Need Ideas for Contractors Cleanup Area

[barrysumpter]

Hi all,

Over the last 10 years I've had a number of contractors who dump their left overs around my garden.

Whether its paint, mortar, or plaster.
These contractors will wash their tools at my garden faucet and leave their mess over an 8 foot radius all over my faucet, hose, hose wheel, plants, fence, and the garden retaining wall.

When I catch them either during or before and ask them NOT to leave any materials or clean their tools leaving a mess in my garden they will dump their left overs in the gutter right in front of my home.

Even the carpet cleaning man dumped all the dirty water down my drive way instead of into his waste. Leaving a very dangerous slick brickwork on my sloping driveway.

The painters used the storm water pit to wash off their brushes. Although not leaving a mess in the garden they had paint running down the street in the gutter.

-----

Anyone have any suggestions or hyperlinks on perhaps building a contractors cleanup shed or a contractors clean up pit so they can clean their tools?

I just want an area dedicated to them and/or me to perhaps contain the mess.

Any positive contructive suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[bitingmidge]

Barry,

There's no substitute for not paying them till it's done.

Even on large commercial jobs with paint cleanup areas, recycle bins, blah blah blah, the messy grubs do whatever they like.

Sadly the guys that clean up properly are a minority, but most will comply when the big stick is out!

Cheers,

P

[barrysumpter]

Hi P,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I don't like holding out on their payment as they know where I live.
Although, I'd be happy to confront them face on,
its the ones who lay in wait to sneek up behind me
or the ones want to harm my family or home that
I don't want to provoke in case my since of
justifiable revenge be awoken.

I've had a check list of reminders at one stage that listed all the don'ts, but its usually too long or complicated to get a positive reaction.

Perhaps I could list that I charge $50 for cleanup?

Still looking for positive constructive suggestions.

[bitingmidge]

Barry,

Yep, sorry, my enthusiasm got hold of me again... don't pay them for (just) the cost of the clean up!

Make it enough money to pay someone to come and to it. In the construction industry this is known as a "back charge" and is standard practice.

If you still feel your life is in danger, you have to hire smaller tradesmen!

Cheers,

P

[Bleedin Thumb]

Not only are these slaco tradespeople giving you the ####'s and creating stress and work for you but they are exposing you to huge fines by the Council.
The council will issue you (not the tradie) with a $1500 fine for ANY breach of EPA rules Plus a restoration order which is about $300.
The only way to fix the problem is have a small standard contract set up for each tradie that stipulates that they are responsible for their own waste etc. If they break the contract then they dont get their retention money back.
This way you have a contract dispute with the tradie if they dont clean up as you direct them, Not some personal disagreement.

[barrysumpter]

"...you have to hire smaller tradesmen..."
LOL - The smaller ones are the ones who I'm talking about.
The big ones won't hesitate to face me.
Thinking they can bully of intimidate me into complying.

"...$1500 fine for ANY breach of EPA rules Plus a restoration order which is about $300..." :eek:
OK, absolutely no doubt that this is one of those very very rare times I feel lucky not to have been caught out on this one! Jeez!

"...have a small standard contract set up for each tradie that stipulates that they are responsible for their own waste etc. If they break the contract then they dont get their retention money back.
This way you have a contract dispute with the tradie if they dont clean up as you direct them, Not some personal disagreement."

Yes, I love this idea. But this is what I was referring to when I posted:

"I've had a check list of reminders at one stage that listed all the don'ts, but its usually too long or complicated to get a positive reaction."

I'm also about to find a tradesman for the tuck pointing. The tuck pointing is beautiful. But the responsable party who spray painted the veranda ceiling and trim, before I moved in, didn't bother to prep the area for blow over. I've got spray paint up to 4 inches down from the ceiling trim and paint specs half way down the 12ft tuck pointed brick wall!

So proper preparation to protect area needs to be added to this contract as well.

And how about the tradesman who damages the surrounding area?
Should I hold them responsible for the plants they cover in left over chemicals, or step on and crush because they can't be bothered to be careful enough to step over or around or the gashes in the walls or scratches across the posts, etc?

That should be included as well.

Or perhaps just accept the fact that there will be clean up and fix up jobs, some major and some minor, after they leave.

And of course the clause stating that "Absolutely No addition work to be done or paid for unless specifically agreed to in writing".

Then the worry of getting a disgruntled tradesman who is agro about all the small print that they will make the absolute least possible effort on the job and refrain from informing you that something is wrong or should be done a better way, etc.

And have to be very careful what I say because it will be used against me when I ask the tradesman why he didn't do a better job.

LOL. OK, thats it. I'm just going to do as much as I can possibly do myself.
No matter how much research it takes or courses I have to attend.

[Abug]

Just an idea for a cleaning station so they are not trampling your garden. Try to source an old laundry tub and place it near the tap with a hose and a quick connect fitting so they dont go into your garden. The tub cab be piped into one of those larger plastic boxes you can get from bunnies, supercheap auto etc. Stipulate the use of this for hand wash and hand tool wash only.

