A crew of ironworkers carries and sets more than 7 million pounds of steel rebar over 400 days. Watch them battle design flaws, architectural changes, irate subcontractors and the uncooperative weather.
House of Glass , High Rises and Glass , Designers decide to use a glass and aluminum facade for their high rise.
House of Glass , Glass Wall Installation , After months of testing, installation of the curtain wall finally begins.
House of Glass , Glass Issues , A worker installing glass paines tries to get everything to fit properly.
Mud Men , Fixing the Deck , A construction worker uncovers a problem with the deck and solves the problem.
Mud Men , Unhappy Worker , A scaffolding worker is coming under strain from his job. Other members of the crew react.
Mud Men , Starting to Pour , Workers pour a removeable concrete slab called a "ratslab".
Mud Men , Frustration with the Iron Workers , Workers begin pouring the first structural floor, but are delayed due to debris.
Mud Men , Crane Lift , Tension builds amongst the crew when a crane is dismantled and lifted higher.
Pipe Pullers , Pipe Installation , Workers install various pipes in a high rise condo.
Pipe Pullers , Plumbers Hang Pipes , Plumbers assemble the puzzle of thousands of pipes.
Pipe Pullers , Precise Pipe Measurement , Plumbers use blueprints to place pipes.
Race to the Finish , Finishing Touches , Workers plans and construct walls and interiors for soon-to-be-finished condo units.
Race to the Finish , Almost Complete , Workers realize that interior drywall is two months behind schedule.
Race to the Finish , Finishing Up the Job , Crew members collect scraps for recycling and carpenters must re-do a unit affected by water damage.
Rodbusters , Prepping the Rebar , A construction worker prepares rebar for concrete to be poured.
Rodbusters , Drilling Issues , Unexpected groundwater prevents the crew from drilling a foundation.
Rodbusters , Top Down Construction Tested , Workers attempt the first ever top-down construction project in Los Angeles.
Rodbusters , Rebar Problem , The crew discovers a problem installing a column.
Rodbusters , Connecting it Together , A construction worker races against time to complete rebar installation.
Sparkies , Fire Alarm Installers , Workers race to meet a deadline to install junction boxes for fire alarms.
Sparkies , Problems with Electrical Installation , The crew must precisely install electrical boxes but problems ensue.
House of Glass,Jake prepares the track.
House of Glass,Brian at work.
House of Glass,Curtain wall panels ready to install.
House of Glass,Side of evo.
Mud Men,The workers pour the concrete.
Mud Men,Northwest side of Evo building.
Mud Men,Southeast side of Evo building.
Mud Men,Rebar ends.
Mud Men,The workers stand in the cement.
Mud Men,The workers pour concrete.
Mud Men,Highlighted balcony section above pool deck.
Mud Men,Northwest side of Evo building with elevator cores highlighted.
Pipe Pullers,A plumber's blueprint book.
Pipe Pullers,Water super highway.
Pipe Pullers,A working starts cutting off the end of a pipe.
Pipe Pullers,Ceiling waterworks join pipes on the ceiling.
Race to the Finish,Kitchen cabinet layout.
Race to the Finish,Otis guys onto of the elevator motors.
Race to the Finish,Cabinet installation underway.
Race to the Finish,Installing Harwood floors.
Race to the Finish,Protecting cabinets.
Rodbusters,A contractor runs cables through the wall frames.
Rodbusters,Initial columns.
Rodbusters,Computer generated image of a building.
Rodbusters,Overhead rebar layout.
Rodbusters,A building under construction reaches the 9th floor.
Rodbusters,Floor in progress.
Sparkies,Danger sign.
Sparkies,BTS cable pull from parking level.
Sparkies,Preparing power outlets.
A crew of ironworkers from Fontana Steel carries and painstakingly sets more than 7 million pounds of steel rebar over 400 days. They are led by the 32-year-old first-time foreman Julio Sandoval and his salty supervisor, Ed Collier. From day one, it's a challenge for the new guy and they are under the gun of a relentless schedule. The very first deck is plagued with the design problems and engineering changes that create even further delays. Julio and his team fall a month behind and he becomes the target of his fellow foremen's furor over the slipping schedule as the other trades can't get started until the ironworkers are done. The ironworkers battle these design flaws and architectural changes, as well as irate subcontractors and the occasionally uncooperative weather. Plus, a building boom in L.A. leaves them understaffed and constantly initiating new batches of "punk" apprentices. In a world that has become ever more mechanized, the ironworkers ply a trade that is very much about tough physical labor. In all, they will lay down a thousand miles of reinforcing bar.
Jim Stammer Lead SuperintendentHoward S. Wright Inc.
As a superintendent for the general contractor, Stammer's job is to supervise the over two dozen sub-contractors hired to build Evo.
Julio Sandoval Foreman Fontana Steel
Concrete needs to be reinforced with steel rebar to keep it from collapsing. Julio's job is to make sure all the rebar exactly matches Evo's structural plans.
Ed Collier Supervisor Fontana Steel
Evo's 87 columns extend up from the ground through the building. Ed's crew inserts pre-built steel cages onto rebar sticking up from the column below.
How do you pour and shape the 94 million pounds of liquid stone that go into making Evo? On this job the "Prince of the Pour" is Lynn Call, who shows us tricks of the trade including vibrating poles and double-bladed riders that skim over the finished decks like mini Zambonis. Working a step ahead of the concrete crew Arciero Brothers are the form carpenters from Sanmar Construction, whose job it is to build the deck and wall forms that support and shape thousands of pounds of wet concrete. The crew includes veteran foreman Steve Siglar, who has to battle deadlines, delays and ironworkers; his supervisor, Doug Will, a hardworking boss whose two modes seem to be fuming and fretting; 45 year old Robin Esquiro, in charge of wall forms, who is working for the first time with his son, 22 year old apprentice Robbie. All of Evo's structural elements will be constructed of reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete is the material of choice for a residential high-rise. It's far more malleable than structural steel beams, offering better sound proofing and thinner floors.
