Help needed

[ozwinner]

Hi Boys and Girls
I need your help.
Some time ago I did a concrete block job, and now the brick cleaners have botched the cleaning job, now the builder rekons its up to me to rectify the blockwork.
And by rectify, I mean fork out money. ($30,000):eek:
What should have the cleaner have used to clean the blocks?
I know ordinary acid is out, but what else is available?
I need a web link to technical info, etc.
In Oz if possible

Help...........

Cheers, Al

[bitingmidge]

Al,

A bit more info please...what sort of mess is there...I can only assume concrete/mud if you are copping the blame? Were the blocks filled or what?

Why not try the Cement and Concrete Institute of Australia. Hopefully the link will take you straight to their cleaning concrete brochure. (hit the Go button!)

I have had success with Oxalic Acid for removing just about everything but concrete and you'll need hydrochloric for that!

Good luck,

P

[ozwinner]

Hi

The blocks are split rock face, the only mess is where the round jointer went through the joints and the mud oozed out.
I was told by the supervisor not to brush the blocks, as this would brush the mud into the block, and not off the block.
It was also wet weather when I done it, but not real wet.

There is a product available to clean concrete masonary called, "Anti Eff" made by KLEN, but I cant find any info.
The brick cleaner just used water to clean, and appparently has charged the builder $5000. Almost as much as I got to lay them!
But the owners want it all down, and start again............................maybe to be back where we are now.
The owners say they are living in a house they hate?
I have found referance to Anti Eff on the Boral site, but thats all.

Al

[silentC]

Can you sandblast them, or are they too soft?

Had a bloke down here who used to sandblast brickwork. He forgot to shield a glass slider and sandblasted a nice border around the glass. He nearly had a heart attack when I told him how much the glass was going to cost... Gave him an idea though and the last I heard he was offering to sandblast your house number into your front door glass for $20 a pop.

[ozwinner]

Probably too soft, maybe I could sand blast get ****** onto their house..........................


Al

[silentC]

Or their foreheads. Backwards, so they can read it in the mirror...

[Barry_White]

Ozwinner

Who employed the brick cleaner you or the builder. If you employed him you have the problem to a degree, but if the builder employed him I see it as the builders problem.

[Bob Willson]

Hi Al
When I was working for Jennings house builders I did lots of brick cleans with my brothers. All we did was empty a cup of Hydrochloric acid into a bucket of water, put it on with a stiff broom and allow it to sit for a few minutes then hose it off while scrubbing it with the broom. Worked great. This is also good for freshening up driveways and giving them that nice pale grey look.

Hope this is some help

Just re-read your profile. You are a brickie so I haven't told you anything you didn't already know.

[ozwinner]

Ozwinner

Who employed the brick cleaner you or the builder. If you employed him you have the problem to a degree, but if the builder employed him I see it as the builders problem.

The builder employed the brick cleaner.

Al

[Caliban]

Ozwinner
I've had fun teasing you before, but now I'm sorry. This situation sucks. I really hope you can get out of it. But I don't think teling them to get ###### is the answer, it never works for me, just gets you in deeper.
Jim

[ozwinner]

Ozwinner
I've had fun teasing you before, but now I'm sorry. This situation sucks. I really hope you can get out of it. But I don't think teling them to get ###### is the answer, it never works for me, just gets you in deeper.
Jim

Yeh I know, but it would be fun

[journeyman Mick]

Al,
My sympathies mate, these things are sent to try us (why???) Anyway as I see it you complied with supervisors instructions and other subcontractors engaged by builder made a mess = not your problem. However I know all too well that in the real world it isn't that simple. You probably want to continue to work for this builder (although I wouldn't be suprised if you didn't) or at any rate recover monies owed to you. If it comes down to legal action it will be a "he said/I said" situation and the person with the deepest pockets will win the case. Don't know if you have a dispute resolution system in place as part of building licensing down your way. I usually have success in difficult situations just by talking to the other party and stating my case. Is the supervisor who instructed you approachable? If you can't talk to the builder consider a letter outlining how you complied with a supervisors instructions and that any damage was subsequent to the cleaner's actions. Then ask the builder that in view of this what he expects from you. If nothing else his reply or lack of may be handy for subsequent negotiations/court case. My next step would be to try to arrange dispute resolution. In Qld this is available free of charge thru the courts. It sounds to me like the owners have changed their minds about the split face block and the builder is trying to make you wear it. Without knowing all the background of the matter my reaction would be to say, sorry not my problem, backcharge the cleaner or take it out of the supervisor's cut. However it sounds like the sort of tactic a builder might use if the cash flow is a bit lean and the quote was a bit low and he wanted to find someone else to wear some of it. :mad: Good luck (been in similar situations myself)

Mick

[PJP]

Ozwinner
The truth of the matter is that the bricklayer/blocklayer lays the bricks. the brickcleaner cleans the bricks.the builder organises the subbies and is also (through his lic,)responsible for the whole project.If the concretor scews the footings it is not the brickies obilgation to replace them,if the brickcleaner screws his part then how the hell is it the brickies responsibility to replace the work.
If you are a member of the HIA or MBA I'd youse their facilities and fight this joker.As far as future work with him,well I think that speaks for its self.
screw him and take him for 30k.
good luck
pj

[ozwinner]

I rang the HIA yesterday, and they didnt seem too concerned about me, maybe because Ive only been a member for 2 years?

I think Ive got it sorted anyway.
I did a search yesterday for a product that is specifacly ( wheres Bob ) for cleaning concrete blocks.
And found some good stuff, then I contacted the manufacturer for specs and stuff.
I then went a bought some of it, Anti Eff its called, wrote a letter as Mick suggested stating the facts.
Their brick cleaner has been back there 3 times, each time he has used high pressure water and a stick to try to clean it, can you beleive high pressure water and a stick?????????????????
So I took all the stuff to the builders office to give the the guy I talked to yesterday, god was it only yesterday?
But he wasnt there so I talked to a lady who was, and told her how I had made this amazing discover about how to clean the blocks.
The she told me.........................................

[ozwinner]

Like sands through the hour glass, so our journey continues.
Sorry guys couldnt help it, I might be in deep , but I havent lost my sense of humour.

Any way, she said that the owners dont want acid used on their precious wickle house.
So I gather thats it not my problem anymore?


So tommorow I am going gold hunting to try to forget it all for a while.

Cheers, Al