new shed base - Page 2

briggie · 08-07-2014, 20:20

all I wanted was a concrete base to put a shed on ffs ...... not a swimming pool .....or grief

briggie · 08-07-2014, 21:05

really nissed off now ...... im not normally like this , but had enough , all I wanted was a shed base ffs ......am I expecting too much ?. didn't expect all this trouble

firebobby · 08-07-2014, 22:27

If you payed someone to lay the base, it should at least be level Pete, call them and explain the problem...put the ball in their court.
As Rustic has said, a bit of a shingle pit around the edge should help

AlexD333 · 08-07-2014, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by firebobby

If you payed someone to lay the base, it should at least be level Pete, call them and explain the problem...put the ball in their court.
As Rustic has said, a bit of a shingle pit around the edge should help

Yeah, I think a nice gentle phone all is in order, see what they want to do.

If they outright refuse then you could get shirty.

Have you any definitive way of checking if it's flat, say with a level?

briggie · 09-07-2014, 07:03

ok , so I rung the guys up , they said they " might " come up to look at it , and see how much " extra work " will be needed .......... I have a feeling that this is gonna cost me

clivvy · 09-07-2014, 08:08

unbelievable. as soon as I saw the first photo just now I knew it was wrong. You can see clearly the run off and it should ideally be higher than the ground its dug into, not saying these guys don't know what they are doing but they simply haven't done this right at all IMO.

When I did mine, like Rustic, I used strategically placed flags then a wood frame - making it a good few inches higher than the soil that surrounds it. I then built my decking to level it up - no issues with water ingress.

IN this instance, they should have used hardcore to build it on, concrete on top a couple of inches higher OR dug out around the structure and put in gravel to drain away water.

Peter, if they don't fix it, as mentioned before, just dig around it and fill with pea gravel or similar - it will look nice but will drain away the water from the wood. all is not lost, and don't go paying any silly money, gravel will be less than £20.

macabethiel · 09-07-2014, 08:17

It's an extra cost but you could put 50mm slabs on top to raise the level or simply put some shuttering round the side and raise it with some extra concrete.

firebobby · 09-07-2014, 15:44

The slab is not level, it sits low on the far corner of the 1st picture, not where the ground is higher than the concrete, so they have no done a good job.
If it's a firm, they should complete the work a standard that is not what you have Pete.

briggie · 09-07-2014, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by firebobby

The slab is not level, it sits low on the far corner of the 1st picture, not where the ground is higher than the concrete, so they have no done a good job.
If it's a firm, they should complete the work a standard that is not what you have Pete.

its not a firm , its two men who work for a landscaping company , and doing it in their spare time ( sunday )

AlexD333 · 09-07-2014, 19:02

This is a real shame, it's clearly their fault but by the sounds of it, like me, you don't wanna have a confrontation about it...

I would still try and point out that it's brand new and was laid like this..

briggie · 09-07-2014, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by clivvy

unbelievable. as soon as I saw the first photo just now I knew it was wrong. You can see clearly the run off and it should ideally be higher than the ground its dug into, not saying these guys don't know what they are doing but they simply haven't done this right at all IMO.

When I did mine, like Rustic, I used strategically placed flags then a wood frame - making it a good few inches higher than the soil that surrounds it. I then built my decking to level it up - no issues with water ingress.

IN this instance, they should have used hardcore to build it on, concrete on top a couple of inches higher OR dug out around the structure and put in gravel to drain away water.

Peter, if they don't fix it, as mentioned before, just dig around it and fill with pea gravel or similar - it will look nice but will drain away the water from the wood. all is not lost, and don't go paying any silly money, gravel will be less than £20.

thanks clive , don't really have a option on this , ..... no way can I use a spade safely ..... so I gotta get those guys back ...... or someone else , and pay them to do extra work ....... I don't mind paying if the job is done properly , but this has already cost me £160 so far ....and is gonna cost me more ...bluddie expensive shed base ......thanks for all the advice anyway chaps

....will see what /if/and when the lads come back to look at it

jonela · 09-07-2014, 21:36

I have been watching the replies to this thread and its very interesting. whenever people have work done, what people think should be done and how much people think it should cost always varies, some times vastly.but in real life there are only two options if you want it done right. Do it yourself properly. and if you can't or don't know how to do it properly, Pay someone to do it properly.

The next problem is how do you know they will do it properly and how much dose properly cost
If you get a bloke you know from the pub who's not working after loosing his job as a tyre fitter to do it cos he will do it for £100 and a few beers then don't be surprised when it all go's wrong

Ask someone who knows what they are talking about how much they think it will cost , you may not like the answer ,as proper job means proper money!

I would suggest to have a proper base built for a good shed,expect to pay at least the same as the shed cost

However If you get someone who purports to be a professional then you expect a professional job,don't pay extra just because they didn't know what they were doing. if they won't put it right free tel them to do one! as you cant be sure what the do will be any better.
If that's the case I would go with what rustic said ,The engineering bricks with a bit of DPC between them and the shed base.

