Do it once, do it well, build a better New Zealand

I have been learning a little about the local concreting industry and what I have experienced does not make for happy reading. Our driveway, cracked in the earthquake, is being replaced. The boxing already in place, the day started with six men looking at the sky wondering about the weather. That was sensible. The guys on-site here to lay the concrete seemed like they knew what they were doing and I am happy that they did, because what followed was a completely farcical performance on the part of the concrete suppliers.

The first load of concrete eventually came and had to be rejected because the stones they used in the mix were larger than what had been specified. So the driver was sent away to do whatever one does with a rejected truck load of concrete. The second truck turns up about an hour later. This one not only had the incorrect size but was also the incorrect colour. Third time lucky then?

The third truck duly arrived and yes it seemed to be the real deal so was unloaded and laid out. However more was required. The fourth load of concrete, well that had been churning around in the back of the truck too long and was going off. Rejected.

So one out of four concrete trucks actually turned up with what with what had been requested. It’s a pretty poor statistic. It resulted in an incomplete pour on the day as can be seen, and some of this is going to have to be smashed out taken away and dumped.

With the demand for the construction going on ready-mixed concrete is a sellers’ market and it appears that quality control is an abandoned concept among them.

It’s a sad situation and I am afraid it bodes very badly for the rebuild of Christchurch.