[Pulse]

It does give you the sh*ts doesn't it. My dad (75yo) has beautiful green kikuyu lawns, nutured by hand for the last 20 years. The tiler my dad hired for his new bathroom walked to the back porch and just threw his cement grout water onto the lawn, without even walking 5 feet from the house.

Quickly had some shreds torn off him I think...

Pulse

[barrysumpter]

"LOL. OK, thats it. I'm just going to do as much as I can possibly do myself.
No matter how much research it takes or courses I have to attend."

That way it'll be done just the way I want to do it. lol
And I'll have no one to blame but myself.

[julianx]

hi

There is another side to this, I'd like a dollar for every job I've turned up to to find no access. For example I replaced a large section of floor for someone a while ago, I turned up to find not only the furnature still in the room but everything else, dogs bowls, pot plants, books, magazines, ornaments, etc, etc, etc. Then when I asked them where they would like me to put everything they didn't know and could I work around it. surely it dosn't take much common sense to realise one can't replace a floor while the furnature is still on it.
In reguard to cleaning some people prefer to clean themselves as it reduces the cost. My advice would be to ask the tradesperson to include cleaning costs in their quote, or if it's do and charge tell them you are happy to pay them for the extra time it takes to clean properly.

[AndrewPatrol]

"LOL. OK, thats it. I'm just going to do as much as I can possibly do myself.
No matter how much research it takes or courses I have to attend."

That way it'll be done just the way I want to do it. lol
And I'll have no one to blame but myself.

Trouble is ... your spouse will want contracts for your workmanship!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[barrysumpter]

Hi julianx,

LOL. Now thats freakin funny.

What you couldn't shift everthing over to the left side while working on the right then vis-a-versa?

Although the saw dust would take a few months to clean out of everything and probably kill the pets. LOL

Yes acknowledged and well said.

Now if I can just remember to bring it up each and every time. And be ready for the contractor to use it as an excuse to increase the quote.

Just a quick question.
As a contractor do you like clients who just do exactly what you ask?
Or do you like smart clients who have researched the job and know exactly what to expect from you?

----

Hi Andrew,
Yes, we already have a contract.

A marriage contract.

I have no doubt that I'm getting the better end of the deal.

She teaches me how to be a better person.

And I just do everything she asks. (sooner or later)

[barrysumpter]

"I'm also about to find a tradesman for the tuck pointing. The tuck pointing is beautiful. But the responsable party who spray painted the veranda ceiling and trim, before I moved in, didn't bother to prep the area for blow over. I've got spray paint up to 4 inches down from the ceiling trim and paint specs half way down the 12ft tuck pointed brick wall!"

On better inspection the paint specs actually reach the bottom.

I've had two tuckpointer out to discuss repointing.
The first wanted $6500 to remove and repoint.
No cleaning of the paint off the brick. Fair enough.
No quote on repair.
Although he did inform me that the tuckpointing is in better condition than he has ever seen.

The second was only interested in repairing at $900 for three days of work.
Allowing $35 per hour.
Then discuss any needs after.
This gentleman was quite adament about only repairing as again the tuckpointing was in very good nick. And NOT removing all and replacing.
Also, no cleaning of the paint off the brick. Fair enough.

But, the second tuckpointer also made many suggestions as to what to do with removing the paint specs. Ranging from "do nothing cause you really can't tell just coming to the front door" to "mix this chemical with that and pick a brick and see how she goes" to "use fine steel wool and and pick a brick and see how she goes".

He was also interested, once I offered, in me doing as much prep work as possible allowing for more tuck for buck. And explained what tool to use to remove the tuckpointing up to a certain point. Specifically warned against using a grinder on the soft brick of the 1920s.

I'm hoping to convince the boss to have the second gentleman do the work.
And do as much prep / assistance as he'll allow.
Specifically, instead of me having to have a go.
And just leaving 99% of the paint specks.
-----

Sorry, burnt out now and thinking that this post should be moved to a more appropriate forum.

[bricks]

Hey barry, I used a Big green Wheelie Bin to build a wash bay that i take to jobs with me on my trailer.

At the top back corner i have a garden tap installed inside the bin held in with two !5 mm back nuts and a garden hose connector for water.

Half way up the bin i screwed two brakets and placed some h/duty mesh to put a bucket on under the tap.

About 1 foot up from the bottom of the bin i cut a hole and siliconed in a 50mm plug and washer ( kitchen sink type) with flyscreen mesh pushed in aswell. this connects to a 50mm peice of hose which i then run to a gully outside of the house.

When washing the dirty water goes into the bucket and slightly cleaner water comes over the top.
this water goes into the bottom of the bin and fills up till it spilld past the 50mm plug and washer and through the sceens into the hose etc....

Its light enough for me to lift onto my trailer when i leave the job and i tip the excess water into my backyard behind the shed.

[journeyman Mick]

................................Its light enough for me to lift onto my trailer when i leave the job and i tip the excess water into my backyard behind the shed.

Hope the EPA don't find out!

Mick (who, of course, has never, ever done anything remotely dodgy )