Different building techniques overseas - What ones have you noticed?

[Ted]

I have noticed a number of ways that Angolans build that is different to in the UK...

a) When rendering, Angolans use a hawk and a gauging trowel. They throw the muck on the wall with the trowel and then use the hawk as a float!

b) It is rare to use u-bends on waste pipes!

c) A builder is either a labourer or a skilled tradesman. Aside from plumbers and electricians, if he/she is skilled he/she is a bricklayer, plasterer, tiler, painter/decorator, roofer etc all in one... I have yet to meet a competent Angolan plasterer, tiler or a competent painter and the bricklaying has only consisted of block laying so far...

d) Wood is generally the most expensive material to build with and so everyting is built from masonry or metal unless the client is extremely rich.

e) Angle beads do not exist so plastering reveals is labourius.

f) Skips do not exist so fly tipping is the norm. Generally if you take your truck to a poor neighbourhood, they will relieve you of your rubbish.

g) All concrete or mortar is generally made as a 3 parts sand/aggregate to one part cement, whether this be concrete for a slab, a fence post, mortar or render. This is generally as the quality of sand and aggregate is so poor I think but as a bag of cement is now $22.00 unless bulk ordered it makes building pricey.

h) They call rendering plastering but don't plaster as they render everything. Plaster is not available.

g) They pour their own lintels here... pre-cast ones are not available.

h) Unless the house is for an exceedingly rich guy who specifies European standards, they don't really bother with foundations for walls and pour floor slabs of between 1" and 2"! Surprisingly few walls show signs of subsidence although I have spotted too may cracked slabs.

i) Although the firm I work for has banned it and provides steel toe cap boots, it is common for builders to work barefoot and I also saw this in South Africa.

j) Instead of carrying things on their shoulders they carry things on their heads.

k) Most tools available are made in China and are horrific - unless you go to the odd very expensive shop which imports stuff from the US or Europe. In these stores a 10m tape measure (admittedly a very nice one from Germany) will cost you $160.00 and a pair of steel toe capped boots by Timberland will cost you an eye watering $340.00.

l) Skirting boards, architraves and other bits of decorative timber are not available so you have to make your own. They generally don't bother and in a high end refurbishment often prefer concrete architraves and skirtings.

Those are the main ones I can think of...

What oddities have you noticed overseas in the building game?

[James.Q]

when i worked in holland all blockpaving and flags were laid on sand 1mtr thick and kerb aswell never used concrete .

[surreyhillslandscapes.com]

I worked in France for a few weeks, they all seemed to go to lunch and then not come back till the next day?? ...very strange..

[James.Q]

i wanna work there

[lutonlagerlout]

i worked in spain and we had 5 hour *lunches*
they too have those weird gauging trowels the handles are at right angles to the blade
very slow imho
also in spain the brickie does near enough everything too
footings,shuttering,brickwork,stonework,roofing,plastering,tiling
its a funny set up but i hear they are using more EEC standards now
LLL

[Dave_L]

when i worked in holland all blockpaving and flags were laid on sand 1mtr thick and kerb aswell never used concrete .

1 metre thick???????

[James.Q]

yes 1 mtr thick

[matt h]

In Iraq and Kuwait everything is concrete, but they shutter with ordinary pieces of any timber they can find and there appears to be no regulation control. Labourers are mostly thia and bangaladesie, and dont appear to have a clue what they are supposed to be doin.. they are even shite at digging holes... watched a whole bus load turn up to dig a series of three metre trenches... took them half an hour of babblin before anyone lifted a shovel, and then they all dug like mad men for about fifteen minutes before stopping for chai Once they started again it wasnt long before they hit bedrock, and that was that, more babblin and wailing and they all got on the bus and left. I inspected the hole and found they had only dug down about two feet... My partner and I had already dug 12 trenches the day before and that was through rock the hardway, and not through dense sand like these herberts. Any timber that gets left on site is purloined and used for bread bakin ovens... You had to watch your tools like a hawk.. had my estwing hammer stolen whilst working in a hospital! I must admit to having a ragin fit and just packed the rest of my gear and ordered the whole gang out. B oss wasnt too chuffed, but none of the lads was prepared to go back there after in any case.

[Ted]

Protective eyewear has a habit of going missing here.

Can't buy them glasses - they will wear them as a fashion statement.

Only crappy goggles!