I am going to try to order directly from china

I have just made an inquiry about shipping a 20 foot shipping container with a minimum of 380 vinyl sheet piles. I probably will need double and maybe triple that amount, but I am asking for prices now, and how many they can put in the shipping container which I would also like to purchase to store the pilings because as slow as I have become it will take two months to put in a five hundred foot five foot exposed seawall, and need a secure storage unit.

I can rent a mini bobcat excavator with vibratory attachment to drive the sheet product into the water five feet leaving a five foot expose, I have no problem running the equipment, but the actual setting of the wood posts and wood guides which hold the vinyl will be a slow process keeping them plum and in line with the string. I have contacted three contractors a month ago, and NONE of them got back to me. I usually do work myself because it is hard to find competent help and they drive me crazy with lies and promises not kept. It is easier for me to take a half year renting the bobcat over four weekends and getting it done myself, but this ordering directly from China has me not sure whether I should source a supplier in America, but with the exchange rate it may be a really great time for me to put in the seawall. I will find out the pricing difference later this week, but for a three foot expose using American sheet product it is about four thousand a hundred feet without the stainless steel hardware. The last seawall I built was simply awful, but I used wood and tried to drive my pilings by taking a garden hose and blowing out the sand.....it kinda works, but a vibratory plate is the nuts. We will see.

I built a dock  and I used a gas powered water pump like the fire department might use with an 8 ft extension pipe  to direct the flow and the extension pipe allowed the pilings own weight to take it down as the pump blew the sand from beneath it...

I built a dock and I used a gas powered water pump like the fire department might use with an 8 ft extension pipe to direct the flow and the extension pipe allowed the pilings own weight to take it down as the pump blew the sand from beneath it...


It works great. The first seawall I took a two inch gas powered pump and had a 10 foot wand which was graduated to an inch which had incredible pressure, but I had a problem keeping them plumb and the seawall looked like I was drunk. I will blow water down onto the pilings, but this time I will have my wood guides and a person just needs to check plumb pressing them against the wood while the water and vibratory plate are doing their things.......it is pretty amazing to see something sink in sand with only water, but the vibratory plate really lets you keep your orientation....at least that is the plan.

I own the canal, and I met with the engineer to pull permits. We are upland except where the boat launch tapers down to the water, he thinks it will just be a county permit, and he is checking with his buddy at ACE to confirm. I have a ten year maintenance dredging permit from ACE in Illinois, and have done battle with them before, but because so much of Florida is wetlands, and there has been so much abuse, I understand why they need to crack down. I want to dredge the canal, but I do not want to hold up the project when that can be done next year.

The second phase of this thing will definitely require a ACE permit, and I do have designated wetlands on this portion of the property. I have to be careful not to run equipment to near the wetland because they can come down on you for running heavy equipment in a wetland. We have been hand cutting by the old seawall which once ACE sees the same as a replacement, they have a whole other approach. It is when there is no seawall that they get real pissy about keeping the natural shoreline which I completely understand, but this is a canal with seawalls on both sides.

Has anybody ordered from Ailbaba, and after paying did they get what they expected?

2seaoat wrote:Has anybody ordered from Ailbaba, and after paying did they get what they expected?

When do you expect what you are considering ordering direct from China? It isn't the same as ordering from Amazon. Whatever will placed in a container bound for your nearest shipping hub. Then it will be loaded on a Chinese container ship bound for Long Beach California. Then the container will be loaded on the truck heading for your hub.

I recall when I was in retail, orders from wherever in the Orient meant three to six months. I'm certain it is quicker now but just my two cents worth.

We have different spending habits. I believe that you'll do anything and everything yourself, if you can.

When I was younger, and cash poor, I did much the same. I once totally remodeled a kitchen from the floor to ceiling. Re-wiring, adding a pantry, back door and a large covered and uncovered deck. Pounded every one of the 40d hot dipped nails by hand. Frankly I was stunned myself by how well it all came out.

Since about 2000...I pay someone else to do the work. Obviously I've gotten lazy.

