Managing in the DR

tommeyers

On Vacation!
Jan 2, 2012
1,599
0
36
I live in Santiago
I have had some experiences that I want to understand. Your informed comments please.

I had a small welding task that I asked someone to do. They said they could do it. Here it is: a 1' x 1' L with a 45 degree brace. Made from 3/4 iron tube. I prepared detailed (!) dimensional Drawings. I got Back a 12" x 13" L with. Nothing near 45 degrees. And 3 holes for mounting not the 4 I specified.

I should add that I specified 3 units be made and got 4. I didn't ask for paint but I something black. I designed it to drain water naturally but I got some kind of paper plugs.

I am not angry about this and I want to prepare for a more complex welding job (a trellis).

I want to understand the reasons. Was it: they could not read BC they needed glasses or they are unable to follow the rules or ...

how can I manage them to get what I want in the future? MicroManage them? Or ...

OR do it myself.
 
Jun 18, 2007
14,280
503
113
www.rentalmetrocountry.com
I have had some experiences that I want to understand. Your informed comments please.

I had a small welding task that I asked someone to do. They said they could do it. Here it is: a 1' x 1' L with a 45 degree brace. Made from 3/4 iron tube. I prepared detailed (!) dimensional Drawings. I got Back a 12" x 13" L with. Nothing near 45 degrees. And 3 holes for mounting not the 4 I specified.

I should add that I specified 3 units be made and got 4. I didn't ask for paint but I something black. I designed it to drain water naturally but I got some kind of paper plugs.

I am not angry about this and I want to prepare for a more complex welding job (a trellis).

I want to understand the reasons. Was it: they could not read BC they needed glasses or they are unable to follow the rules or ...

how can I manage them to get what I want in the future? MicroManage them? Or ...

OR do it myself.

Yes and yes!!!
 

Aguaita29

Silver
Jul 27, 2011
2,618
271
83
I have had some experiences that I want to understand. Your informed comments please.

I had a small welding task that I asked someone to do. They said they could do it. Here it is: a 1' x 1' L with a 45 degree brace. Made from 3/4 iron tube. I prepared detailed (!) dimensional Drawings. I got Back a 12" x 13" L with. Nothing near 45 degrees. And 3 holes for mounting not the 4 I specified.

I should add that I specified 3 units be made and got 4. I didn't ask for paint but I something black. I designed it to drain water naturally but I got some kind of paper plugs.

I am not angry about this and I want to prepare for a more complex welding job (a trellis).

I want to understand the reasons. Was it: they could not read BC they needed glasses or they are unable to follow the rules or ...

how can I manage them to get what I want in the future? MicroManage them? Or ...

OR do it myself.

Unfortunately, a lot of people here won?t tell you that they don?t know how to do something. You can tell them beforehand that if they item doesn?t come out EXACTLY like you wanted it, like in the sketch, they are not getting paid.


And yes, you?ll have to micromanage them. Some people feel that if they are not being micromanaged, the owner of the project is in no rush or has very little interest in it.

And yes, if you know how to do something, DO IT YOURSELF.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
find a better welder and SHOW them the project.. not from blue prints. If you find someone who does the sort of work for gates and fancy bars, you should be ok. You can see that precision work is certainly not above the capacity of some in the country.

I wanted braces for the wall of the apartment for a hammock. I had not seen them.. sort of an O ring mounted. My sister, who is an architectural draftsman, was here and drew a sketch for the Haitian who does all the odd jobs, wiring, hanging stuff, etc, for us. He took the drawing, and instead of going to a hardware store and buying them.. well, perhaps they do not exist.. he had them made. I do not even know what metal they are made of., they look like bronze. not that I know what that is. But they are exquisite. made to measure exactly. Gorgeous works of art.

So I think you just had the wrong guy. Someone should be able to do a 45 degree angle. If you could see some of the iron work here in SD, it is just amazing.
 

DR_Guy

Bronze
Feb 17, 2010
891
81
48
Usually, the people that do the work think you are an idiot and they take the initiative to tweek the design and make it better. And yes, I am serious.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
find a better welder and SHOW them the project.. not from blue prints. If you find someone who does the sort of work for gates and fancy bars, you should be ok. You can see that precision work is certainly not above the capacity of some in the country.

I wanted braces for the wall of the apartment for a hammock. I had not seen them.. sort of an O ring mounted. My sister, who is an architectural draftsman, was here and drew a sketch for the Haitian who does all the odd jobs, wiring, hanging stuff, etc, for us. He took the drawing, and instead of going to a hardware store and buying them.. well, perhaps they do not exist.. he had them made. I do not even know what metal they are made of., they look like bronze. not that I know what that is. But they are exquisite. made to measure exactly. Gorgeous works of art.

So I think you just had the wrong guy. Someone should be able to do a 45 degree angle. If you could see some of the iron work here in SD, it is just amazing.

Very subtle mountainannie
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
I needed almost exactly the same thing done in Cabarete to hold some fairly heavy loudspeakers high up in my outdoor pavilion. They were done as well as I could have made them to 90 degrees and worked well.

