through to taking them to the small claims court and getting monetary recompense through the legal process.
The contractor usually builds and sells houses (groundworker/developer) so doesn't normally work for 'clients' as such. New builds in the UK are quite often full of poor workmanship unfortunately and you can normally make a claim against the builder for the first 2 years (I think) and to the warranty provider for the next 8. The thing is, for a self built custom house there is no requirement to get a structural warranty. I do have one although it's unlikely I would ever make a claim, it's just so I would be able to sell it within a 10 year period to someone that needed lending. My building inspector didn't pick up on this mistake, neither did the structural warranty inspector and when I questioned the contractor at the time I got fobbed off.
Anyway the main contractor was old school, couldn't read or write properly and I didn't have a detailed contract. Although he is technically liable regardless, it's not worth bothering to pursue anything. I can put it right myself and in the process make videos to help others like me out there 🙂
There should be a mid soan dwarf eall below and perpendicular to the beams, adding triple beams under partitions is not the best solution, a fudge up really. Non liad bearing partitions dont need extra support, only load bearing which you have none abd should bear off the foundations. Pouring a slurry will do absolutely nothing to tie the floor together, youd need a min if 50mm concrete mix with preferably a 142 reinforcement.
Would you advise having concrete beams doubled up or blocks turned on the narrow orientation where a ground floor none load bear stud wall runs parallel with the floor beams? Or can the stud wall be positioned over the blocks between beams?
It depends on the beam sizes. My walls aren't load bearing but because the span of the beams are about 5.5m so that's why they need to be triple. I have beams the other side which span 3m and they are doubled under non load bearing stud walls. It will all be calculated by a block and beam supply company.
@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT thanks, the beam supplier made a few small errors i had to correct them, which leaves me concerned of anything i miss. The beams would be 150mm deep x 4.9m for a 4.7m space. The stud wall running parallel will be 3.5m long.
You just got me thinking about the bow and springing crackjng the stud wall plaster.
Also the shower tray area a good shout. Ive been too focused on waste outlets not having beams under.
So when you order your materials you show them the plans for them to work out what you need?
Many builder's merchants will offer a specialist take-off facility: you hand over your plans and they calculate the materials and the quantities you will require for free. Of course, they'll be expecting you to buy them, too.
Just do it yourself it isn’t rocket science.I run and do my own projects so not worry about someone letting you down
Any idea why the foundation would need tying in as you described?
I would imagine you can't effectively have a big open box in clay, this side is roughly 16m x 5.5m. I'd say it's quite unusual to have something that size without any sleeper walls. The other side is a similar size but has 2 sleeper walls (the beams are smaller and run the opposite way)
Approved Document A covers the need for buttressing walls and piers to support long walls but I think the advice in there only covers walls upto 12m long. Over that you may need an SE to justify the design to the BCO. Normally buttressing is performed by Interior block walls, chimneys or piers built on their own foundations. I suspect block walls on a B&B floor aren't good enough but I'm not an SE.
Is that a beam onto blocks bearing onto a solum? No footing?
There is a footing, that's the reason why it happened in the first place because the block and beam supplier assumed there would be a sleeper wall built off it. It's a trenchfill footing, from memory it's about 1.3m deep at that point
Feel your Pain Brother, Heart 💔 Paying Good Money and receiving Piss Poor Workmanship
Your builder looks like an Angry Bird character.
If there was a footing I'd of just laid a course of block upright in centre of the beams and bed the floor onto the block work would have been plenty of support for the wall no need for a triple beam bloody madness.
Building a sleeper wall would have taken me longer than dropping a couple more beams in though
Slowly, but surely... 👍🏻
Hi mate, what have you used to hold that insulation in the ceiling please ?
On this side of the building it's just friction fit and didn't need anything. The bottom slab is 140mm thick and quite stiff, 50mm is ontop of that. The thicker it is the better it holds in especially on 400 centres. On the other side of the build I used 2 x 90mm slabs which don't hold as well and it was also 600 centres so I used something called hand pallet strapping. I staple it up first and then put the insulation in, you can see me do it in this video a few minutes in th-cam.com/video/1AbbGTLjdy4/w-d-xo.html
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT perfect thanks, mine at 600 centre trusses but not bolted ceilings like yours ....will have a go this weekend. Any reason you used the bats instead of the normal knauf 44 rolls? I've got some knauf 44 150mm rolls to start with
@@sajhussain26 architect specified knuaf rafter roll which is hard to come by and pretty expensive. I contacted knuaf's technical department to see if they had any other suggestions, they calculated I could use the slabs instead because my rafters were so big I could get away with it plus it worked out cheaper
Thermalite for a weight bearing load?
