Higgozicht – Paying the price for poor construction or negligent contractors
Community scheme buildings need to undergo a comprehensive maintenance overhaul – including painting and waterproofing – every 7 years, on average. Sometimes it is needed a little earlier or delayed due to financial constraints but essentially, delaying maintenance allows persistent issues to progress and this often results in small problems becoming far bigger and more costly issues to remedy.
Another trend we noticed is that some buildings develop major problems after a decade or so which suggest either poor and hasty construction of the original building or negligence on the part of the previous contractor who simply painted over cracks and other problems in an effort to get the job done as quickly as possible – or both.
Delaminated plaster
Higgozicht is one of those buildings where it didn’t initially look like a project that would involve much more than the standard maintenance and painting with perhaps a bit of waterproofing on the side
Firstly, the plaster was a major issue as it was poorly and unevenly applied. As a result, an extraordinary amount of plastering was done to create a consistently even surface all over the building.
The building’s location so close to the mountain and constructed with bricks are two factors that contributed to the constant movement of the building and lead to quite an advanced state of delaminated plaster. The maintenance cycle was also long overdue. This caused some significant water ingress through the walls into the apartments, causing damp and other water damage issues inside the apartments.
Painting and waterproofing phase
Firstly, we cut open all deep cracks with handheld grinders and used Sikarep products to fill the cracks. This product sticks to concrete very effectively and is more flexible due to its elastic structure which allows for natural movement of the building.
The painting portion of this project involved the application of a 3-coat system. First, we primed the entire area and then we coated all repairs as well as all horizontal tops with a fiber seal to provide additional protection. Lastly, 2 coats of Nuklad was applied to finish it off.
Walkways and electrical compliance
Another area that was overdue for some much-needed maintenance was the walkways. These were stripped, thoroughly waterproofed and tiled. The spalling underneath the walkways were also repaired to fortify the structure.
As the project progressed, we discovered some illegal wiring and informed the body corporate of their non-compliance. In one part of the building, the wiring was situated too close to the surface and too close to plumbing. To remedy this situation, we contracted a reputable electrician to solve the issues and ensure compliance.
Quality control
Remedial Building Consultants, IPMT, were contracted to oversee the painting and remedial specifications for the building. Their role is to act as a conduit, provide independent advice to the body corporate and to ensure adherence to set specifications. Unfortunately, we are aware that there are some contractors in our industry who just want to get the job done as quickly as possible without the necessary attention to detail or quality. This has resulted in bodies corporate losing trust in the industry as a whole, thus the need to include a third party in the project to oversee specifications and ensure that a high standard is adhered to. We are happy to work with such a contractor as we want nothing less than to deliver a top quality job in a transparent and dedicated team.
Going forward
In summary, we believe that the issues that surfaced due to poor construction or negligent contractors have been negated as much as possible. The next redecoration will only be necessary in about 7 years, when at most painting and minor remedial work will be necessary.
About MCM Painters
MCM Painters is a professional company that specialises in painting, waterproofing and structural repair work in Cape Town and surrounding areas. As a local market leader with 15 years of experience in the business, we take great pride in our work and provide the highest quality workmanship at a competitive price. We guarantee our work, including manufacturer guarantees, for five years.
Contact Ross Peacock on 082 827 1817 or ross@mcmpainters.co.za for further information or to get a free assessment done. MCM Painters – We realise your renovation vision.
