Beach Cabana Construction

Throughout the Beach Cabana Construction Project, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date with significant highlights.

February 2021

• Concrete poured on the Ground Floor.  The contractor will begin preparation for pouring the concrete slabs for the 1^st and 2^nd floors

January 2021

• Construction contract awarded to Baldwin Construction, signed by Jerry Saxon, BRRA Board President on January 8^th and construction commenced on January 11^th

• Baldwin completed installation of preconstruction silt fence, removed landscaping from construction site, removed old pavers and curbing from to install conduit and pipe connections.

December 2020

• We are pleased to announce that the construction contract for the Beach Cabana has been awarded to Baldwin Construction
• Pre-construction stages of the project will begin on Monday, January 4, 2021
  • Scheduling materials and subcontractors
• The current construction schedule allows for 240 days to complete
  • Using this calculation, we anticipate that the Beach Cabana should be available to residents by August 31st

August 2020

• Board signed architectural contract with Pike, McFarland, Hall Associates, Inc. (PMH)
• Contract for architectural services negotiated
• Cabana Design Team appointed
• Summons and complaint (lawsuit) filed

Our goal is to bring greater transparency and build the trust of the community in the board. 

July 2020

• Building site debris removed
• Presentation of preliminary cabana design by Pike, McFarland, Hall Associates, Inc. (PMH) to BRRA Board if Directors for review

June 2020

• Sixty-day waiting period ends
• Board interviewed architect
• Architects contacted
  • One of three contacted suitable

Progress on the cabana project has been delayed since early this year and we understand the frustration this has caused. We were disappointed when we found significant deficiencies which necessitated a halt to construction. The rest, as they say, is history. We are looking to a brighter future with a new cabana as soon is feasible.

The "waiting period" for the legal process on the cabana project is now over. We obtained the names of three architects who were qualified to take over the project.  However, one did not respond; the other two made presentations. Both of these architects were well qualified, but only one could provide service suitable for our needs, Pike, McFarland, Hall Associates, Inc. (PMH). We have asked PMH to complete a proposal for designs of a new cabana to which they agreed. A new design is necessary as the previous architect has deemed his design to be copyrighted and forbids us to use it.

Over the next several weeks we plan to have the construction site cleared of the wood framing, beams, trusses, defective columns and debris.

May 2020

• Legal waiting period
• Response received from architect's attorney

April 2020

• Tuesday, April 28

In the Board’s first update to the Barefoot Community, we did not outline our plan moving forward with construction of the Cabana.  We apologize for creating the misimpression that the Board has no plan and the concern this generated within the Community.  The Board does have a plan.  While we did not provide the details, we did explain them to each of the Voting Members last week.  This update will serve to give you as much information of the Board’s plan as our attorneys have advised that we can share at this time given the impending litigation.
 
South Carolina law provides for a sixty (60) day period during which the contractor, architect, engineer and the truss manufacturer, after receiving notice from our attorney and a copy of the report from our engineer, have the right to visit the construction site with their attorneys and experts.  These parties are entitled to inspect the construction site and have, by statute, until the end of the sixty (60) day period to advise the Board if they want to exercise the right to fix the deficiencies detailed in our engineer’s report.  Until this decision is made, all construction on the Cabana must stop and can only be restarted once the Board is advised they have decided not to fix the deficiencies detailed by our engineer.
 
When the Board is notified of their choice, we will move forward with the construction of the Cabana.  The current construction contractor has exceeded his license, so we are moving to replace him during the sixty (60) days while construction must be stopped on the Cabana.  Our engineer has found no problems with the masonry work, and that only the wood trusses and other wood work will need to be removed and replaced.
 
We have contacted other contractors and they are in the process of providing the Board with professional estimates to remove the wood trusses and other wood work and complete the construction of the Cabana.  As the Board will soon be in litigation, we will select our new construction contractor with input from our attorneys.  It is the Board’s intention to re-start construction on day sixty-one (61).  When construction is restarted, we will be able to give the approximate date on which the Cabana will be completed.
 
The Board has reviewed the Association’s finances, and we have enough money in the One Percent Marketing Fund to complete the Cabana.  For this reason, the Board will move forward with the construction of the Cabana while the litigation is ongoing.  It is our intention to recover all of the funds the Board is required to spend above the original contract price of the Cabana.
 
We trust this update provides some answers to the path forward.  As we move forward the Board will provide the Barefoot Community with updates.  In the meantime, if you have questions, need to air your frustrations or just want more information, we urge you to contact the Board directly.  We will give you as much information as we can without compromising our legal claims.  Eventually, we will be able to discuss with the entire Barefoot Community all aspects of issues faced at the Cabana, and at that time address all of the rumors and dispel the incorrect stories which are circulating.

• Friday, April 24

On February 4, 2019, the Association entered into a contract with D3G Architects to design the Beach Cabana.  On April 19, 2019, the Association entered into a contract with JM Allen Construction to serve as the general contractor for the construction of the Cabana.

Construction began in early January 2020.  Adam Buckler, Ponderosa Management’s Director of Maintenance discovered the hangers and truss plates were galvanized which differed from the structural plans which called for stainless steel.  Therefore, on March 4, 2020, Terracon, an independent consulting firm hired by the Association to perform special inspections at the project issued a report stating that the truss hangers being installed at the project were not the type specified in the structural plans.  The concern is that the truss connectors are subject to corrosion because they are not Hot-Dip galvanized or stainless steel.  This report was provided to the contractor and architect.

Thereafter, the project architect, project engineer and contractor attempted to develop a plan to correct the use of the wrong materials without having to remove and replace the materials.  The architect and engineer contacted the truss manufacturer and recommended a coating of the installed materials in order to provide the materials with the proper anti-corrosion properties.  The general contractor began the coating process.

