RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

Was looking over a contract and screaming (internally, so as not to disturb my neighbors) at my computer whilst reading it. 

The ground floor apartment in our block is being renovated and they've been digging up the entire concrete floor with pneumatic drills for the past week. Any of you experts in the building trade know why this would be necessary?

Well I'm by no means any expert but I'd hazard a guess that its because they're renovating it

Well I'm by no means any expert but I'd hazard a guess that its because they're renovating it

Yeah, probably some kid of construction work going on.  Changing how things look/work. Improvements. Nails/hammers etc. Drywall.

Yeah thanks guys, I was just wondering what kind of renovations they might be doing. We renovated our apartment 4 years agao and had a new floor put in but no drilling involved. I was wondering if it might have something to do with pipes.

Yeah thanks guys, I was just wondering what kind of renovations they might be doing. We renovated our apartment 4 years agao and had a new floor put in but no drilling involved. I was wondering if it might have something to do with pipes.

If they're drilling it probably has something to do with pipes.

I worked a temp job renovating some rooms for a hospital a few summers ago, we had to tear down all the drywall to get at the power outlets and shit. We also had to go to the rooms directly below and shift around some ceiling tiles to get at other stuff (not that I knew much about any of that, I was just on grunt work/cleanup duty).

The ground floor apartment in our block is being renovated and they've been digging up the entire concrete floor with pneumatic drills for the past week. Any of you experts in the building trade know why this would be necessary?

If it's an older building, perhaps they are replacing the heating pipes in the floor. So they have to dig out the old ones with the top layer of the floor.
Or they could be extending some of the rooms with the balcony area. When they do that, they dig up some of the floor to find the heating pipes so they can connect some more to it and bring the heating out to the balcony as well.

If it's an older building, perhaps they are replacing the heating pipes in the floor. So they have to dig out the old ones with the top layer of the floor.
Or they could be extending some of the rooms with the balcony area. When they do that, they dig up some of the floor to find the heating pipes so they can connect some more to it and bring the heating out to the balcony as well.

I think you're spot on with the balcony idea, I noticed it was sticking out a bit more this morning.

The ground floor apartment in our block is being renovated and they've been digging up the entire concrete floor with pneumatic drills for the past week. Any of you experts in the building trade know why this would be necessary?

Underground cables/plumbing that have degraded/cracked causing faults that can't be fixed another way I would assume. Cosmetic work would not normally involve replacing foundation material.

     Speaking of breaking up concrete flooring in Korean businesses, one thing that really irritates me is the ubiquitousness of unfinished poured concrete flooring in Korean businesses.
It was kind of cool the first time I saw it: a nicely varnished and polished coating over concrete gave off a sort of minimalist hipster kind of vibe, but after seeing it for the millionth time, I realise its just a cheap time and money saver. Similarly, that unfinished look that many ceilings have here in Korea what with all the ducts and wiring exposed is also super common. I mean, come on, that's just super lazy...   

     Speaking of breaking up concrete flooring in Korean businesses, one thing that really irritates me is the ubiquitousness of unfinished poured concrete flooring in Korean businesses.
It was kind of cool the first time I saw it: a nicely varnished and polished coating over concrete gave off a sort of minimalist hipster kind of vibe, but after seeing it for the millionth time, I realise its just a cheap time and money saver. Similarly, that unfinished look that many ceilings have here in Korea what with all the ducts and wiring exposed is also super common. I mean, come on, that's just super lazy...   

Don't forget the subway tile and exposed brickwork for that 'NY Loft' feel.

I think you're spot on with the balcony idea, I noticed it was sticking out a bit more this morning.

It's not supposed to stick out. Older apartments have a crapload of balconies. Basically it looks like:  living room and there is a window, then there is the balcony and another window. And then the outside world after that. So people like to get rid of some of this balcony space to extend their rooms. They take out the inner window, bring out the heating to the balcony and lay down a new floor. So the former balcony becomes part of the living room or a bedroom.