Paff · 09-07-2014, 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonela

...If that's the case I would go with what rustic said ,The engineering bricks with a bit of DPC between them and the shed base.

Shed may still not sit square on the uneven base, may need packing to stop any movement.

jims-terrano · 09-07-2014, 21:43

Pete, if you can wait until august and are happy to buy some gravel then im happy to come up and dig around it for you buddy. For the grand price of the odd pot of tea, one sugar and milk please

briggie · 09-07-2014, 22:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

Pete, if you can wait until august and are happy to buy some gravel then im happy to come up and dig around it for you buddy. For the grand price of the odd pot of tea, one sugar and milk please

you welcome anytime jim mate , you know that ......... its only cos you wanna play radio up here really isn't it ?

09-07-2014, 08:17	#22
macabethiel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Derby Vehicle: Freelander & Jeep GC 3.0 Posts: 4,416	Low level base It's an extra cost but you could put 50mm slabs on top to raise the level or simply put some shuttering round the side and raise it with some extra concrete.

08-07-2014, 20:20	#16
briggie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: peoples democratic republic of west yorkshire Vehicle: " alice " Posts: 10,473	all I wanted was a concrete base to put a shed on ffs ...... not a swimming pool .....or grief

08-07-2014, 21:05	#17
briggie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: peoples democratic republic of west yorkshire Vehicle: " alice " Posts: 10,473	really nissed off now ...... im not normally like this , but had enough , all I wanted was a shed base ffs ......am I expecting too much ?. didn't expect all this trouble

08-07-2014, 22:27	#18
firebobby Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: South Bucks Vehicle: Terrano 3.0 SVE 2005 Posts: 3,499	If you payed someone to lay the base, it should at least be level Pete, call them and explain the problem...put the ball in their court. As Rustic has said, a bit of a shingle pit around the edge should help

09-07-2014, 07:03	#20
briggie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: peoples democratic republic of west yorkshire Vehicle: " alice " Posts: 10,473	ok , so I rung the guys up , they said they " might " come up to look at it , and see how much " extra work " will be needed .......... I have a feeling that this is gonna cost me

09-07-2014, 08:08	#21
clivvy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Huddersfield Vehicle: Terrano 03 LWB Posts: 6,947	unbelievable. as soon as I saw the first photo just now I knew it was wrong. You can see clearly the run off and it should ideally be higher than the ground its dug into, not saying these guys don't know what they are doing but they simply haven't done this right at all IMO. When I did mine, like Rustic, I used strategically placed flags then a wood frame - making it a good few inches higher than the soil that surrounds it. I then built my decking to level it up - no issues with water ingress. IN this instance, they should have used hardcore to build it on, concrete on top a couple of inches higher OR dug out around the structure and put in gravel to drain away water. Peter, if they don't fix it, as mentioned before, just dig around it and fill with pea gravel or similar - it will look nice but will drain away the water from the wood. all is not lost, and don't go paying any silly money, gravel will be less than £20.

09-07-2014, 15:44	#23
firebobby Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: South Bucks Vehicle: Terrano 3.0 SVE 2005 Posts: 3,499	The slab is not level, it sits low on the far corner of the 1st picture, not where the ground is higher than the concrete, so they have no done a good job. If it's a firm, they should complete the work a standard that is not what you have Pete.

09-07-2014, 19:02	#25
AlexD333 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Uk Vehicle: 2004 Terrano 2.7 TDI Posts: 7,847	This is a real shame, it's clearly their fault but by the sounds of it, like me, you don't wanna have a confrontation about it... I would still try and point out that it's brand new and was laid like this..

09-07-2014, 21:36	#27
jonela Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Chateaunef du Faou, France Vehicle: 2000 LWB SE+ Posts: 906	I have been watching the replies to this thread and its very interesting. whenever people have work done, what people think should be done and how much people think it should cost always varies, some times vastly.but in real life there are only two options if you want it done right. Do it yourself properly. and if you can't or don't know how to do it properly, Pay someone to do it properly. The next problem is how do you know they will do it properly and how much dose properly cost If you get a bloke you know from the pub who's not working after loosing his job as a tyre fitter to do it cos he will do it for £100 and a few beers then don't be surprised when it all go's wrong Ask someone who knows what they are talking about how much they think it will cost , you may not like the answer ,as proper job means proper money! I would suggest to have a proper base built for a good shed,expect to pay at least the same as the shed cost However If you get someone who purports to be a professional then you expect a professional job,don't pay extra just because they didn't know what they were doing. if they won't put it right free tel them to do one! as you cant be sure what the do will be any better. If that's the case I would go with what rustic said ,The engineering bricks with a bit of DPC between them and the shed base.

09-07-2014, 21:43	#29
jims-terrano Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 12,965	Pete, if you can wait until august and are happy to buy some gravel then im happy to come up and dig around it for you buddy. For the grand price of the odd pot of tea, one sugar and milk please