Jobsite with unbelievable install problems

[devinsdad]

I work for a General Contractor as a carpenter. Ocassionally we do insurance jobs in the residential community. In my 3 years there we have done two houses due to fire . We are finishing up an old brick home that burnt last winter . The owner started a fire in an insert he salvaged from a fire job 8 years ago. 15 minutes later his attic was fully involved . I should note that the insert was used the last 8 years also with no problem.We gutted the entire house and the homeowner hired his own diy mason/installer. He now has a corner of the family room done with stone with granite caps and a Jotul Oslo. The granite caps approx. 5' from both corners are out of level about 3/4" up hill from corner and 1 1/2" downhill the other side of corner. He told the homeowner that they must have settled after he set them . The stove ROCKS and tips about an inch when the front door is opened as it was never leveled just a bunch of stone cemented directly to the subfloor. I think that is why he screwed all the stove pipe but the slip pipe?!WTF??? In Addition the hearth only extends 6 inches from the front of the stove and he told the owner to get a hearth rug! to cover his laminate flooring. Pretty sure the homeowners insurance agent isn't going to be too happy with all of this. In addition he waited to acid wash the stone until the flooring was done in the kitchen and must have got someon the floor as the brand new vinyl is bubbled up and disolving in 3 big spots. he then dumped a bunch of mortar and his wash down the brand new sink that no longer drains and is all stained up. THE WORST PART IS THE INSTALLER SEES NO PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THIS. He is denying the floor and sink and told the HO to put a metal shim under the leg. It is what it is! The HO has obviously contacted an attorney but what a kick in the ash. I saw the guys portfolio and he must be showing pics of someone elses work. Just wanted to share. If you like I could take some pics Monday

 

[begreen]

We have a mix of good and bad contractors here as well. Some have personal pride in their work and others just see it as a job. Often, the second category can't admit to themselves nor the client that their work is sub-par. Guess which one typically charges more.

When we remodeled upstairs, our bedroom door was not hung plumb. This was a new installation, yet the contractor had the temerity to say, hey, it's an old house. The other bedroom door (original) isn't plumb so I matched it. True story.

 

[btuser]

So the mason was the installer?

 

[pen]

I certainly do hate having to hire anyone to do anything for me. Far too many times other people, even those you know, trust and respect just don't do it the same as you would for yourself.

pen

 

[EKLawton]

Most people just don't care about things, look at the inside of their cars and you will know what i mean..

 

[cycloxer]

If you want it done right, do it yourself. This is why I do all of my own work on my house. Sometimes I make mistakes, yeah, but I can still swallow my pride and fix them for less money...and you get to learn from the experience and accumulate more tools. I would never trust somebody else to install a stove in my house...no way.

 

[devinsdad]

worst part is the homeowner paid up front to the tune of $6000 for everthing-stone hearth,prefab chimney (stubbed out of flashing about 18" no way it meets 10-2 as the peak is 2 feet from the flashing but a few feet over the cap!)He was adamant about hiring HIS guy instead of using our usual mason.

 

[jtp10181]

It seems to hard to find a mason who knows much of anything about fireplaces these days. They will claim to know.... but do they really?

 

[cycloxer]

I was actually reading an article the other day that cited 90% of modern day chimneys have at least one mistake in their design or build. Ever since we moved away from brick buildings, masons with good brick building skills that have been passed down for generations have been in decline. It's not a popular trade and as a result much of the skill of brick laying and proper chimney building has gone away. Today builders often put in the chimney and that is not their specialty.

I think modern houses should have hearths put in specifically designed for modern stoves. It makes a lot more sense than the traditional fireplace which looks nice, but is not an effective heater.