PROBLEM – Our client contacted us requesting our services on his double story house. The double story building was halfway through. The previous contractor had finished brick work up to Deck level. We were faced with the task to start off from the deck up till we finish the project. It is essential to include electrical and plumbing pipes as you build from the foundation up to the second floor in every double-story building. This is done so as to avoid chiseling or grinding walls after works to prepare for the connections so they are included in the walls and the concrete slab. In this instance the previous contractor had omitted those works. Therefore, we had to start off by preparing the Electrical and Mechanical Designs to guide us on where our connections are to be fixed.

WORK DONE

Electrical Works – We started off by preparing the walls by grinding positions where the pipes were to be laid. After, we then laid the conduits on their positions. This was done on the ground floor walls so as to join the connections of the two floors. In between, we halted this work to allow for deck preparations since the electrical conduits and plumbing waste pipes also share space with other deck materials.

Carpentry Works – The main works for our carpentry here, was to prepare a stair case shutter and the edge shutters around the exterior wall of the ground floor. The staircase design had a unique design which after consultation with the Client’s Structural Engineer we had to change into a simpler, cost effective and dependable staircase design. The staircase is one of the important works to be done following the exact measurements as stipulated by the structural engineer as a simple mistake can lead to an unpleasant look after concrete has been poured. The side shutters have to be secure enough to hold in the concrete being poured on the deck.

Steel works and Deck Pans preparations – Through our connections, we assisted our client to procure and deliver deck pans and deck steel for the project. We managed the laying of deck pans. Deck pans act as bases where the concrete, steel, electrical and plumbing pipes sit on during concrete pouring. After successfully installing the pans, we also managed the fixing of steel in accordance with the structural engineering drawings and in supervision of the main Structural Engineer.

Concrete pouring – This was the major work we conducted. We advised our client to hire Pre-Mix Concrete from our usual suppliers, who delivered all the expected concrete for the slab in time. Pouring concrete on a deck is an active process where we pour, spread, poke and level the concrete poured. Failure to quickly do all these process in the exact times will lead to curing concrete before pouring or before it is pocked or leveled. We successfully delivered this part with little challenges faced. After this we cured the deck pouring water for 14 days.