Forums > Specific Focus > Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico

robt65

Jan 5, 2011, 6:21 AM

Post #1 of 10 (2500 views)

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How Long Should it Take?

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APPROXIMATELY how long, SHOULD it take, for five men to construct a straight line, security wall 64 meters long X 1.4 meters tall by 0.7 meters thick, out of random broken (not quarry, even cut) Cantera Stone? I am trying to find about how long I should expect this project to take.

Any persons expierence, or knowledge is really appreciated.

Thanks,

robt65

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jan 5, 2011, 6:24 AM)

Rolly / Moderator

Jan 5, 2011, 7:45 AM

Post #2 of 10 (2483 views)

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Re: [robt65] How Long Should it Take?

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A long damn time. That wall sounds a lot like the old stone fence/walls in New Hampshire.

Rolly Pirate

robt65

Jan 5, 2011, 7:58 AM

Post #3 of 10 (2478 views)

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Re: [Rolly] How Long Should it Take?

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That definitive answer brought a smile to my face Rolly! (smiling)

Seriously Rolly . . .. a couple of questions from one with experience. What do you think? A few weeks or a month or more?

Also while I am at it. . . . . . . I would think that a full length concrete footer would be appropriate for such a project don't you? I was thinking about 18 inches deep and about 24 inches wide. What do you think? I don't have any experience in building anything with stone, so I have nothing to fall back on.

robt65

chinagringo

Jan 5, 2011, 8:41 AM

Post #4 of 10 (2471 views)

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Re: [robt65] How Long Should it Take?

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Robert:

A suggestion: why not detail the specs and get a firm labor bid on the entire project? The developer who built our home would supply the materials but the labor was bid. At the end of each week the % of the total project which was completed during that week was paid for. This way, if the contractor had a slow production week, he was paid a lesser amount and conversely a high production week brought greater income. This way, you would not be out any advance payments should the contractor/crew flake out.

We had a crew(family) of Mexican friends build a similar wall (to yours) for us on the Oregon Coast. Since we did not have to worry about deep frost, our footer was only 12" deep. Our height was similar but the wall was thicker due to the size of the rock used.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

DavidHF

Jan 5, 2011, 2:33 PM

Post #5 of 10 (2443 views)

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Re: [robt65] How Long Should it Take?

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Here's an easy way estimate the time for a project: Take the estimate of the bidder, double it and use the next unit of time. e.g. the bidder says 2 weeks, you plan on 4 months. We had about 100 feet of wall extended upwards about 4 feet. i.e. they added 4 feet to an existing 4 foot high wall. It took 4 guys almost a month.

salto_jorge

Jan 13, 2011, 7:39 AM

Post #6 of 10 (2342 views)

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Re: [DavidHF] How Long Should it Take?

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No matter what, never pay for the labor up front no matter hardships you are informed of.
Paying for the job as you go is an excellent idea, do not expect the foreman / supervisor to do any real manual labor.
If you are supplying the stone and other materials less excuses exist when it comes to delays for materials.

Its also better if the crew members are not related so that all of them do not come down with mystery deseases or have to visit cousins in the hospital at the same time, it happens.

When it comes to hard unskilled manual labor. If you supply coffee and something to eat in the morning, some workers will tend to show up on time, otherwise who knows. As a surprise on random days we (wife) also had lunch for those who arrived before a set time, but not those who were late. My family from Sonora believes that these incentives go a long way and make the workers feel at home. Just make sure that they know that friends cannot stop and eat unless they are working the entire day (paid for entire day) or they cannot come back.

ralfir

Jan 27, 2011, 11:40 AM

Post #7 of 10 (2210 views)

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Re: [robt65] How Long Should it Take?

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to build your wall it should take with 5 guys aprox. between 18 0 20 days.................

turnabout

Feb 5, 2011, 4:08 PM

Post #8 of 10 (2126 views)

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Re: [robt65] How Long Should it Take?

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Rolly / Moderator

Feb 5, 2011, 4:20 PM

Post #9 of 10 (2123 views)

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Re: [turnabout] How Long Should it Take?

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Once again the defective QUOTE function destroyed a post.
If you try to use QUOTE, look at your post after you have uploaded it to be use your text is still visable becuse often it will be gone to cyber never-never landia.

Rolly Pirate

Moisheh

Feb 22, 2011, 7:18 PM

Post #10 of 10 (2006 views)

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Re: [robt65] How Long Should it Take?

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Hi again Robert: You need a really strong footing for that wall. I know that construction methods in Mexico differ in every region. In Sonora they do a horrible job on footings. First a trench is excavated by hand.. Then they throw in a bunch of huge boulders. Next they mix up some soupy concrete and pour it in! On my shop I had them dig the trenches. Then a few inches of concrete and rebar. The vertical rebars are attached to the rebar in the concrete. Then concrete blocks are filled with concrete and tamped. I would have preferred forms with concrete but this was beyond their expertise! 5 guys is probably too many. 2 of them will likely stand around most of the day! I would guess about 10 weeks or more. Are they using a mixer or just mixing on the ground?

Moisheh