These projects get me out of my chair. I also realize that I may never get to put in another seawall. I have been so disappointed in subcontractors over the last forty years. When you have a good one, you most certainly do NOT do the work, but I have had some horrible experiences with contractors in Florida. I do not mind a twenty five percent mark up.....but when it is 100% delivered to your site......I have a problem. I also have a huge problem with calling a contractor and not getting a call back. I am dealing with some fraudulent billings right now for work which was not done. Sometimes it is just easier to do it yourself.

I rented a brush hog tractor and did the work myself. I then called a guy with a 300k mulching machine, and he cleared five times what I could clear, and took stumps down to the ground level and saved me thousands. He did what he said what he was going to do and exceeded my expectations. I have waited for one of the three people I called to do almost a thousand feet of seawall over the next three years.....and not one bid or call back. I called a plumber six times who had done work for us and was good, but he did not call back and found out he is in school and is changing his career.....a simple return call goes a long way.

Seaoat do you mind my asking whether DKE Marine was one of the contractors who never called you back? Disappointing if so.

I've never bought large items directly from China.  But I've bought a lot of smaller items.

This is the latest example.  I ordered it on January 4th.  I received it on Friday the 15th,  11 days later.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271272339936?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

2seaoat wrote:These projects get me out of my chair.  I also realize that I may never get to put in another seawall.  I have been so disappointed in subcontractors over the last forty years.  When you have a good one, you most certainly do NOT do the work, but I have had some horrible experiences with contractors in Florida.  I do not mind a twenty five percent mark up.....but when it is 100% delivered to your site......I have a problem.   I also have a huge problem with calling a contractor and not getting a call back.  I am dealing with some fraudulent billings right now for work which was not done.   Sometimes it is just easier to do it yourself.

I rented a brush hog tractor and did the work myself.  I then called a guy with a 300k mulching machine, and he cleared five times what I could clear, and took stumps down to the ground level and saved me thousands.  He did what he said what he was going to do and exceeded my expectations.  I have waited for one of the three people I called to do almost a thousand feet of seawall over the next three years.....and not one bid or call back.  I called a plumber six times who had done work for us and was good, but he did not call back and found out he is in school and is changing his career.....a simple return call goes a long way.

No excuse for no call back. None. Even if they are so busy that they can't possibly fit you in until next July, the decision is then up to you.

As a long time Realtor, I have a list of contractors for everything from major repairs on a property to get the clear WDO and clear the requirements from the Home Inspection to mowing the lawn even moving company. I know it takes one phone call, perhaps emailing or faxing the actual report or inspection and the job is done, on time and for a fair price. Period.

Like everywhere, we have general contractors who build who build a decent house but then when it is sold, it is like they vaporize off the face of the earth for call back for all the little problems which are always present.

I could go on for pages with contractors who have let me down and THEY never received another call.

Seaoat do you mind my asking whether DKE Marine was one of the contractors who never called you back? Disappointing if so.

I believe they were one of the three who I called.  One gentleman called back and said he would look at it and call me back.  The other two did not return the message I left on their machines.  I am going to build the damn thing myself, and if I can get a supplier of the sheet vinyl from a local distributor, I will.  The folks in China sent me an email saying they have sent my request out for bid.  I had three questions.  The width of the sheet piling.  The thickness.  How many 10 footers can fit into a 20 foot shipping container. I do not think they will be timely.

2seaoat wrote:I am going to build the damn thing myself, and if I can get a supplier of the sheet vinyl from a local distributor, I will.  The folks in China sent me an email saying they have sent my request out for bid.  I had three questions.  The width of the sheet piling.  The thickness.  How many 10 footers can fit into a 20 foot shipping container.  I do not think they will be timely.

You're probably right on the timely thing, but good luck.    Back in the day when materials were actually manufactured stateside it probably would've been a lot easier.   As for taking on the whole project yourself, I don't suppose it would do a bit of good to ask that you try not to over-tax yourself. Have to hope you know what's best for yourself and your wife, but this job sounds particularly heavy.