The Association hired Scott Coffman, P.E. of the engineering firm Construction Science & Engineering to analyze the existing conditions at the project and provide an opinion as to the coating process being utilized at the project.  Mr. Coffman performed a site visit on April 8, 2020.  After conducting a site visit, Mr. Coffman conducted research regarding the materials installed at the project and the materials being used for the coating process.

Following his research, Mr. Coffman stated that, in his opinion, the materials installed at the project were improper and not suitable for a coastal environment.  Mr. Coffman further stated that the coating process being used by the contractor was not acceptable.  As a result, Mr. Coffman has recommended that all metal plate wood trusses should be removed and replaced with proper materials.

April 2, 2020:  The general contractor issued Change Order Proposal No. 9 wherein the contractor requested the sum of $694,991.70 in additional funds for “overages to the job cost” due to the inability to construct the project for the contract price of $1.5 million.

• The Association has not accepted this Change Order.  The additional amount of the cost of construction has caused the total project cost to exceed the general contractor’s license limitations and the general contractor can no longer legally work on the project.

As a result of the above-referenced items, the Association, after consultation with counsel, has terminated its contracts with the general contractor and the architect and is initiating claims against the general contractor, architect, engineer and truss manufacturer in order to recover the additional cost associated with the repair and completion of this project.

March 2020

• Thursday, March 5
  We continue to make progress at the Beach Cabana. While there has been minimal slowing of the construction due to the rain, you can see from the photos below that we are moving along with the floor trusses and LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) beams.

• Sunday, March 1
  We have had a lot of rain over the last several weeks. While the contractor has not lost any time due to the rain, they have not been able to move ahead of schedule. We are still anticipating the construction process to be completed sometime in September 2020.
  The block work is in the final stages and the contractors have begun to install the floor trusses. The framing work continues. There is a possibility that time can be gained during the framework construction.

February 2020

• February 14, 2020
  During the February 10th BRRA Board Meeting, Adam Buckler notified the attendees that the floor trusses were due and framing would begin once the floor trusses are installed. We are pleased to inform you that the floor trusses have indeed arrived!
  The masons are completing the last of the block work. Hereafter, visible progress will be reported as the construction team transfers to interior construction. We will share the progress being made inside the Beach Cabana when we have information that is measurable.
• February 6, 2020
  Since our last update, there has been significant progress on the exterior walls. Once this is completed, the material will be removed from the second parking lot.
  We anticipate the delivery of the floor trusses on or before Monday, February 10th. The floor trusses are used to provide support to the upper floors that will be framed. Once again if the weather cooperates, we anticipate one week to complete installation.
  Please note that the second parking lot is being used as a construction staging area. On occasion the contractors may be using the third parking lot for their vehicles.
• February 1, 2020
  Construction on the Beach Cabana continues to progress at a good pace. At this point, the elevator shaft is even with the third floor of the condo next door and is almost done. The construction team is working to complete the stairwell and the exterior walls. In just a few weeks, they will begin the interior framing and start to run electrical wires and cable.

January 2020

• January 16, 2020
  Other than some heavy rains this past Monday and some showers in the area this morning, the weather in North Myrtle Beach has been very nice. As a result, the Beach Cabana wall construction has begun.
  Unfortunately, the weather forecast for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday is calling for overnight temperatures to dip into the low thirties. The concrete blocks cannot be laid when temperatures fall below 38 degrees thus impacting our progress. The good news is that the weather is anticipated to warm back up into the 50’s by mid-week.
• January 3, 2020
  Pile installation at the Beach Cabana has been completed. The construction team is currently installing the rebar forms for the footings.

November 2019

• November 22, 2019
  Pile-driving is scheduled to begin on December 13th. This part of the project is expected to last roughly two weeks.
• November 11, 2019
  The building permit for the Beach Cabana was issued and picked up today.  The contractor will schedule construction with his subcontractors.  The Board will notify Barefoot owners when it receives a revised construction schedule.

October 2019

• October 3, 2019
  Many questions are being asked about what is happening with the Beach Cabana construction?
  
  The Beach Cabana building plan was submitted to the City of North Myrtle Beach and approved.
  
  The initial plans submitted met code and required setbacks. The City of North Myrtle Beach then scheduled a meeting to review the entire set of drawings which consists of the floor plan, site plan, elevations, electrical, plumbing, landscape, etc. The City has a process in place that includes a 7 – 10-day comment period. This process requires a response from the architect. Thus far, nothing submitted has been rejected by the City. However, even if there is one minor modification let’s say to the plumbing for example, the architect is required to reply and then the City has another 7-10-day to respond back. This process is taking longer than anticipated.
  
  In speaking with our architect and construction team this morning, they are confident that the back and forth process is now complete and are expecting the permit shortly.

September 2019

• Tuesday, September 12
  • The Cabana was surveyed and staked for pilings
  • Piling stakes are marked by flags
  • We are expecting to hear from the city by next week regarding the pile driving permit

August 2019

• Tuesday, August 27
  • Piling removal complete
  • Next steps:  Fill and compaction
• Monday, August 26
  • Pilings lifted and removed
• Friday, August 23
  • Fencing around the construction site is complete
  • Removal of the Beach Cabana is complete
  • Concrete slab (where the showers were) is being broken up and removed 
• Thursday, August 22
  • The removal of the Beach Cabana continues
  • Temporary fencing is being installed around the construction site
• Wednesday, August 21
  • In the early am, the equipment was delivered to start the demolition process
  • Demolition has begun!
• Monday, August 19
  • All utilities were disconnected