Beef with GC

[Alwayslearningelec]

GC is saying I need to identify all hits in the field.

I told them all I only owe is a shop drawing that gets ovberlayed with pother trades

I am doing a renovation iwht existing utilties in the space.

GC sent me this from the contract.

 

[infinity]

"Existing utilities" is not coordinating with trades on the job.

 

[gadfly56]

"Existing utilities" is not coordinating with trades on the job.

If you are altering the existing utilities, then certainly the changes need to be coordinated with the other trades. On the other hand, if the work of other trades collides with existing portions of utilities that you are not moving, that's on them.

Generally speaking, this sort of clause is full on BS. The GC should provide plan views and elevations for all work and then you look through and see if any other work collides with yours. Then, the GC should call a coordination meeting to work things out. You don't need everyone running around like the Keystone Kops, fixing one thing here which screws up something over there.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

THey want us to identify/coordinate/ check all existing utilities with our new install and make sure it'll work.

THis is very time consuming for us.

We told them we owe shop drawings but not all this verification of existing.

Thier response.
I really don’t want to fight with you guys. Coordination of your work is industry standard. This is a renovation project … there are unforeseen conditions in the ceiling- that’s not abnormal - we know that. These are affecting the mechanical routes … in some cases your install of fixtures, etc. rather than require rework by all parties - I’m having a hard time understanding why we are arguing over verifying existing conditions when availble despite your contract requirements that call for coordination between trades.

It would be in all of our best interest to work together - avoid conflicts in the field that add delay … and if you feel your entitled to money do to existing conditions - submit it. Otherwise we are spinning our wheels.

 

[ptonsparky]

For a split second, I thought Beef was for supper, but I couldn’t grasp what GC was.

 

[zbang]

Silly me, I though it was the GC's job to coordinate the work.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

For a split second, I thought Beef was for supper, but I couldn’t grasp what GC was.

Grilled cabbage ...lol

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

Silly me, I though it was the GC's job to coordinate the work.

So your agreeing with my stance ?

 

[acin]

i am a general contractor an i coordinate all phases of construction because i am responsible for them

 

[zbang]

So your agreeing with my stance ?

Pretty much; my job is to do electrical stuff, not to know who's working where and what's going to interfere.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

i am a general contractor an i coordinate all phases of construction because i am responsible for them

Thanks. That's our stance.

 

[augie47]

I love it when a job starts out that well

 

[Fred B]

Your profile indicates "estimator", it's not your job to coordinate the various trades, that is the GC. Typically you may lay out scopes of trade work, and on a remodel might be indicating what walls or ceiling need removal and changes to mechanicals in the space (elimination or addition), the prints with overlay should be enough to know that. (Maybe GC can't read prints.) But the GC is the one to get the electrician, HVAC, and Plumbing, in there before sheetrock goes up, etc. If GC fails in scheduling and walls need to be opened up back up to run electric or other mechanicals it is on him.

Sounds like GC is trying to pass the buck for liability for any potential failures on his part for scheduling and sequence failures. Most likely he's failed at this before and got hit with the cost of remediation, so is trying to push it onto someone else, Subs and even the planner and estimator.

Been on these Reno's before and there will be multiple issues that cannot be seen before the job begin. Wall space not used by any mechanics when opened to find plumbing or electric passing through or other prior changes that effecting the new reno such as a change in load baring points and a steel post that support a LVL carrier in the ceiling, none of which were indicated or visible prior.

 

[infinity]

Thanks. That's our stance.

It sounds like all of the trades are in the same boat with this GC. You all need to get together and tell the GC to do their job.

 

[brantmacga]

I really don’t want to fight with you guys. Coordination of your work is industry standard. This is a renovation project … there are unforeseen conditions in the ceiling- that’s not abnormal - we know that. These are affecting the mechanical routes … in some cases your install of fixtures, etc. rather than require rework by all parties - I’m having a hard time understanding why we are arguing over verifying existing conditions when availble despite your contract requirements that call for coordination between trades.

It would be in all of our best interest to work together - avoid conflicts in the field that add delay … and if you feel your entitled to money do to existing conditions - submit it. Otherwise we are spinning our wheels.

This is industry standard and the GC is correct. He plainly states at the end if you need additional payment to modify unforeseen conditions to submit a change-request.

The sense in which the word "coordination" is used is to say that you will discuss and/or meet with other trades to confirm what each of you is doing before starting work. The GC is very likely going to schedule a meeting for this to take place, but the wording is there to make sure you understand not to blindly start work without a discussion between everyone, and to hold you accountable if you do so without discussion. This is just good general practice anyway.

It probably states somewhere in the job specifications that submission of a bid affirms you have reviewed existing conditions as well.

GC is not saying you have to do the work for free, he's saying you need to at least spend the time to see what's up there before causing any damage, which is reasonable and expected in renovation work.

 

[Strathead]

This is industry standard and the GC is correct. He plainly states at the end if you need additional payment to modify unforeseen conditions to submit a change-request.

The sense in which the word "coordination" is used is to say that you will discuss and/or meet with other trades to confirm what each of you is doing before starting work. The GC is very likely going to schedule a meeting for this to take place, but the wording is there to make sure you understand not to blindly start work without a discussion between everyone, and to hold you accountable if you do so without discussion. This is just good general practice anyway.

It probably states somewhere in the job specifications that submission of a bid affirms you have reviewed existing conditions as well.

GC is not saying you have to do the work for free, he's saying you need to at least spend the time to see what's up there before causing any damage, which is reasonable and expected in renovation work.

The OP kind of wrote in short hand with a lot of typo's though, so I don't think we necessarily understand exactly what he is saying, he mentions "hits". I almost get the impression he mean they expect him to check everyone's systems and make sure existing electrical doesn't interfere with them. It that is true, I would say, "No!" But, unless he spends more time and makes the issues clearer, we are merely speculating. That is why I hadn't input before this.