Here we go Again

Started by LetA • 5 replies • 133 views

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LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

We had this same exact problem the last time the pool needed to be re-plastered. Vendor starts project, vendor poof.
The last time this happened, The vendor started chiseling the plaster then we had about two to three weeks of inclement weather and the vendor disappeared. The vendor then booked other jobs and worked on those while we waited. That vendor finished the job a few days before Memorial Day.
I was livid then and I am livid now because It's happening again.

The vendor performed about 50% of chiseling the plaster, left the debris in the pool and vanished. They only worked one day last week.
I can understand the one day it rained not working. It has been five working days and not a sight or sound from the vendor. This time around
we need to replace both drains in the pool because the collar is damaged. IMO this is time sensitive, the permit has been pulled and no work is
being completed.
I am keeping a record of the weather for the day along with work or no work being performed.

To me this is no different as if I was a homeowner that was having this work done in my backyard.
Am I right or overreacting?

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

LetA,
Pools are not supposed to be empty for long. It probably has a lot to do with the water table in your area but if you google "Pool Popping" it will scare you to death.

Hopefully your HOA didn't pay the company for more work than they have already done. I have only managed 1 replastering job on our pools, and we luckily had a very good vendor who came highly recommended. He is the one who made me aware of the pools popping out of the ground if they are not replastered and refilled promptly.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Has anyone contacted the guy to see what the problem is? Is this the same person the association hired the last time? If so, was there a discussion about preventing this from happening again BEFORE signing the contract?

There could be a number of things that may be delaying the project - staffing issues, snags in getting tge materials to finish the job, something erupted with another customer and that must be addressed because I ts a safety issue, etc. You need to eliminate the possibilities- and it may be the contractor took on too many jobs at once. Some vendors are good at what they do, but are horrible project managers a n d it doesn't dawn on them that everyone's busy and their time is just as important.

Review your contract to see what it says about delays and how they are to be handled, and note how close you are to the end date. If all the work gets done by the end of next week, fine (and make sure he cleans up the work area before you make the final payment). If you do n t get a reasonable reason for the delay the cleanup should be done for free and deducted from the cost.

Unfortunately, hiring construction/home improvement work can be a crap shoot, even when you do your due diligence. Nonetheless someone has to do it, so keep learning from every project, stick with the ones who do it right and avoid the ones who don't.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Shelia, different contractor. The PM was supposed to contact the vendor. My guess they know we are in the beginning stages of soliciting
bids for a new PMC, may be pouty idk

pool popping yes even in an in-ground concrete quartz plaster pool eye boggling stuff
.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Here's my two cents in the matter. I don't care if you don't have enough manpower, material, tools whatever.
DON'T accept a bid on a job if you can't complete it if you can't meet any or all of the above. It's just a professional courtesy as I see it.
Besides, it saves the grief and aggravation from explaining it to the state contractors licensing board.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Everything you said may be true, including the property manager not being as motivated to do the due diligence I’m sure is part of his/her responsibilities . He/she may be thinking “dammit, I’ll be losing the contract anyway when it expires, so why should I put out extra effort for this bunch?”

You’re not wrong about not accepting a bid if you really don’t have the resources to do the work in a timely manner. Some contractors are notorious for underbidding on a contract and then rush to finish one job and/or take on a few more so they have the money to get the supplies and pay the workers to finish yours.

That’s when you hear the “I can’t finish if you don’t pay me more money.” Like I said earlier – some contractors are quite good at the work they do, but are piss poor business people and need help in project management. I’ve heard a few radio ads on companies who sell software for contractors to do just that.

That’s also why you should never pay more than 25% as a downpayment for a job because there’s no incentive to compete. I prefer to pay 25% to start, 25% when the job gets to 40-45% completion and the rest upon completion. Final pay doesn’t happen until after I inspect the work, have written documentation that all subcontractors have signed lien releases (otherwise they come after you if the lead contractor doesn’t pay them) and the work area has been cleaned up.

Now having said all that...

You can’t predict the future and neither can I. Shit happens to all of us at different times for different reasons and not all of them is our fault. It doesn’t sound like you know what the problem is and until you find out for certain, make sure your property manager is keeping in contact demanding answers. If you need to get your attorney involved, so be it, but you aren’t there yet. .

I don’t know why, but I seem to recall you had a few dustups with previous property managers before this one, and are having the same problems again regarding follow up. If that’s the case, I wonder if the board is doing entirely too much micro-managing – or maybe it’s just you?

I remind you again it was still the BOARD’s responsibility to ask questions, check references and read the contract before signing it. The property manager could have done all this for you - and if things went sideways last year, there should have been a discussion about that and what could be done to try to prevent it again. You said the property manager was supposed to contact the vendor, but didn’t – are you referring to him/her stopping work with no explanation? If so, does the property manager have a supervisor you could complain to? Did you? If so, what was the response?

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

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