Andy Graves
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| 02 Sep 2009 11:32 PM |
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We did a quote for the neighbor across the street and they are looking to move so they wanted to spruce up their existing 30 year old tile before putting the house on the market. Apparently our bid was too high cause they got two professionals to fabricate it in their driveway. I was going to offer them some safety equipment, but decided to stay out of it.    |
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andy@thefabricatornetwork.com
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William Turner
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| 03 Sep 2009 03:41 AM |
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Andy I wonder if they are Lic. and Insured. Most Homeowners here in Ca. don't realize that if they are not insured the Home owner is responsible for any and all liability. If an injury happens it could get quit expensive.  |
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William @ TNC Word for the day - LIQUIDITY
Definition - Liquidity is when you look at your retirement fund and wet your pants |
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Kowboy
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| 03 Sep 2009 02:20 PM |
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If you are unlicensed in Michigan, a homeowner has no obligation to pay you, no matter what the homeowner has signed. Don't ask me how I learned this.
Joe |
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| ...One ought to choose likely impossibilities in preference to unconvincing possibilities.- Aristotle |
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Andy Graves
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| 03 Sep 2009 04:09 PM |
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Judging by the setup and the mess, I doubt they were a licensed shop. There was no information on their vehicle so it was impossible to tell.
Joe,
How did you find out? I had to ask. |
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Wayne
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| 03 Sep 2009 09:50 PM |
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Andy, what solid surface are they using? |
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Andy Graves
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| 03 Sep 2009 10:10 PM |
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That is granite or quartz. They got a bid for granite but not sure what they ultimately chose. |
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Wags
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| 04 Sep 2009 04:05 AM |
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I would think the EPA would love to know about them, dust is a huge issue in Az as Im sure it is in Ca. Next time a phone call to the local EPA ( or equal) would put an end to these types of "companies". Is it fair they work without all the expense the legit company has? Someone is paying the bill for the taxes, insurance etc they aren't paying. |
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David Gerard
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| 04 Sep 2009 08:36 AM |
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post some pics like this at the SFA site, I wonder how they would feel about it.
I have to mention also, We do not fabricate in customer's drive ways but on occasion we have had to set up and make some adjustments. Not the same really is it? Just don't want to make a mess in the house. |
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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David Gerard
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| 05 Sep 2009 07:38 AM |
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 I almost forgot I took this pic out at remote LK Clark. We flew in all the raw materials and because the house was full of cabinet installs and us living in there we had to fab in the ATV garage and driveway. Glue up was done on a flat level surface.
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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David Gerard
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| 05 Sep 2009 07:41 AM |
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Yummy! a big slice of humble pie! At least we are lisc, bonded and insured  |
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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Norm Walters
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| 05 Sep 2009 01:40 PM |
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As long as this is a market for unlicensed contractors (cheaper) they will always be here. Where I live you need a license for everything, although I can go on Craig's list and find hundreds of unlicensed people advertising their services. How do I know they are unlicensed? It says right at the bottom of the ad.
License Info: Unlicensed
This didn't annoy me as much as it does in this economy, folks will give this option a second look now. |
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| www.normwaltersconstruction.com |
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Andy Graves
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| 05 Sep 2009 10:07 PM |
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We all do fabrication at the customers house on occasion, but do these set of guys look like the type you really want to hire? No safety equipment at all, trash thrown about and both don't look all that professional.
Just so you know what your working against. You will never be able to compete on price with these fellas.
I don't think most guys on the SFA site fabricate like this do they? |
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David Gerard
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| 06 Sep 2009 06:36 PM |
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In remote situations we do what we have to do.
On the SFA site before I got the axe I did see some pics surface of driveway fabbing. Not only at a cutomers place but a place of buisiness outside the trailer house in a neighborhood.
I hate to say it but Im sure there are SS fabbers who do it regularly too, I sure wouldn't want the sun on the tops during glue ups due to rapid expantion and contraction. I make this statement due to the shear volume of fabbers, I could be wrong. |
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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Jon Olson
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| 07 Sep 2009 12:34 PM |
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Most home owners probably wouldn't care that there tops where made in the driveway. after all lots of contractors work on site . cutting and sanding. . roofers, remodelers, cabinet installers etc... Maybe they do it for safety reasons outside you have lots of fresh air. |
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Guy Robertson
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| 07 Sep 2009 06:33 PM |
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I would have to bet it is granite as the customer was probably budget driven. (Quartz would not fit in a budget price range) Plus, quartz is impossible to polish dry.
Andy, you are correct, most of the SFA fabbers would not fab a job onsite. We do tweak tops there though. These are the people we are trying to educate our customers against. The majority of us are trying to raise the bar in both quality and professionalism for our customers....much the same as those of you here are doing.
Guy Robertson
(disclaimer....I'm the Executive Director of the Stone Fabricator's Alliance) |
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Mark Mihalik
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| 08 Sep 2009 01:53 AM |
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I agree with Guy. The material is probably granite. Its much more difficult for unlicensed/uncertified people to get engineered stone.
Most, if not all SFA members would be against this type of fabrication. The SFA is about raising the bar and promoting better, cleaner, and safer practices. That said, when your installing a job or fixing someone elses work, it is sometimes necessary to "tweak" some things on site. The fabbers in the pics should be wearing respirators and safety glasses. |
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| Mark Mihalik<br>Counterparts LLC |
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Andy Graves
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| 08 Sep 2009 07:24 PM |
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Guy and Mark,
I agree, everyone has to set up and tweak countertops on site, but those guys were flat out fabricating. The fact the site looked like a train wreck was amazing.
I watched them work for about a half an hour. Got some goods laughs in. In the long run, I don't think you can really be profitable doing work like this. |
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Guy Robertson
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| 09 Sep 2009 02:25 AM |
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Posted By Andy on 08 Sep 2009 01:24 PM
but those guys were flat out fabricating. The fact the site looked like a train wreck was amazing.
Andy, I too believed they were flat out fabbing in the driveway and I know that is what you were trying to show. What I was offended by was David insinuating that all of us at the SFA do work this way. I'm not sure if that was his real intent, but that is how I read it. |
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Norm Walters
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| 09 Sep 2009 03:35 AM |
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Guy, not sure how you could interpret David's post to say "all", it doesn't. He also includes solid surface fabricators. |
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Andy Graves
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| 09 Sep 2009 06:20 AM |
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Guy,
I encourage you to reread David's post. I think what he is saying is that he posted some pictures of him fabricating on the SFA site and the SFA members did not agree with driveway fabrication.
I got what you are saying and I think David does as well.
Bot the FabNet and the SFA strive to improve quality in the industry. That's why both are successful.
Just my 2 cents,
Andy |
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andy@thefabricatornetwork.com
Countertop Company - www.OliveMill.com |
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