lesson learned

Like any construction project, as soon as it is completed, this is the best time to have a review of the over all process, while the memory is still vivid and clear.

A Is the project goals achieved?
B. Is the expenditure meets the budgetary estimate?
C. Is the project construction schedule meet the requirement?
D. The evaluation of the quality of construction work completed.
E. Lesson learned

The project goals:
1. A "state of art" status Bathroom, well functioned and pleasing to the eyes-- ok
2. With a atmosphere of 湯屋.-- ok
3. Order free.--ok
4. None clogging floor drain--floor drain that is able to handle large amount of effluent at all condition-- ok
5. A toilet/bath room that is easily for maintenance and is easily for house keeping.-- ok
6. Affordable.-- ok

E. Lesson learned

1. The selection of plumbing fixtures--water closet, lavatory and Shower sprinkler
2. The selection of floor drain--water trap sealed type plus the consideration of effulent quantity
3. The selection of glass partition for shower room and toilet
4. Safety rail
5 The pros and cons of prefab shower room
6. The selection of floor tile and wall tile--visiting the fancy tile shops 金山南路 and 和平東路, high end imported material and local product, price range.
7. The subcontractors and their "understood scope of work"
8. Coordinating works required among each subcontractors--procedure, time scheduling, and work space
9. Horizontal and plumb base line and the lost of them--coordination among trades
10. Wrapped debris and environmental control, noise problem
11. Space for storage of materials and demolished debris
12. The following up and updating of construction schedule-never on Sunday
13. The selection of air conditioning equipment--why from TE to Hitachi? why not Dai-king?
14. Provisions for future equipment installation--Washlite toilet seat , exhaust fan and dish washer
15. Surprise, surprise, surprise-- and more to come. How "Dry type installation saved NTD 20000.
16. To see is to believe--wrong corner beads delivered that was rejected by Mr. Chiu, the tile install artist/mason.
17. Cost estimating for bath room renovation
18. Devils in detail, for example--





----to be continued...

Job completion--The dream bath room come true

This morning, I went to Paishin company to have my refund of the surplus wall tile material that has been returned to them. This means my bath room project is really coming to the end.

Yesterday, there was 3 people worked through out the whole afternoon to install the glass walls of the bath room and the toilet room. They did a good job. To wait for the curing of the silicone sealed joints, we, the three of of our family, had to go to Hsintien house to take a bath last night.

I wiped the glass partitions this morning. I took a shower after lunch in order to test the partitions to see if there is any leakage at all joints. It turned out perfect.

Thanks to all these hard working people--mason, carpenter, plumber, and electrician. And, thanks to the efficient and with advanced technology of the related industry of Taiwan, that make the renovation of my bath room possible and make it affordable.

Shock---More surprise on Sept.13

In the early morning, A-chin found that while it rained hard outside, great amount of water is overflow from both toilets, like fountains, and the whole area of the newly completed floor is flooded by 1 inch deep of water.

I called the plumbing contractor, Shiao-Shieh, came to solve this problem.

I climbed up to the roof to seal one roof drain that might cause this problem. Si-Eee accompanied me. Because it really came dawn and it is during the peak of Taiphone "Sinlook".

Then, I called the engineer who was in charge of the construction of the sewer pipe system of this area, to make sure that the trouble is not caused by system back flow.

The mysterious cause of this problem is still a myth. I would like to write a separate story about it.

-How the masonry worker "eat" 3 cm from 30 cm distance.
-How wonderful the "eccentric transition piece pipe spool" to overcome the wrong deed.
-How to persuade the plumber that the toilet fixtures to be installed with "Dry process". (This, actually save us 20000 this time.)
-How powerful is the tool to clean the clogged pipe.
-Why the water overflow from both toilets while the toilet of the neighbor worked perfectly?
-The "wrong rain water pipe connection" guess.
-The "system back flow" theory.
-The vent pipe insufficient theory.--air back flow from the system manhole.

At 3 P.M., the problem solved. I paid Shiao-Shieh all wage he deserved except 10,000 retention money.

Today, everything worked normally. What a great release. The smooth flushing sounds of the toilet is just like music to me.
Thanks God.

Ceiling Installation

The size of the area with plywood ceiling is only 3.5M by 2.1M, a little bit over 2 Ping.

It took 3 carpenters to work for 1 full day to complete it. The ceiling is finished with one layer of melamine, so that it will be water resistant.

Mr.Tsai, the foreman, is the one who did the carpentry work of the small room built at front end of this house 4 years ago. He is good.

Now the bath room looks beautiful. I am now coordinating the delivery of plumbing fixtures: Water closet, lavatory, and the glass partition of shower room. Hopefully we can have all these fixtures installed before this Friday.

The artist--Tailu 師

九月五日.

早上, Tile 師傅和他太太來抹縫.

Tile 師說下午會叫另一班師傅來鋪地磚. 到了下午兩點, 卻又自己跟另位師傅跑來一直工作到九點.

當中間西班牙風的菱形地磚完成時, 不由得對師傅的專業手藝感到敬佩和感動. 已臻藝術之境.

收工時,我請他在一塊瓷磚上簽名紀念. --邱立宏先生.

Yesterday once more-Ugly stainless steel beads delivered

In the morning of Sept. 3, the masonry worker came and started the preparation work for wall tile installation. He set up a laser leveler, a fine bright red light line project to the surrounding wall immediately. It proves what I have been worried about earlier--last subcontractor, the demolish package left the N_E corner under excavated, it is now too high from the expected hight of level. Although I have checked with a bubble leveler and a string, it turned out not so accurate. Fortunately, the masonry contractor, Mr. Hsu, solved it by half an hour jackhammering himself.

There is Three incidents like this up to now, like the "bad" old days unpopular surprise arise from time to time. The other two issues are:

A. The steel frame installed is not perpendicular to the main building. This will cause the floor tile layout problem.
--Who's fault? I shall discuss some other day.
B. Wrong type of tile corner beads delivered. This is because of I ordered the material by phone call, without "sample approval" procedure. Mr. Hsu's reminded me that it is better to take a look first. but I disregarded it. I don't want the work delay one day for this. My FAULT. It could have costed me 6000 NTD.

The mistakes occur easily when you are under Time schedule pressure. Or, when you are getting "不耐煩".

This also prove the famous Morffi's law: What you think that might be going wrong, will go wrong.

The 10th Day

All excavation and underground soil pipe has been completed.

Tomorrow, the main theme shall be gas pipe, and other piping rerouting for equipment relocation:

A/C out door units X3
Water pump
Water heater