After Arch Cot there was the usual 7 day outrage shown by all. The scientist were out in numbers speaking to the issues. The Town Planning and Barbados Standards Institute did there PR. Barbadians were made to feel like all the resources would be mobilized to move heaven and earth to ensure there is no recurrence.

What happened?

@General Lee,you are so right, “the builder in this case appears to be as clueless as those who contract them”
When we are seeing here is probably the practice and propensity of both parties to flout the law in their home land. (nuff said).There is a big difference between Wall and Timber Constructions.
Recently somewhere in the Parish Land Area of Christ Church,a 1950 era bungalow (the typical square type) had an upper storey added. The original structure is bearing little or none of the added weight as the new floor/roof is resting on a series of columns from a new foundation.
@Nostramus. I am disapointed with the last two Coroners inquests that were conducted, ie The Joes River tragedy,and the Collymore Rock explosion. These inquests need to draw from the resources of real Expert Witnesses,

With the dramatic and significant growth in walled structures on the island someone better be there to oversee the standards and codes that these structures will require if not it will be only a matter of time before something tragic happens. Hopefully the authorities would not wait until it is too late before the move to action and set in place specific standards that the builders are to adhere to. E.g proper certification of anyone that is involved in constructing commercial buildings and residential buildings on the island. One must keep in mind that these homes are not the typical wooden sturctures of the past but are made from material that are tons in weight. The town and country planning should be as proactive as ever in setting the standards for all types of construction that are currently going on in Bdos.

General Lee,3rd August @ 6.50 a.m
You’ve said a mouth full, I fear that the building standards of barbados has been compermised by some non-nationals who would do any job for a dollar. I have seen houses being built and no continuing steel from starter bars in the base to ringbeam. The floor is cast , then the walls built up and steel just dropped in block holes and then the holes filled with concrete. If that wall is bounced too hard it will fall, the steel and concrete in the wall is a total waste. I see so much bad work being done that it scares me that many newly built houses in barbados cannot withstand a Cat 1 hurricane.

This topic has been well visited by Grenville Phillips II:

http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2008/02/12/structural-engineer-grenville-phillips-iii-knows-construction-but-nothing-about-laws-and-the-rule-of-law/

http://researching.wordpress.com/

Keep blaming the non-nationals. In my experience I have seen many many bajan contractors doing shoddy work…so don’t be fooled.

The real point is that without the building code and proper certification of each major step in the construction process, we are going to keep having major issues with contractors doing sub-standard work and cutting corners.

Please note that there are good contractors out there…when you can get them.

W B A
The way I was taught coinstruction by the trusted old contractors/builders. The base is cleaned properly, the footing beam is put in place and elevated about three inches from the bottom to allow concrete under the beam. Starter are tyed to the footiing beam and extends beyond the poured floor by about three inches. After the floor is poured and the walls are ready to build,four foot length steel is then tyed, with at lease a one foot lap, to the steel that extends from the footing. This steel is added.until you reach the ringbeam height. The steel then goes up and tyed to the steel in the ringbeam. Concrete is poured into every block hole which has steel. By doing this the entire house is strapped down from footing right on to ringbeam. For further strengthening and less chances for cracks, a relatively new product is used called brickforce. The is placed horizontally at about every three tiers of blocks. When the building is so constructed and the right concrete (PSI) mixture is used, that building would stand a better chance to withstand a Cat: 3 or even 4 hurricane. There is also recommended systems to lock the roof beams unto the ringbeam. Unfortunately, too many houses in barbados are being constructed by workmen, who know little about building, hence many houses and a few commercial structures I know, in barbados, might like beautiful but they are structurally unsound and can crumble under stress from even a Cat 1 huricane.

I work in construction i can tell from first glance if the artisan is a old Barbadian a young Barbadian a Vincy or a Guyanese, they all have they own way of doing things some are above but most are below acceptable standers.

Let me tell you most of the small scale construction being done is for women that have no experience in construction and most of them are being taking advantage of. unfortunately when natural disaster strikes these are the said places we want to be the most secure, but there are not,not even by a long shot.

And we even getting earthquakes now.
Now is the time to enforce standers not laps.

