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city specs

13K views 37 replies 12 participants last post by  1idejim 
#1 ·
Easy enough job. I didn't really take any pictures

Just completed a job for a city where they decided to replace all 15 valves and put them in new boxes

It was fun except I had to do it all myself which was bs on my bosses part.. Some of the plumbing was very wacked!

The city speced double valve box 13-24 ( the one above jumbo size )with one inverted and a valve box extension on top to be installed for each 1.5" valve.

I persuaded them to let me do jumbo boxes and without the extra extension... Still I had to dig down 3' for every valve.

The valves will have gravel in all of them and i'll clean up the wiring as best as it can be

The most annoying part was every valve was along a 4000' walkway so EVERYONE HAD TO STOP AND TALK TO ME

took me 5 days by my self i'm effing beat

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#3 ·
Why the slipfix when you have a 90 to work with?
The city guy made me do slip fixes on all of them. I have to go back and re do me first 4 I did my first day.

It was in the specs and I thought it was optional as a repair aspect of existing piping.. which all of the piping elbowed right after the valve so I just rebuilt the elbow. He wants the slip fix there so he can spin the male adapter out and replace the valve if need be. I asked him why not double union the valve and he said he hates union's.

I'm fine with following an approved spec sheet that took multiple people to make.. Not so much when it's someones personal preference.

OH yeah .. 2 of these valves were 1". It's funny to see a 1" valve in a double jumbo box:laugh: ( He wouldn't pinch for double standard valve boxes)

Oh well it's just the tax dollars at work right?
 
#5 ·
forgive my annoying, wana-be-know-it-all, intelligent, smartass-ness :)
and i say this thinking I might be wrong at the same time., which is actually why im asking

It seems to me a slip fix, in this photo, will put pressure on the angles and connections, move, in otherwords?

Would one of those rubbergasket-ed union things be more sturdy than a slip fix here?
I don't mean to question why you did it mitchgo, I understand considering the mentioned boss.

I simply recently wondered when one is generally accepted over the other?
___
I feel ya on the passer-bys lol, being interested in conversation is where i obtained the "feel" for not striping threads. :)

Props on your digging stamina, I could not have done that, yet.
 
#7 ·
I don't mean to question why you did it mitchgo, I understand considering the mentioned boss.

I simply recently wondered when one is generally accepted over the other?
___.
No it's the city specifications.

I told the guy it's our standard to not install slip fixes near elbows but he still wanted them.

I already put up a disclaimer on the invoicing stating all of this and if it blows up that its not my fault
 
#9 ·
You build them like they're spec'd unless you get a change order approval.

Mitch, writing a disclaimer on the statement didn't do one bit of good.

There is a procedure for making changes or complaints and your boss should have followed it.

There is also a reason you worked the project alone (prolly prevailing wage) and you are a good representitive of your company.
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#13 ·
Jim,

I'd like to hear your thoughts on prevailing wages

Basically, this was the first ' city job' follow spec guidelines I've down ( This year was the first the company has does this too)

Another co-worker has single handledly tackled out several other city jobs for this account mainly installing Rp's for city parks through out this year

I asked him about prevailing wages and he received or heard nothing about it.

My mother is a CPA and when her and I chat some of it is talking about work. She told me a bunch about it.

When I started the job there was a 3 page print out about the job description and 1.5 pages of it was talking about prevailing wages. I looked up all of the Rivision Code's it provided but of course those things are never it super detail.

My mother said I should just calmly bring it to my bosses attention.

I'm fine with what I'm being paid for to do the job... but if I have the opportunity to be paid more then of course i'm going to accept it.

I mean I worked 5 days straight by myself on a 4000' run. Removed almost 3 yards of dirt ( about 50 wheelbarrows full walking 200-300' each back to the truck ) Replaced a ton of valves. Followed stupid specs ( Btw a couple of those slip fixes move a couple inches) I called the guy up and mad him come over to show him WHY WE DON'T DO THIS!!!!!.. He said leave it..


Basically I kicked ass and I feel .. If there is a bonus for doing something like this then I should get it.

