Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 781Feb 02, 2016 6:47 am I am an advocate of insurance scheme where dwellings that cannot be fixed and brought to original tolerances are declared a writeoff and bought by the insurer at fair market value (without defects) Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 782Feb 02, 2016 7:23 am goody59 Where Victoria went wrong in my humble opinion is doing away with only the Local Councils having their Building Departments approve plans and have council employed building inspectors do the stage inspections. They were strict and builder's made sure things were done right. That was me experience in the 80's when I was a casual builder's labourer. As a builder I can attest to that. I have noticed marked drop in statutory vigilance from 1998. I could not believe what the inspectors were missing and what they were prepared to let go. It was like all blind Freddies got the job. Of all the ones that I came across there was only one that pulled me up on some plan changes. Just this week I did pre settlement(off the plan purchase) inspection and none of the external levels and articulation joints comply with BCA, despite that OP was issued. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 783Feb 02, 2016 8:00 am I fully agree with everything on this thread, so before I built I learned learned learned, got a draftsman with a architect partner who both were involved (not at a big fee), , then decided to ownerbuild with a fantastic project manager overseeing everything and getting qoutes from known top trades, I gave a percentage of building cost to project manager which was capped, results were I got best strutural integrity and quality finishes , ,also using council for extra protection instead of chumy privates was important, and I still ended up saving big time. Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 784Feb 02, 2016 8:50 am Slab Heave Recipient ...... patch it up and hope we can handball the defective property over to some other poor sucker..... and hope that it doesn't crumble down on them! Well here's the kicker, buyers get real structural (engineering) reports and then they come back and beat your price down before the purchase. There are a lot of houses built around the same time in various suburbs with major structural defects..vendors try patching them up but read the sales disclosers, disclaimers & fine print these faults should be noted. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 785Feb 02, 2016 9:34 am Joker I fully agree with everything on this thread, so before I built I learned learned learned, got a draftsman with a architect partner who both were involved (not at a big fee), , then decided to ownerbuild with a fantastic project manager overseeing everything and getting qoutes from known top trades, I gave a percentage of building cost to project manager which was capped, results were I got best strutural integrity and quality finishes , ,also using council for extra protection instead of chumy privates was important, and I still ended up saving big time. Unfortunately statutory regulations do not sufficiently protect the unknowing consumers, so really everybody should do exactly as you've done (except maybe the owner-builder thing, that's not for everyone). Great work. Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 786Feb 02, 2016 9:36 am Plenty of people buy houses without inspections, reports or even looking the paperwork over, much like people build with blind trust in the builder. Plenty of suckers in this world that buy defective properties all the time. Creator of superduperonium, expert at expert things, nobel laureate, can hold my breath for 10 minutes. Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 787Feb 02, 2016 10:24 am Ponzu Plenty of people buy houses without inspections, reports or even looking the paperwork over, much like people build with blind trust in the builder. Plenty of suckers in this world that buy defective properties all the time. There's a Nigerian prince that wants to give me $1,000,000 and all I have to do is give him my credit card details? Holy guacamole, get me my credit card!!! Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 788Feb 02, 2016 2:02 pm 1960sModernistHome Ponzu Plenty of people buy houses without inspections, reports or even looking the paperwork over, much like people build with blind trust in the builder. Plenty of suckers in this world that buy defective properties all the time. There's a Nigerian prince that wants to give me $1,000,000 and all I have to do is give him my credit card details? Holy guacamole, get me my credit card!!! seems legit. In all seriousness though, one of my friends lonely mothers fell for a similar scam involving a soldier, Iraq and a bunch of gold. Lady was quite weLthy from years of hard business in law, and yet her mind wanted it to be true so much all critical thinking went out the window. 200k later my friend discovered his mums online dealings through chats with her. She didn't want to believe she'd been stooged. Was quite sad. At least the 200k was a fraction of what she was worth. Many more worse stories out there. Creator of superduperonium, expert at expert things, nobel laureate, can hold my breath for 10 minutes. Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 789Feb 03, 2016 12:38 am So are we now comparing Internet dating scams Building along with the Victorian Building Industry? I guess if the shoe fits! Either way the innocent party ultimately is the one who is financially ruined because there is no one holding anyone accountable after all. Seems fair and just? Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 790Feb 03, 2016 5:33 am No! it is neither fair nor just but just the reality that anyone contemplating building a home cannot afford to simply enter with blind trust and hand over bags of money in naive expectation that all will be delivered as promised. Reputation is a dangerous thing (read:blindfold on your face) and if you are betting on it, you could end up with a losing hand. It is also naive to expect that building control will protect consumer. Just three statutory inspections will ensure that the building will not fall down and is safe to use (smoke detectors etc) but little else. It will not necessarily save you from being ripped off on provisionals, cost stripping and poor quality. Combine that with failure of enforcement due to political pressures of vested interests and the legal system that is geared toward compensation and no punishment then you have a recipe for disaster. Despite that thousands make safe journey to their destination(for many just dumb luck) but hey look at the roadkill. To those thinking of building their home, you have time. Time to study and educate yourself in the basics, research forums, it's all out there. All you need to do is read a dozen VCAT decisions to see what happened to others, it's sobering. Then get a good building consultant to look after you before you sign building contract. Even then you are just half way there and you still have to take your chances. Cheers Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 791Feb 03, 2016 6:56 am building-expert Even then you are just half way there and you still have to take your chances. +1 Good management and critical thinking can only get you so far. At some point you are still trusting someone - whether that be those that write the regulations or your private building inspector/consultant. Not all building inspectors/consultants are competent either. What qualifications does the VBA require from people before they can set themselves up as private building inspectors/consultants? Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 792Feb 03, 2016 9:15 am Slab Heave Recipient So are we now comparing Internet dating scams Building along with the Victorian Building Industry? I guess if the shoe fits! The shoe fits unfortunately.... and doesn't get all that much better when you travel north. Although at least you are more likely getting screwed by a building contract than on internet dating... It might just not be the way you wanted it... Unfortunately the regulations are insufficient to protect you, so you need to protect yourself. Add in a couple of steps of risk management by using independent experts along the way and that's really the best protection you can have. But as BE says, even that is no gaurantee, but at least if you use experts and they stuff up, they (should) have PI insurance! Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 793Feb 03, 2016 10:21 am I can vouch for BE standing behind his reputation. There are some private building inspectors better than others and that happens in any occupation. It is hard for a punter to sort out the wheat from the chaff. As Lilian says, you have to trust somebody sometime.
Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 794Feb 03, 2016 12:37 pm Liliana building-expert Even then you are just half way there and you still have to take your chances. +1 Good management and critical thinking can only get you so far. At some point you are still trusting someone - whether that be those that write the regulations or your private building inspector/consultant. Not all building inspectors/consultants are competent either. What qualifications does the VBA require from people before they can set themselves up as private building inspectors/consultants? To answer your question NONE. Private inspection and building consulting business is not regulated. That means anyone can set up as building consultant and property inspector and carry on without PI. It matters not whether it is someone on the latest boat arrival or someone whose biggest life achievement is running a chook raffle. It's scary! However, use your wits, look for transparency in qualifications, experience and track record. Anyone of substance will have appeared somewhere and done something worthwhile. Do your internet search, if they don't list relevant qualifications it's because they have none. Then ask for references and listen to your gut. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 795Feb 03, 2016 4:15 pm What sort of qualifications should people look for BE? I would have thought someone with something along the lines of: - Licenced builder for say 10+ years, and/or - Diploma/Degree in construction, quantity surveying or structural/civil engineering - Registration with any particular (respected) government or industry associations? Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 796Feb 03, 2016 5:59 pm Yes generally on the right track but I found I needed update in regulations so I did Dip.Bs but essential experience is pre purchase inspections where you see how houses perform in use. You get to see defects and what caused them so you can look at new homes and pick out potential problems. Don't forget contract admin and estimating or else how will you know hot points for disputes. There will be lot of consultants with limited qualifications and experience, they may be ok for basics. You will have noticed many members on this forum keep asking questions that their consultants should have answered. Clearly they are out of their depth. But something is better than nothing. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 797Feb 04, 2016 9:10 am 1960sModernistHome , but at least if you use experts and they stuff up, they (should) have PI insurance! Ahhh But that's what you haven't realised....that's the most misleading part to believe that PI insurance is there. So I have an example where under the FOI I can get my Building Surveyors PI insurance details from the VBA. The VBA recognise this guy immediately as he has been in front of the BPB and found guilty numerous times. Not that you would find him listed on the register more than twice if you went to do your research.. because its at BPB's descretion on how long that they want to out that information out there to the public.... one week, one month... one year. There is no set timeframe. Just descretion. Then you contact the PI Insurer who tell you that you cannot claim against the Building Surveyors PI insurance as it is NOT your policy... It is the Building Surveyors. Therefore due to the privacy act they cannot provide any more information than you need to get in touch with your Building Surveyor. Only to have the Building Surveyor duck and weave any contact with you until your right to claim expires. And there is no punishment to anyone else except the Consumer AGAIN. In fact the company that employed the Building Surveyor was responsible according to VCAT - The directors showed up to only one compulsary hearing and then did a runner until ASIC wound them up ... Again, No punishment to anyone. And the actual Building Surveyor..... despite uncovering numerous guilty charges from the BPB is still employed and registered to take on the next victim.... oh, I mean Consumer. Can anyone else see a pattern here? Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 798Feb 04, 2016 10:02 am Wow, that sounds like a very poor regulatory framework. Did you have your lawyer act for you in regards to the making a claim on the building surveyor's PI? Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 799Feb 04, 2016 1:40 pm 1960sModernistHome Wow, that sounds like a very poor regulatory framework. Did you have your lawyer act for you in regards to the making a claim on the building surveyor's PI? It will more than likely cost more in legals than what I'd get back..... however now the time frame has lapsed thanks to incorrect information provided by the VCAT member at the hearing of who is ultimately responsible. (The business survey company employed or the actual individual who signed the certificate of occupancy ) Re: Has anyone rectified slab heave successfully 800Feb 04, 2016 4:52 pm Oh rightio. I'm not really sure how all of that works, but in our industry (engineering) the PI insurance is held by the company, but the legal responsibility under the act is that of the registered professional engineer who signs off on it. So your compensation would come from the company's insurer, but disciplinary action could also be take against the individual (e.g. they could be re-registered from the board of professional engineers). As for building surveyors/inspectors, I am not sure if there is any legislation for them. But regardless of what any specific provisions there are any state acts, you should still be able to pursue under common law. But as you say it comes down to whether you have the energy and will (and money) to go through with a court case. Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Hi All, we are starting to think of building with Masterpiece Builders in Victoria, has anyone had any feedback or experience with them 0 13792 Hi we are looking to talk to people who have built with them recently. We have signed mid range built contract but identified that a lot of things are not included.… 0 760 I work with owner, he/she is my man on the ground and I instruct them when to visit the site and take photos and I have other tools in the bag. 4 15430 |