     Speaking of breaking up concrete flooring in Korean businesses, one thing that really irritates me is the ubiquitousness of unfinished poured concrete flooring in Korean businesses.
It was kind of cool the first time I saw it: a nicely varnished and polished coating over concrete gave off a sort of minimalist hipster kind of vibe, but after seeing it for the millionth time, I realise its just a cheap time and money saver. Similarly, that unfinished look that many ceilings have here in Korea what with all the ducts and wiring exposed is also super common. I mean, come on, that's just super lazy...   

Couldn't agree more. I tried a new Italian restaurant the other day in my neighbourhood in a basement and it had the decor you decribed above.  I just found it really depressing, not quirky or novel. 

It's not supposed to stick out. Older apartments have a crapload of balconies. Basically it looks like:  living room and there is a window, then there is the balcony and another window. And then the outside world after that. So people like to get rid of some of this balcony space to extend their rooms. They take out the inner window, bring out the heating to the balcony and lay down a new floor. So the former balcony becomes part of the living room or a bedroom.

yes I see what you mean now.

     Speaking of breaking up concrete flooring in Korean businesses, one thing that really irritates me is the ubiquitousness of unfinished poured concrete flooring in Korean businesses.
It was kind of cool the first time I saw it: a nicely varnished and polished coating over concrete gave off a sort of minimalist hipster kind of vibe, but after seeing it for the millionth time, I realise its just a cheap time and money saver. Similarly, that unfinished look that many ceilings have here in Korea what with all the ducts and wiring exposed is also super common. I mean, come on, that's just super lazy...   

Couldn't agree more. I tried a new Italian restaurant the other day in my neighbourhood in a basement and it had the decor you decribed above.  I just found it really depressing, not quirky or novel. 

Have you ever noticed when you're out and about the number of footprints in the side walks?  Have you ever seen the road crew painting the crossings? They don't close the road or redirect traffic they just let cars drive over the freshly painted markings as they go. Everything is done as quickly as possible and ain't nobody got time for letting things dry!

Restaurants and shops are left like that so when they go busto in a couple months the new doomed to fail business can be in and set up as quickly as possible.

빨리 빨리 before anything else. 

how do businesses decide on their.. businesses? i mean, near me, a bar opened up. it sold shitty italian food and cocktails. it looked shite. it also closed down in 6 months. did the owner not do any surveys or research into what the locals wanted?

i feel like a lot of new businesses operate under the field of dreams quote: "build it, and they will come"

how do businesses decide on their.. businesses? i mean, near me, a bar opened up. it sold shitty italian food and cocktails. it looked shite. it also closed down in 6 months. did the owner not do any surveys or research into what the locals wanted?

i feel like a lot of new businesses operate under the field of dreams quote: "build it, and they will come"

Ice cream shops.

That's not shops selling home made ice cream or baskin robins style shops but shops literally selling ice creams and ice bars you'd find in any convenience store  BUT

They actually pay rent for a building and they open in the middle of winter in places with a lower footfall than Cyaena's waygook log in saved passwords list.

Ice cream shops.

That's not shops selling home made ice cream or baskin robins style shops but shops literally selling ice creams and ice bars you'd find in any convenience store  BUT

They actually pay rent for a building and they open in the middle of winter in places with a lower footfall than Cyaena's waygook log in saved passwords list.

yeah one opened next to me. however, this one also sells decent imported beers cheaper than the local marts/convenience stores (not sure how though?), so i think they're onto something

Ice cream shops.

That's not shops selling home made ice cream or baskin robins style shops but shops literally selling ice creams and ice bars you'd find in any convenience store  BUT

They actually pay rent for a building and they open in the middle of winter in places with a lower footfall than Cyaena's waygook log in saved passwords list.

The fact that they survive on such a low margin, low-volume business model makes me think there's something up, either speculative real estate or some sort of front.

The fact that they survive on such a low margin, low-volume business model makes me think there's something up, either speculative real estate or some sort of front.

You never know, when I was in Prague I saw a particular convenience mart owner driving around in a Ferrari and my friends leaving his store with cocaine.