Yep 😉 they're rated correctly for this
Impressive, but how long do you think you can keep this up?
What, working on the main build? 🫣
When you've got no other options then you learn as you go and keep on as long as is required.
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT Working hard. Manual labour. Back pain, muscle strain, dust, noise, and so on. I don't do half the stuff you do and I struggle keeping up.
12:34 Having read all the comments before and now I've got to this bit of the job, I'm surprised that I can't hear a single "Mmphh" or grunt or groan. I'm almost surprised that you can't hear me shouting
"Ben ze knees"
at the screen too!
Still, we most of us know what we're doing, it's just that we're often our own worst enemies and give in to the
"Ahh, it'll be fine, I can just..."
stupid shortcuts that now and again turn turtle and we end up bed bound or in hospital.
I was conscious of just trying to use my legs but I just couldn't manage it cause it was so low. Did you see the comment about using a strap, that's what I should have done! 🤯 Can't believe I've never thought of that
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT
Yep. That's what I meant by reading all the comments before. Glad that you came through okay cos I was wondering from just such things as use a strap on
it.
Sorry couldn't let that one go by!
Where do get all the finance and time to do all this
Lou (my other half) has a good job. We don't have kids.
@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT Oh ok good then I worked on big building projects for 30 years, and I understand what is involved in this...unfortunately I have bad health because of the building materials used and working long hours and weekend's interesting seeing how you are getting along with this
@@dublinsnob3989 sounds like you've worn your body out early, that's what I'm trying not to do (I'm super slow 😆). Hopefully you've hung up your tool belt so you can rest up 👍
Is it now going to be oak view? 😁
I might have to leave it in the bag so maybe Travis Oak View 😆
Life is racket! Think about it you go to school learn a lot of stuff that's useless get a job and work most of your life to buy and pay off a house that costs considering what is now days a relative fortune!
Thanks for explaining the building merchants stuff. I had no idea! I was thinking - what sort of lunatics are buying from Travis Perkins with their prices? It's twice as cheap in Wickes and it's 3 times cheaper at my local timber supplier (just as an example with timber products, but the price difference is similar across the whole range)!
I actually don't understand this. Don't they want to be making money off of general public as well? What kind of idiotic system is that
I don't think they're interested in anyone but professional trades, they even slag off diy'ers in their social media 🤦 I only use them because the others round here are so crap.
GG
My apologies for joining the party late. What's the core benefit of building the floor in such fashion?
I believe structural engineers usually specify a block and beam floor if your foundations are over 1.5m. It's to do with ground conditions basically (in my case clay) plus a block and beam floor is often quicker and easier to do than a slab on grade
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT oh, so you are building this on top of clay soil? I wasn't sure that's what I was seeing.
Complying with Building Regulations. 😇
@@mkeyx82 there was a little bit of clay on top of the concrete foundation from when it was a swimming pool under there, that's what I scraped off with the shovel
It's usually cheaper than slab because less excavation, muck away and imported fill is required. Suspending the floor eliminates rising damp, and it's tied to the walls eliminating differential settlement. And because it's all concrete, it won't rot. Beam and block is pretty much standard with UK volume builders, which tells us it's a cheap, quick and reliable option.
Years from now, you’ll look back on this and say to yourself, this is when you screwed up your shoulder! Only joking! I did stuff like this when I was younger. When I did something like this when I was sixty! Yikes! What do you mean I fractured my foot?
😆 I originally injured my shoulder several years ago whist picking up my phone! 😱
very odd video . & what the hell is the insulation in the ceiling .
Is that a rhetorical question?
So why do you DIY? Well it saves me paying the builder then redoing it later……
Just for the record skirting this weekend
Have fun 👍
@@THE-AIDEN-PROJECT cheers, not a job I enjoy particularly, skirting tends to be very low down for this 6’4” fella! 👍🏻