At noon the next day,
Fang Bai and his father met the construction contractor, a middle-aged man in his forties. After asking, they learned he was from Wuchuan, Guangdong Province, and his name was Lu Dahai. The bricklayers under him were all people from his home village, and they had specifically come to Wen City to look for work.
Thinking about it, that made sense. Most locals were unwilling to do bricklaying work, feeling that regular jobs were more comfortable.
That was precisely why construction labor costs in Wen City were somewhat higher than in Guangdong and Guangxi, and the final construction costs were higher as well.
Fang Bai felt that this contractor was quite capable. He already knew to come all the way to Jiangnan Province to find work.
Listening to him speak, his Mandarin carried a heavy local accent. He spoke slowly, but clearly, which was already quite good.
Fang Bai and his father took Lu Dahai to inspect the foundation first and hear his construction suggestions.
After making a round, contractor Lu Dahai said, "Boss, the shallow soil quality of your foundation is pretty good. You hit the bearing stratum after digging two meters down. If you're building a five-story structure, there's no need for piles. I think this four-meter-deep foundation is enough. It looks like it was excavated a long time ago, and the foundation has settled for long enough. You can start construction directly."
"If you're building a shopping center, the strength requirements will be higher than for residential houses. We handled a similar project downtown last year, so we've got experience. No problem, please rest assured."
Lu Dahai listed many of their strengths, trying to win over Fang Bai and his father.
This was a major project. The workload was considerable, equivalent to building