- Thread starter Robert
- Start date
Building Disaster - Any more?
Upstairs leak fixed and done the right way.
Ceiling holes and tubing fixed and done the right way.
Two guys are here right now hanging a new false ceiling.
Tomorrow they will re-install a refurbished closet and paint etc.
Bottom line, you have to be on top of these guys and don't allow ANY compromises or BS, despite what they might say or think.
When they tiled the office bathroom, I made them do it 3x before I was happy. Those guys learn't a lot that day, especially about grouting
I'll post photos later today.
In the initial post you mention noticing the problem a couple of months ago, Did you report it then and it has taken the owner this long to get around to looking at it, or have you just got on and lived with it for that long and mentioned nothing until now.
I'm only asking as if it has taken the owner that long to get around to it I can feel relieved it is not just me, and everyone gets the same snail paced help when problems arrise.
I'm only asking as if it has taken the owner that long to get around to it I can feel relieved it is not just me, and everyone gets the same snail paced help when problems arrise.
Yes, it was reported straight away and the owner was on top of it from day 1.
Fortunately my landlord is cool, knows I know how things work here and gives me zero BS.
I have been traveling, working, Christmas etc, so time slipped by before we could get our dates aligned
Advice:
You need to leverage being a Gringo and let the landlord know that you pay on time, will not destroy the place or steal all the fixtures when you leave. Dominican landlords want Gringo tenants, for the above reasons, so use this to your advantage. You need to be a hard ass here and call their bluff if needed, often they will back down and give in, as they know you're a valuable commodity.
The sad fact is, most Gringo's don't do the above and often end up with issues or taken advantage of
Fortunately my landlord is cool, knows I know how things work here and gives me zero BS.
I have been traveling, working, Christmas etc, so time slipped by before we could get our dates aligned
Advice:
You need to leverage being a Gringo and let the landlord know that you pay on time, will not destroy the place or steal all the fixtures when you leave. Dominican landlords want Gringo tenants, for the above reasons, so use this to your advantage. You need to be a hard ass here and call their bluff if needed, often they will back down and give in, as they know you're a valuable commodity.
The sad fact is, most Gringo's don't do the above and often end up with issues or taken advantage of
Upstairs leak fixed and done the right way.
Ceiling holes and tubing fixed and done the right way.
Two guys are here right now hanging a new false ceiling.
Tomorrow they will re-install a refurbished closet and paint etc.
Bottom line, you have to be on top of these guys and don't allow ANY compromises or BS, despite what they might say or think.
When they tiled the office bathroom, I made them do it 3x before I was happy. Those guys learn't a lot that day, especially about grouting
I'll post photos later today.
All joking aside, it sounds as if you have to literally watch each and everything any contractor does even on non owned property. You would think the owners would realize that by doing it half asse* it would only fail again
This inability to perform decent construction (Imagine sophicated electronics, double basement room,s hydraulics etc) along with arbitrary Customs enforcement and prices have halted all construction for me, likey permanently
Thankfully there never has been need to perform any maintenance on the plane and always spend the extra to carry fuel for outbound trip
I'm not a "DR Basher" but there seems to be very little oversight on anything and little pride in peoples work.
Believe it or not, quality work can and is performed here. The problems are various but generally are due to greed or incompetence.
I asked my maestro friend about the plumbing and he laughed.
Generally though, the best work demands a premium price and the guys who charge are backed up a lot and therefore aren't keen on negotiating mostly.
Yes, it was reported straight away and the owner was on top of it from day 1.
Fortunately my landlord is cool, knows I know how things work here and gives me zero BS.
I have been traveling, working, Christmas etc, so time slipped by before we could get our dates aligned
Advice:
You need to leverage being a Gringo and let the landlord know that you pay on time, will not destroy the place or steal all the fixtures when you leave. Dominican landlords want Gringo tenants, for the above reasons, so use this to your advantage. You need to be a hard ass here and call their bluff if needed, often they will back down and give in, as they know you're a valuable commodity.
The sad fact is, most Gringo's don't do the above and often end up with issues or taken advantage of
This post should be made an example of every gringo who is looking for a rental in DR1 or in DR in general. Although Robert is an old dog and he knows how to work the system in DR already.
I don't think it is a case of working the system, just how to demand respect in the correct manner without causing the owner to lose face.
Recently I have been through all sorts of emotions with property problems, the nicey nice approach didn't work and so eventually I got very confrontational, loud and right in his face(which I didn't expect to work), and after 6 weeks of ****ing about the work was done within 2 days.
So dealing with different individuals takes different methods of approach obviously.
Doesn't really matter either way, I had made the decision to leave after 3 weeks of ignoring my plea for help, who needs the stress of trying to do business with unprofessional idiots, easier to walk away.
I'm doing the landlord a favor, but it suits me as well
Most Dominican owners are clueless on what is right or wrong.
They get BS from the contractor who normally railroads them as he/she's the "expert" blah blah blah.
I called the engineer out in front of the owner and instead of explaining his reasons for doing something a certain way, he just said in his arrogant macho way... "That's how we do it here..." Many of these guys will lie just to save face, regardless of how stupid the answer is or even if they know it's wrong. After his come back, I then explained how it should be done in simple terms (owners benefit) and why. Then asked him if that made sense and if not not, why not. Response... "esta bien... esta bien..."
Game over!
Many of us on here have the advantage of seeing 1st world construction/engineering practices and techniques, so can make a comparison.
skyscraper?
I was in Juan Dolio last week and saw a 8-10 story building being built. At first it looked pretty normal.... but after looking at it for a while, I noticed something was completely absent- I-Beams. These guys were building a semi-skyscraper almost the same way that they build normal houses. I saw 50 or so of those 'tree' supports holding up the top story floor of cement. To their credit, there was a LOT of rebar in the concrete, and the four concrete support blocks on each floor were massive- probably 4'x4'......
But considering all the little shakes the D.R. has been experiencing of late..... I would not want to go anywhere near this building. It may topple like a child's block set. I can see a house being built with this technology, but a supposed skyscraper? I am not a structural engineer or anything, so I gotta ask: Am I way off on this?
On a positive note, I visited Bani today for the first time. The houses were all concrete and stunning. Many of them were out of my price-range, but I was impressed.
I was in Juan Dolio last week and saw a 8-10 story building being built. At first it looked pretty normal.... but after looking at it for a while, I noticed something was completely absent- I-Beams. These guys were building a semi-skyscraper almost the same way that they build normal houses. I saw 50 or so of those 'tree' supports holding up the top story floor of cement. To their credit, there was a LOT of rebar in the concrete, and the four concrete support blocks on each floor were massive- probably 4'x4'......
But considering all the little shakes the D.R. has been experiencing of late..... I would not want to go anywhere near this building. It may topple like a child's block set. I can see a house being built with this technology, but a supposed skyscraper? I am not a structural engineer or anything, so I gotta ask: Am I way off on this?
On a positive note, I visited Bani today for the first time. The houses were all concrete and stunning. Many of them were out of my price-range, but I was impressed.