Steve Siglar Foreman SanMar Construction
Before a floor can be poured, it has to be built. That job goes to another subcontractor, SanMar Construction. Their crew is lead by veteran form carpenter Steve Siglar.
?Bubba? Esquiro Apprentice SanMar Construction
Robbie "Bubba" Esquiro starts this job as a 22-year-old. His father and veteran form carpenter, Robin Esquiro, got him on the job as an apprentice.
Doug Will Supervisor SanMar Construction
As supervisor of SanMar Construction's form carpenters, Will works to ensure that the crew stays on schedule despite many obstacles.
A small army of plumbers installs more than 170,000 feet of iron and copper pipe, and builds the immensely complex system that will bring hot and cold water to more than 3,000 faucets, showers, toilets and appliances. We are with them from their first day on the job, as they nail down precise locations for hundreds of pipes that run inside walls that haven't yet been built. We follow as they assemble a "thousand-piece puzzle of pipe," and tag along with the inspector who has to give his blessing to each piece of this mind-boggling maze. We also follow crews from other trades building parallel systems: sprinkler fitters, methane barrier riggers and "tinknockers" who put together Evo's HVAC (heating/ventilation/air conditioning) ducts.
Tim McCardy Foreman Murray Company
McCardy, a 30 year, third generation plumber, and his crew lay down "cans," steel cylinders open at both ends that create holes once concrete is poured.
Filipe Casiana Foreman Murray Company
To get water to each of Evo's over 3000 plumbing fixtures, Casiana's crew has to install the correct size pipe to keep the water pressure constant.
Robert Shelley Finishing Plumber Murray Company
Shelley, who prefers to go by the name "Sponge Bob," is in charge of the finish plumbing, which includes installing toilets, sinks, faucets, tubs, etc.
A team of electricians led by the jovial Bob Mott runs more than 2 million feet of wire to power up 20,000 outlets, receptacles and light fixtures. They spend their first few months laying down junction boxes and "smurf" tube conduit that will be imbedded in Evo's concrete decks. Then a core team rigs each floor with switchgear — high-tech control units that serve as both main breakers and electronic power meters. After the interior framing goes up, a "rough-in" crew blasts through each floor, "boxing" (attaching wall boxes to the framing), "roping" (running wire through the walls), running "home runs" (wires that connect to a unit's subpanel) and "stabbing" (inserting the conduit into each electrical box). A data crew runs cable for Internet, phone and TV. Once it's all installed, tested and inspected, a crew unlocks the vault — an underground bunker where 34,500 volts are harnessed, bringing Evo the 4,000 amps it will consume when fully inhabited.
Bob Mott General Foreman Morrow-Meadows Corp.
Mott, a first time supervisor, leads a crew in laying out junction boxes that will be buried inside each of Evo's concrete decks.
Ron Reeder Deck Foreman Morrow-Meadows Corp.
Reeder is brought in to help manage the extra wiring that will be needed for retail spaces and condos. He checks that the plans are being followed exactly.
Carly Williams Apprentice Low Voltage Electrican Morrow-Meadows Corp.
Since the age of 18, Williams has worked in construction. She is one of the very few female construction workers on this job. She wires up residential units.
The crew installing Evo's 3,425-piece glass and aluminum "curtain wall" exterior must overcome all sorts of setbacks from design failures to exploding concrete pumps. As can be expected, the exterior of a high-rise presents daunting design requirements that will enable it to withstand earthquakes and 75 mph wind-driven rain. In this episode, go to a secret testing facility where a 3-story Evo mock-up is built solely to see if it can be broken. But then the real disasters begin. With the job half done, one of the units fails a critical water test. Then a concrete pump bursts. But Rick Morse, the self-described Rodney Dangerfield of construction, leads the installation crew, and he and his team take each setback in stride as they transform a concrete skeleton into a spectacular cutting-edge high-rise.
Robert Morris Project Manager Benson Industries
The curtain wall panels were constructed off-site then brought to Evo for installation. Morris coordinates the panel installation at the job site.
Rick Morse Superintendent Benson Industries
The first floors are the most difficult as the crew gets the hang of this installation. Morse feels that once they get to the seventh floor, things will go up smoothly.
Paul Truax General Foreman Benson Industries
One of Truax's challenges is keeping the path clear for the curtain panels' transport. With other crews at work on drywall, etc., this is a major obstacle.
A dozen different subcontractors race to finish Evo in time for the grand opening. A legion of workers turn bare concrete decks into high-end, high-rise homes. The contractors struggle to achieve a standard of near perfection while sticking to an almost impossible schedule. Will everything be completed and pass inspection? They buyer's tour will show how it came together.
Kevin Hogan Foreman Martin Brothers
The project's framing subcontractor is Martin Brothers. Hogan's crew begins by referencing the blueprints and laying out where the interior walls will go.
Scott Zbornak Supervisor Martin Brothers
Zbornak supervises the drywall subcontractors. The project has fallen behind schedule, and Scott defends his hard-working crew while requesting more time.
Jerry Bailey Interior Supervisor Howard S. Wright Inc.
Bailey oversees the transformation from empty shell to finished condos. He works with painters, finish carpenters, installers, and many more.
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The race is on to build and deconstruct, from islands to skyscrapers to consumer products. Who will triumph?Engineering FeatsHIGHLIGHTS:
Behind building three of the greats.Buy DVD