WBA
The rafters on the roof should have been tyed to the same steel that comes from the starter bars. There is a number of ways to secure the rafters, the one I like is to bend the 1/2 inch steel into a slot over the rafter with the end extendind about 4 inch down the other side os the rafter. When the beam fill between the rafters is poured, this locks off the steel. It will be difficult for the roof to be lifted off. However, the construction of the roof itself is important to stop it’s destruction in case of a huricane. These methods I’ve outlined is no more expensive but it takes some skill and patience which is lacking in this “fastfood” era. The main problem today is (1) lack of knowledge and (2) lack of pride in their workmanship. Why build a house for a couple hundred thousand dollars and then compermise it with sloppy workmanship? The building code is long overdue

Returning Nationals and Women are most at risk this is unfortunate because in the event of a natural disaster these groups of people are the least able to fen for they own. Who qualifies these so called artisans to be able to work and command the high salaries that they do.

@ the scout good point about the insurance companies. Haby someone should alert them to the fact that a stitch in time would save nine in this case. Mandatory certification for a contractor would mean that the contractor would be liable in the case were what is built is substandard.

@WBA

Looks like your submission pushed Grenville to go to the media one more time. He does read the blogs and is a blogger himself.

I’m sorry I didn’t get back to this post before but this matter needs prompt attention, as it bothers me greatly as I drive around this country. I hope the powers that be can whip up some interst in the authorities to make that matter a priority as the more the trend is allowed to continue, the greater the costs will be in case of a natural disaster.

Ready Done
Your point about agriculture is also very important. There are three things that bother me most; (1) the contouring of the land which leads to the top soil being washed away (2)the misuse and/or overuse of chemicals and (3) the use of chemicals that have a big black marking on the container “FOR EXPORT ONLY

ru4real
Bape will not or better still cannot say anything simple because some serious mistakes or maybe serious shortcuts have also been made by some of their own. Additionally, some of the leading construction companies are also guilty of some alleged shoddy work and deliberate shortcuts. This building industry is in disarray and getting worse by the day. Question: Has the chinese been using any of that building steel they use in their country which appears to be faulty/weak in the car park on President Kennedy Drive? Or for that matter on any of the other projrcts they are doing or have done?

There is a business in Newton,BSW which seems to import most of the reinforced steel that comes into the island. Frequently you can see some old trucks loaded down with heavy coils coming out of the Port. It would be interesting to know if this is some of that Chinese steel.

Hook & ladder
Are you serious? I know when they were building the Gym, they were growing they own vegies and was using thet own stool/feeces as mature. That’s why I never buy anything from them. Is this the kind of Barbados we will have in another 20 years? I’ll be gone by then , but my offspring would have to adapt to this.

The Scout

ru4real
Bape will not or better still cannot say anything simple because some serious mistakes or maybe serious shortcuts have also been made by some of their own. Additionally, some of the leading construction companies are also guilty of some alleged shoddy work and deliberate shortcuts.
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Scout you are absolutely correct.
Slip shod and a ‘we have always done it this way attitude. ‘( look at the roads)
This was evident in the ABC highway.
Under the management of 3S international standards were upheld in construction yet they were barraged with criticism from Bape some of whom ranted on about outdated methods used in places like Canada (which are not suitable for a small island like Barbados .)
Others just did not have the international experience and technical know how necessary for a modern highway.
Now the bodge up brigade are in charge again – silence.

In the event of a hurricane or very high winds many of us are worried about loosing the roof of our home . The winds usually gets under the eaves of the roof and attempts to push it up, at the same time the wind going over the roof must speed up to overcome the obstacle of the roof sticking up in the air.As a result the pressure drops, creating a depression(under 14.7 PSI) which attempts to suck the roof off. The pressure under the roof and suction on top,the roof is prone to lifting.On a visit to a far way country recently, I noticed that many builders have ,reduced the wind pressure under the eaves of the roof considerably by simply angling the ceiling under the eaves.

@Carl Devonish…

*Exactly* what hotel in London are you speaking of?

Ezekiel Padmore if a wood hut drop down on you you night even be able to hold it up while somebody go outside and prop it properly.