I haven't brought anything up to my boss and after reviewing the 10 pages of RCW codes I do not see any kind of 'grouping' irrigation falls under
 
#15 ·
Jim,

I'd like to hear your thoughts on prevailing wages

Basically, this was the first ' city job' follow spec guidelines I've down ( This year was the first the company has does this too)

Another co-worker has single handledly tackled out several other city jobs for this account mainly installing Rp's for city parks through out this year

I asked him about prevailing wages and he received or heard nothing about it.

My mother is a CPA and when her and I chat some of it is talking about work. She told me a bunch about it.

When I started the job there was a 3 page print out about the job description and 1.5 pages of it was talking about prevailing wages. I looked up all of the Rivision Code's it provided but of course those things are never it super detail.

My mother said I should just calmly bring it to my bosses attention.

I'm fine with what I'm being paid for to do the job... but if I have the opportunity to be paid more then of course i'm going to accept it.

I mean I worked 5 days straight by myself on a 4000' run. Removed almost 3 yards of dirt ( about 50 wheelbarrows full walking 200-300' each back to the truck ) Replaced a ton of valves. Followed stupid specs ( Btw a couple of those slip fixes move a couple inches) I called the guy up and mad him come over to show him WHY WE DON'T DO THIS!!!!!.. He said leave it..

Basically I kicked ass and I feel .. If there is a bonus for doing something like this then I should get it.

I haven't brought anything up to my boss and after reviewing the 10 pages of RCW codes I do not see any kind of 'grouping' irrigation falls under
Falls under pipe fitters, don't pass out when you see how much "The Man" thinks you should be getting paid.
 
#17 ·
Falls under Landscape Construction. Wa. L&I section 127-??-??? i think thats close. i read it about 3 yrs ago and i also think that Mitch may make more than prevailing for Wa
Last I checked, $32.00 hr for "Landscape workers" was prevailing wage. WA State lumps all dirt workers into the same boat, which is b.s. given the expertise that sprinkler guys have to have vs. the plant installers. :dizzy:
 
#18 ·
Jim,

I'd like to hear your thoughts on prevailing wages

Basically, this was the first ' city job' follow spec guidelines I've down ( This year was the first the company has does this too)

Another co-worker has single handledly tackled out several other city jobs for this account mainly installing Rp's for city parks through out this year

I asked him about prevailing wages and he received or heard nothing about it.

My mother is a CPA and when her and I chat some of it is talking about work. She told me a bunch about it.

When I started the job there was a 3 page print out about the job description and 1.5 pages of it was talking about prevailing wages. I looked up all of the Rivision Code's it provided but of course those things are never it super detail.

My mother said I should just calmly bring it to my bosses attention.

I'm fine with what I'm being paid for to do the job... but if I have the opportunity to be paid more then of course i'm going to accept it.

I mean I worked 5 days straight by myself on a 4000' run. Removed almost 3 yards of dirt ( about 50 wheelbarrows full walking 200-300' each back to the truck ) Replaced a ton of valves. Followed stupid specs ( Btw a couple of those slip fixes move a couple inches) I called the guy up and mad him come over to show him WHY WE DON'T DO THIS!!!!!.. He said leave it..

Basically I kicked ass and I feel .. If there is a bonus for doing something like this then I should get it.

I haven't brought anything up to my boss and after reviewing the 10 pages of RCW codes I do not see any kind of 'grouping' irrigation falls under
Mitch, bring that boss to mexico, he will really appreciate you then :)

On a more serious note

I sincerely appologise for my questioning a slip-fix, I used one in a situation today plenty enough to have made me a hypocrit.

Props again on the shovel skills.
Peace
 
#20 ·
I didn't . Been Pretty busy

Thanks for the call and pm though jim!

It's not to big of a deal. I got like 30 hours OT on my 2 week paycheck so to gripe about a few extra bucks if there is some is not worth it for me.

To be honest I guess the main reason why I even said anything about it was because of how sore I was from the job and how much it rained on me while doing the job.
 
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