This decking drainage isn't acceptable right?

[Dirk]

Thank you for your detailed response. Yup, the decking crew and the PB both agreed on both fronts. Squiggly line was actually pointed by themselves. I had called them just for the puddle. There was at least no argument as to whether this is bad or not. This was for everywhere, between coping and decking, decking and patio (squiggly line), decking and brick wall. Not that it is finished yet but they did see some issues there that they said need to be fixed before it's "done".

As far as the puddles are concerned, my depth perception was surely wrong. Puddles were the depth of a quarter.

Will update you once it's all done. Thank you again. Hoping it all turns out great at the end.

So glad to hear they're going to work with you. Of all the things pointed out, be sure to ask them about the expansion joint. Be sure you understand what one is supposed to look like, and that yours does, or ends up, looking like that. Squiggly lines and slow-drying puddles are one thing, mostly just annoying. But if the expansion joint is not correct then that can actually end up being a big expense to you later on. And Murphy's Law clearly states that problem will reveal itself only after all warranties have expired!

 

[Newdude]

As far as the puddles are concerned, my depth perception was surely wrong. Puddles were the depth of a quarter.

Laying flat I hope and not on end ?

We took some good lengths to get my slab pitched correctly and flat. The patio guy was upfront that there would always be some minor dips with a large patio, being packed / smoothed by hand. He said anything less than 1/4 inch deep would evaporate soon after it stopped raining. I have a handful of 'birdbaths' and they dry up quick like he said.

 

[Dirk]

The depth of a quarter (laying flat, of course) doesn't seem too unreasonable. But I'd be more inclined to forgive that for a 12' patio, not a 4' walkway, with the drain in the middle of it. Failing that means the finisher couldn't manage a decent slope across 2' of deck! Like Rich said, that was the "D" crew. Anyway, just belaboring, hopefully you'll get the "A" crew this time, and it'll all get resolved.

 

[Newdude]

But I'd be more inclined

Pun intended ?

forgive that for a 12' patio, not a 4' walkway,

*a 4 ft walkway that's 12 ft long. Keep in mind it's smoothed both directions so there is still some square footage at play, even when it's narrow.

 

[Newdude]

* also also keep in mind that because of the pool and house, they had only 2 vantage points to eyeball it as it was setting, and the middle had to be worked with a smoother thingie on a pole. The angle and location of the sun alone could have made it appear perfect with their limited access to inspect how it was setting.

 

[markayash]

* also also keep in mind that because of the pool and house, they had only 2 vantage points to eyeball it as it was setting, and the middle had to be worked with a smoother thingie on a pole. The angle and location of the sun alone could have made it appear perfect with their limited access to inspect how it was setting.

When my deck was “new” I bought a squeegee at homedepot and pushed what little water was left toward the drains. We have a lot of trees so would leave dirty places sometimes.

 

[JamesW]

To avoid puddles, you just need to use enough slope.

In this example, no puddles...just sayin.

 

[Dirk]

*a 4 ft walkway that's 12 ft long. Keep in mind it's smoothed both directions so there is still some square footage at play, even when it's narrow.

Agreed. But in the OP's case, his worst puddle is right in-between two drains about four feet apart! The finishers couldn't manage a proper slope to either.

* also also keep in mind that because of the pool and house, they had only 2 vantage points to eyeball it as it was setting, and the middle had to be worked with a smoother thingie on a pole. The angle and location of the sun alone could have made it appear perfect with their limited access to inspect how it was setting.

As someone who's never done it (me), I can see that logic. But I'd refer back to my original point. He hired pros that should have the skills to accommodate such conditions and that could produce a properly functioning deck regardless of them, and if they couldn't then they shouldn't have accepted the work. It's not on the consumer to have to forgive a project's deficiencies because the contractor didn't know how to get it done correctly (and I'd be hard-pressed to agree there isn't some way to get that done correctly, even if I don't know what that would be).

It is reasonable for the OP to expect the deck to have a proper slope (1) away from the pool and (2) into the drains he paid for. For the contractor to come back and make that so is the right thing to do. If he later says "Sorry, the sun was in my eyes and that's the best I could do," then... not so much. Soap box time: forgiving general contractors for sub-par work is why they'll continue to hire inexperienced "D" crews and play the odds that a consumer won't push back on mediocre work. Pushing back is how we can get them to do better, like they used to. You know, in my day, when they used to use dinosaurs to tow the concrete to your house.



