Exterior Waterproofing of Two Warehouse Buildings
Alpine Painting was contracted to paint the exterior surfaces of two distribution facilities for SEAGIS Property Group. The facilities were located directly across from the SEAGIS corporate headquarters. During the period of time Alpine executed the job, the properties housed 8-10 tenants per building. For one of the buildings, Alpine was asked to paint a partial section of the interior in addition to the exterior.
More specifically, the scope of work for this assignment included: cleaning, preparing, priming, and painting the exterior perimeter elevations. The surfaces to be painted included masonry walls, metal walls/siding, windows, man doors/frames, handrails/railings, overhead doors, overhead door frames, dock levelers/loading dock lift gates, loading dock metal overhang surfaces, drip caps/coping, utility piping, metal staircases and building fire department connections. For only one of the buildings, Alpine painted the interior office foyer walls and railings.
A Multi-step Assignment
Given the number of years since the facilities were last painted and refurbished, substantial concrete repairs needed to be done and additional work was needed in caulking vertical expansion joints. Also, the surface preparation for this project was substantial. First, the crew had to cover and protect the surrounding surfaces of where the work was to be performed. Light plastic drops were then placed over shrubs and bushes so as to not damage or smother the landscaping.
Next, the crew supplied and erected all the necessary ladders and lifts required to gain access to the areas to be painted. Once in place, the areas were pressure washed using approximately 3000 PSI water pressure to enable removal of dirt, dust, and loose and peeling paint. Subsequently, the crew prepared surfaces to be painted by hand tool scraping the remaining loose and peeling paint. Other special surfaces were treated prior to painting, such as wire brushing rusted metal surfaces and patching minor, aesthetic repairs on concrete surfaces.
Lastly, Alpine placed tarps and plastic underneath the working area to contain paint chips. We also cleaned the immediate work area and removed paint chips and debris from the job site.
Meeting All Client Needs
Color selection and where it was to be painted on the buildings were important aspects of the project for the client. As the buildings had not been painted since their initial buildout, Alpine enlisted the help of a Sherwin Williams consultant to assist with color selection. We provided multiple renderings to the client to give them final say on which colors would be selected for the job.
The client asked Alpine to not inconvenience the tenants and to ensure they remain happy throughout the entire process. As part of Alpine’s strategy, we conducted a pre-construction walkthrough and met every tenant in the two buildings to build rapport. Our goal was to educate them on our process and listen to their concerns. Our proactive approach was successful as it kept an open line of communication with the tenants.
A Number of Challenges Along the Way
A high level of masonry craftsmanship was required for the project as the crew confronted several areas of ribbed block or fluted block joists. Sprayers were used to ensure timely coverage of the areas. To add further complications, the buildings were built on marsh wetlands where the crew encountered high wind patterns. The crew had to be very careful when spraying to avoid overspraying on vehicles and nearby structures.
Additionally, the project carried a large sense of urgency. Even with this tight deadline, Alpine never compromised the safety of the project. Our safety plan included:
- Performing a jobsite analysis to ensure we were JSHA compliant
- Utilizing fall protection when on lifts
- Implementing hazardous communication plans given our activity around active parking lots
Alpine Delivered on Its Promise Once Again
All challenges confronted while executing this project were handled expertly by Alpine's teams. First, to manage the odd wind patterns, the crews had to be very careful when spraying to avoid overspraying on vehicles and nearby structures. Second, the project’s timing meant we needed to complete the project in 30 days to avoid any upcoming harsh, cold weather. The way we accelerated the timeline was by assigning three crews scheduled from 7am to 7pm, Monday through Sunday. The crews did have to work longer hours than usual to complete the project in under 30 days.
