let me hear your ideas. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

dayexco · 10-04-2009, 04:26 PM

as you know, we picked up 5 miles of 6" rural water line to install. i "know" how i want to do this, but i'd like to hear any of you guy's ideas/opinons. we have to pick up all the pipe at the water system's yard, haul, string, and install. they're very reluctant to allow us to take more than 3,000 feet at a time because of problems past with vandalism to the pipe. i'd like to have 3 guys doing nothing but hauling, stringing, shoving pipe together....the way they want to stage things, i don't think i can make that work. ideas?

Framer53 · 10-04-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dayexco

as you know, we picked up 5 miles of 6" rural water line to install. i "know" how i want to do this, but i'd like to hear any of you guy's ideas/opinons. we have to pick up all the pipe at the water system's yard, haul, string, and install. they're very reluctant to allow us to take more than 3,000 feet at a time because of problems past with vandalism to the pipe. i'd like to have 3 guys doing nothing but hauling, stringing, shoving pipe together....the way they want to stage things, i don't think i can make that work. ideas?

Was that specified in the bid package?

dayexco · 10-04-2009, 04:53 PM

this "bid package"....was 3 pages long, including the proposal itself, specs, everything....it boils down to everybody being straight up, accommodating each other, getting the job done in a timely, workable manner for both parties. in reality, i can do anything i want...that's not my desire, my foot's in their door now, and i think it can turn into a great customer for us in the end depending on how things go. i just want a well executed project.

rino1494 · 10-04-2009, 05:28 PM

Have 1 load there the day before you start. Send 2 guys first thing in the morning with a trailer for a load. The 3rd guy can help in the morning to get you going. When they get back, all 3 unload the pipe and 2 stay to lay pipe, while the 3rd guy goes back for more and keeps shuttling.

dayexco · 10-04-2009, 07:31 PM

jason, my thoughts exactly!!!. hopefully, other than a few instances...nobody will be down in the ditch, will all be barred together, and barred down the hole. you've just confirmed what i think needs to happen...thanks for pushing a young man's blood into an old man's veins.

JDavis21835 · 10-04-2009, 07:34 PM

What kind of pipe are we talking about? What kind of vandalism has been experienced? Maybe they would let you stage the job out if you put yourself on the hook for replacing any pipe that gets vandalized? Cant say I have seen anything like that done here, unless it was done by an upset member of another company. I guess id like a little more on the type of pipe, and how you are going to stage it. Most of the time we have ductile, which we usually have to bag. So we stretch out enough to have the crew get going in the morning. Then the loader man continues to stage pipe out in between bringing the hoe sand, and backfilling the trench.

dayexco · 10-04-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDavis21835

What kind of pipe are we talking about? 6'"CLASS 200 pvc What kind of vandalism has been experienced? taking a 1/16th" drill bit, and punching holes in random lengths of pipe onsite....hard to detect unless you pressure test each length....in 5 miles of pipe, would take a looooooooooong time. Maybe they would let you stage the job out if you put yourself on the hook for replacing any pipe that gets vandalized? i refuse to accept responsibility for owner supplied material. Cant say I have seen anything like that done here, unless it was done by an upset member of another company. they're assuming it was done by an adjoining land owner who did not like rural water. I guess id like a little more on the type of pipe, and how you are going to stage it. Most of the time we have ductile, which we usually have to bag. So we stretch out enough to have the crew get going in the morning. Then the loader man continues to stage pipe out in between bringing the hoe sand, and backfilling the trench.

thanks for response

rino1494 · 10-04-2009, 08:22 PM

Just wondering Gene, do you have a fusion machine ?

BTW: Did you ever think up anything on those plans I mailed you ?

tgeb · 10-04-2009, 08:32 PM

If they are supplying, the pipe can you make them supply it to you at the site?

Since they are the ones concerned about vandalism, why should you pay the price for not having pipe at your disposal to install as needed?

As you state, it's their pipe, how do you know it does not have holes in it already?

Maybe they will bring you what you need each day on trailers, take the excess back each night.

Actually, as I am thinking it through, why not stage pipe on a trailer, use it as needed, take the trailer home at night, so no pipe is left on site for the vandals.

If need be, rent an extra trailer that can be loaded while the other is on site.

You could work this to have an endless supply of pipe.

dayexco · 10-04-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgeb

If they are supplying, the pipe can you make them supply it to you at the site? no, my responsibility to haul, string, install

Since they are the ones concerned about vandalism, why should you pay the price for not having pipe at your disposal to install as needed?

As you state, it's their pipe, how do you know it does not have holes in it already? should any problems happen, they will take care of it vandalism wise....it's in our proposal...my concern is pounding this pipe in the ground, having zero problems, loving us so much, they call us half a dozen times a year for the mile, 2 mile jobs.

Maybe they will bring you what you need each day on trailers, take the excess back each night. no, it's our responsibility to pick it up

Actually, as I am thinking it through, why not stage pipe on a trailer, use it as needed, take the trailer home at night, so no pipe is left on site for the vandals. it's my guess, this is what'll have to happen...this job is 40 miles from home, we'll have to find a trusted place to leave it.

If need be, rent an extra trailer that can be loaded while the other is on site.

You could work this to have an endless supply of pipe.

thank you tom, i REALLY appreciate you taking time to gimme ideas!!!

tgeb · 10-04-2009, 08:49 PM

Can you take it back to their yard?

dayexco · 10-04-2009, 09:15 PM

i could, but that would be a headache too....we're working sunup/sundown....vandalism occurs, it'll be the little pipe we have strung, hanging out of the ditch..

scrapecc · 10-05-2009, 04:37 PM

Vandalism is a bitch, a buddy of mine's family has one of the largest excavating companies in western South Dakota. A few years back i remember they had someone get into one of thier haul trucks and run over a 100,000 dollars worth of pipe, As far as i know nobody ever got caught for the deed. Would it be worth having any kind of security overnight? Then you could just have all the material on site period. I don't know how many guys you have on staff, but I have seen this done to also protect equipment. How much do windows cost in excavators? Just a though however unconventional it may be.

backhoe1 · 10-05-2009, 05:01 PM

Gene- Is your boat long enough to haul that pipe? may need one if it doesn't stop raining.

dayexco · 10-05-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by backhoe1

Gene- Is your boat long enough to haul that pipe? may need one if it doesn't stop raining.

isn't this something? i'm so FREAKIN sick of this crap i could cry....oh well, giving me a chance to rebuild our sand bucket.

nedly05 · 10-06-2009, 04:26 AM

What are the conditions like? Are you getting roughly the same amount distance each day? After a few days, if your distances are somewhat consistant you could try bringing the same amount of pipe as you used the day before, thereby minimizing the amount that you protect/take back to the yard that night.

propertyone · 10-06-2009, 07:38 PM

Can you load a trailer/ truck with a the days worth of pipe. Do you have the room to work right off the trailer/ truck. Two guys in the hole laying pipe , one you hooking up pipe clamp / moving truck / trailer down with the pipe? Or two guys working with the machine laying stung out pipe one guy with another machine stringing pipe , then dropping back to backfill. What size machine are you going to be digging with?