PS. Don't mind us @hamanbhatia, we're just kibitzing amongst ourselves!

 

[hamanbhatia]

Agreed. But in the OP's case, his worst puddle is right in-between two drains about four feet apart! The finishers couldn't manage a proper slope to either.


As someone who's never done it (me), I can see that logic. But I'd refer back to my original point. He hired pros that should have the skills to accommodate such conditions and that could produce a properly functioning deck regardless of them, and if they couldn't then they shouldn't have accepted the work. It's not on the consumer to have to forgive a project's deficiencies because the contractor didn't know how to get it done correctly (and I'd be hard-pressed to agree there isn't some way to get that done correctly, even if I don't know what that would be).

It is reasonable for the OP to expect the deck to have a proper slope (1) away from the pool and (2) into the drains he paid for. For the contractor to come back and make that so is the right thing to do. If he later says "Sorry, the sun was in my eyes and that's the best I could do," then... not so much. Soap box time: forgiving general contractors for sub-par work is why they'll continue to hire inexperienced "D" crews and play the odds that a consumer won't push back on mediocre work. Pushing back is how we can get them to do better, like they used to. You know, in my day, when they used to use dinosaurs to tow the concrete to your house.

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PS. Don't mind us @hamanbhatia, we're just kibitzing amongst ourselves!

Haha, not at all! It's been fun reading the conversation. I wil be honest, I have had issues during the construction. My biggest issue being me finding those issues and not the PB's construction supervisor. That being said, touch wood, they have, so far, on every occasion, come back and fixed it without any arguments. And on someone else's dime. So I guess cannot complain that much? My only scare is the thought as to what would have happened had I not been so actively involved.

 

[Dirk]

Haha, not at all! It's been fun reading the conversation. I wil be honest, I have had issues during the construction. My biggest issue being me finding those issues and not the PB's construction supervisor. That being said, touch wood, they have, so far, on every occasion, come back and fixed it without any arguments. And on someone else's dime. So I guess cannot complain that much? My only scare is the thought as to what would have happened had I not been so actively involved.

Welcome to contemporary construction practices. It was once the job of the General Contractor to oversee the project, his staff and his sub-contractors, and to demand and maintain at least an industry standard of quality. A good contractor would go above and beyond, not only in quality, but service as well. The consumer would write the checks and enjoy the end result. Now, project management falls to the consumer, and customer service is based on whatever mood the GC happens to be in.

Consumers must now educate themselves thoroughly on every aspect of their construction project, preemptively outline expectations, inspect each phase and aspect of the job, and negotiate quality assurance every step of the way. Just as you are doing.

I'd like to think the majority of GC's would provide the service you're now getting, and yes, knock on wood it continues throughout your project. But here at TFP I seem to hear more of the bad experiences (because people tend to post more when things go wrong, now when all is well), and it's certainly been my experience with most of the contractors I've engaged, not just my pool contractor, so I tend to be a bit jaded.

Hopefully that doesn't happen to you and the end result meets all your expectations and beyond.

 

[Orion7319]

They painted the concrete? My concrete decking is painted with this special acrylic concrete paint and it holds up very well. Except in this one spot that puddles…. I have to touch up that one spot every two years or so. I had some paint left over, so it matches and it’s not a big deal. Make sure they at least leave you a paint can so you know what to get when you need it.

 

[Orion7319]

Welcome to contemporary construction practices. It was once the job of the General Contractor to oversee the project, his staff and his sub-contractors, and to demand and maintain at least an industry standard of quality. A good contractor would go above and beyond, not only in quality, but service as well. The consumer would write the checks and enjoy the end result. Now, project management falls to the consumer, and customer service is based on whatever mood the GC happens to be in.

Consumers must now educate themselves thoroughly on every aspect of their construction project, preemptively outline expectations, inspect each phase and aspect of the job, and negotiate quality assurance every step of the way. Just as you are doing.

I'd like to think the majority of GC's would provide the service you're now getting, and yes, knock on wood it continues throughout your project. But here at TFP I seem to hear more of the bad experiences (because people tend to post more when things go wrong, now when all is well), and it's certainly been my experience with most of the contractors I've engaged, not just my pool contractor, so I tend to be a bit jaded.

Hopefully that doesn't happen to you and the end result meets all your expectations and beyond.