- Read the terms of trade before signing, many of us do not, and it is too late to negotiate terms after a problem occurs.
- Inspect the piles as soon as they arrive and report and document any damage or questionable pieces immediately. Better still, inspect the piles before they leave the Hirer’s depot and mark them, this saves the cost of transporting unsuitable piles to the job site.
- Avoid hiring some of the newer, wider, deeper, sheet pile as they distort quicker in tougher driving conditions. 700mm width max.
- Avoid use of corners for watertight conditions unless absolutely necessary. More damage has been caused to sheet pile than anything else by forcing the pile in when the box is out of alignment.
- Plan for and be aware of loss due to damage, unable to extract, shortage & liquidation. Figure a percentage of loss into your pricing on the project.
- Allow in your price for cleaning costs of the sheets & dealing with the wash water on the job site. At Sheet Pile NZ Ltd we waterblast the sheets free of charge when you return them, saving you cost & dealing with wash water on site. You just scrape the excess soil off and remove gravel from the clutches before transporting.
- IMPORTANT!! If you anticipate a significant loss of piles during the project, pre-purchase a percentage of pile.
- Discuss pile driving techniques with your Site Foreperson prior to driving and emphasis the caution they must take not to damage pile. Many site people don’t understand the consequences of poor handling, driving and pulling techniques to the potential expensive damage cost it can cause. All damage to pile during installation & extraction is caused by operators.
- Select the appropriate pile & pile driving equipment for the job.