I leave in twenty minutes to run the bobcat this morning putting in more roads, and moving a large fiberglass tank, as I finish a turn around area. In my condition, sitting in a piece of equipment is easier than walking around. With a mini bobcat excavator with a vibratory head instead of a bucket all you do is pull twenty or so vinyl panels from the steel storage unit and drive them to the shore of the canal, and then pick them up swing the panel into a vertical position where my wife will simple hold it against the wood frame I will set, level and run the length of the canal. She will hold it with a simple water wand at the panel base and the vibratory pad will slowly push the ten foot panel to the five foot where the top of the panel will line up with your wood guide. Her job is to orient and keep level and plumb.

You then take your stainless hardware and attach to the guide, run your stainless cable to your deadman which you bury as they will hold the wall and soil you back fill. It sounds like a lot, but you take small steps. My wife and I have built three bridges all by our self. Two were causeways and one was a standard 14 foot by ten foot box culvert which we built over a canal we built. We are a team since I have been sick, and sometimes we both realize that we need to slow down. No other wife among our friends can do what my wife has learned and can do. Her friends at her breakfast club sometimes ask her why she continues to help me.....her answer is simple.....if she does not help.....I will try to do it all by myself, so she takes pictures of our projects and her facebook following with her former students being in their forties now is extensive and inspiring that a woman can do anything she puts her mind to.....but this morning.....we are both questioning if we are insane because we both are so sore from yesterday that we both could stay in bed......but I am breathing clear, and the crisp cold this morning is actually going to be refreshing........

2seaoat wrote:I leave in twenty minutes to run the bobcat this morning putting in more roads, and moving a large fiberglass tank, as I finish a turn around area.  In my condition, sitting in a piece of equipment is easier than walking around.   With a mini bobcat excavator with a vibratory head instead of a bucket all you do is pull twenty or so vinyl panels from the steel storage unit and drive them to the shore of the canal, and then pick them up swing the panel into a vertical position where my wife will simple hold it against the wood frame I will set, level and run the length of the canal.  She will hold it with a simple water wand at the panel base and the vibratory pad will slowly push the ten foot panel to the five foot where the top of the panel will line up with your wood guide.   Her job is to orient and keep level and plumb.  

You then take your stainless hardware and attach to the guide, run your stainless cable to your deadman which you bury as they will hold the wall and soil you back fill.   It sounds like a lot, but you take small steps.  My wife and I have built three bridges all by our self.  Two were causeways and one was a standard 14 foot by ten foot box culvert which we built over a canal we built.  We are a team since I have been sick, and sometimes we both realize that we need to slow down.  No other wife among our friends can do what my wife has learned and can do.  Her friends at her breakfast club sometimes ask her why she continues to help me.....her answer is simple.....if she does not help.....I will try to do it all by myself, so she takes pictures of our projects and her facebook following with her former students being in their forties now is extensive and inspiring that a woman can do anything she puts her mind to.....but this morning.....we are both questioning if we are insane because we both are so sore from yesterday that we both could stay in bed......but I am breathing clear, and the crisp cold this morning is actually going to be refreshing........

You need about four good Mexicans who have installed seawalls and you can sit and watch . . . . . . this is not as simple as described . . . . . . the sheet pilings interlock and each one must be carefully lowered commensurate with the pressure/resistance . . . . . . this is hard work Mr. Oats!

And dangerous... moreso for his wife.

this is hard work Mr. Oats!



As I am getting weaker, I must use my head. Slow and steady. I can get my son and SIL to help at the end of March for a week. It will take three to four weeks once ordered to get the vinyl, and my wife and I can set our posts pretty easy doing a couple a day, but I will probably have to bring my bobcat down with a crane attachment which allows me to get a 10 post above the bobcat and set it in the water. We will jet the posts and set them to a string line. The vinyl will require four people to really move along.

And dangerous... moreso for his wife.


We have done ten fold more dangerous projects than a five foot expose seawall. Water jetting posts is not dependent on chance of a chain. We set our stainless for the deadman with a strong eye which goes all the way trough the post, which you use a locking lift pin. These are only going to be 10-12 feet, we have handled 30 footers when putting in electric and as you go taller, you assume certain risks. Safety first.