I also had some subwoofer boxes built. Different material and a different person and from plans designed with the help of software to maximize the sound levels. They also came out well.

So it does depend upon whom you contract to do it.
 
Apr 7, 2014
2,293
2
0
I have had some experiences that I want to understand. Your informed comments please.

I had a small welding task that I asked someone to do. They said they could do it. Here it is: a 1' x 1' L with a 45 degree brace. Made from 3/4 iron tube. I prepared detailed (!) dimensional Drawings. I got Back a 12" x 13" L with. Nothing near 45 degrees. And 3 holes for mounting not the 4 I specified.

I should add that I specified 3 units be made and got 4. I didn't ask for paint but I something black. I designed it to drain water naturally but I got some kind of paper plugs.

I am not angry about this and I want to prepare for a more complex welding job (a trellis).

I want to understand the reasons. Was it: they could not read BC they needed glasses or they are unable to follow the rules or ...

how can I manage them to get what I want in the future? MicroManage them? Or ...

OR do it myself.

Ask CC about the time he wanted some guys to dig a well and there is your answer.

Do as much as you can by/for yourself. That is the only way to ensure quality control..
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
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Dont know whom you hired, hence the outcome is/was proportional to it. Iron work is well mastered in Santo Domingo for sure, but it comes with a tag. My suggestion is to research workmanship of the shop, prior to execute the performance of goods in future endeavours.
 
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dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i have a policy not to pay until the work is over. few times the things delivered by the workers were not a match to the order. i simply send them back. i am usually not a very fussy customer and i can accept small "adjustments" but i can be firm too.

like others mentioned, this is also a matter of who you hire. there are plenty of people here who can do a fantastic job. our carpenter did the bed based on pictures and brief explanation only. it's beautiful.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Unfortunately, a lot of people here won?t tell you that they don?t know how to do something. You can tell them beforehand that if they item doesn?t come out EXACTLY like you wanted it, like in the sketch, they are not getting paid.


And yes, you?ll have to micromanage them. Some people feel that if they are not being micromanaged, the owner of the project is in no rush or has very little interest in it.

And yes, if you know how to do something, DO IT YOURSELF.

very true, Aguaita. it is like asking for directions. rather than admit he does not know, a guy will give you directions to Addis Ababa.
 

donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
6,942
178
0
Spark Glueing

There certainly are good welders (SD, Stgo.).
However, it's difficult to find them, they normally work with companies.

Other self-employed 'welders' usually deliver barrio quality and deliver 'spark-glued welding'.

donP
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
First. if you give them a drawing, outlining what you want done, do not assume they can read it. Next, if they can follow your schematic than STRESS with them that it is to be followed exactly or you will not PAY for the end product. If there is a risk they will not be paid in full than perhaps they will pay more attention to their work. Then again, maybe not. This is the DR and as you know they have their own ways.
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,366
614
113
I have had two years of major construction here, and I have to say there is no easy way. I have tried hiring people who were experts, and they were often just as stupid as the guys who were clearly not experts, just much more expensive. My worst experiences were with expats - I used an American electrician who showed me all his US qualifications and we have had to change every inch of wire he put in, some even caught fire. I also used a very technical German plumber who ran off the island half way through a job due to people threatening to kill him due to drug debts. I used a proper construction company which had a very smart website and testimonials to put on a roof, which was so terrible that it took 6 months to repair. At the other end of the scale, I had a plumber who was here for a day and then took me to court as he wanted RD$28,000 in liquidacion.

In my experience, it's not that difficult getting people to understand what you want. But they then "forget" and decide to change things. Yesterday, the builders had prepared an opening in a wall for a new door, they had written the measurements down, they can read, and yet somehow managed to make the opening 3 inches too narrow. The best results are when you sit close to where people are working - maybe take a book or a laptop - close enough to be able to keep an eye on what they are doing without damaging precious Dominican egos. And when something is not done correctly, you also need to understand that by definition it is your fault. Definitely not theirs.

And regarding money, obviously it's ideal to pay at the end, but you'll find that without giving some sort of deposit they often won't show up, or they will start and then get a better offer and leave things half finished. Or spend the whole day telling you that they are hungry or have no pampers and leche for the baby or no pasaje to get home. So a little deposit is advisable.

I'm sick of people saying "ah but you should have done this". I have wasted a lot of my money on terrible work, so obviously I've tried to find solutions to this problem. But it's not easy, trust me. And don't get me wrong, I have had some amazingly good people who have done some stunning work. It just seems to be the luck of the draw.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
"Commander",...."Thanks" for reminding me!!!!!!!!!!!!
That May Be my "BEST STORY", but I have MANY MORE!!!!!!!
I had one of those "So Called" welders here one day to repair a steel door.
He had a "Home Made" welder, in a "Presidente Box".
When he fired it up, it burned out my "Inversor"!
I yelled at him so much, he fled in tears!
Luckily I DO HAVE a GREAT electrician who fixed my "Inversor"!
It has taken me over 20 years, but I now have a "LIST" of competent "Tradesmen" who I can count on!
I NEVER watch them work!
It's like what they say about "Sausage".
"If you like Sausage, you don't want to see it being made"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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