It seems to me that they shimmed to get level but as LittleInch mentioned, it does not quite sound right that they got the same result from shimming a corner of the base to shimming the motor feet. At 15mm I'm sure they didn't need a machinist level to tell them that. My concern would be that the base of the pump will have air gap and it will vibrate excessively.
If this were my problem, I would look at the following:
- Who set and grouted the base, and check survey records for it.
- Does the pump base and pedestals meet tolerance? the base may be warped or pedestals nor properly machined
- Is it an API or an ANSI pump? your tolerances higher in ANSI and those pumps tend to be more forgiving.
- Who will be paying for the fix? it is obvious that there is a problem here. If the client is paying for it, they may want to save costs and try to live with a compromise. If the contractor is at fault because they set and grouted the base off level, then you should push to have them provide you with a solution that does not involve 1/2" shim packs. If the pump base or pedestals are out of tolerance, warped, then the vendor should include this fix into their warranty, or fix the base for you.
It would be helpful to know pedestal to pedestal level readings, soft foot and coupling alignment reading.
And is the other pump experiencing problems? There are so many possible problems and solutions here, and they really depend on circumstance and pump measurements. Its impossible to make assumptions that will work for you, except that what the contractor gave you is hokey. They might not know what they are doing.
BTW lube oil pipe and pumps tend to give us the most grief.