A week in the life of Building -Expert

Every week I deal with a number of issues that crop up during my inspections. Below is a sample of some significant issues:

1. PCI, poor drainage and ponding around slab, ground levels and grades not complying with BCA, brickwork damaged by acid etching, brickwork repaired by non matching mortar colour, brickwork below display home standard. Defective ceiling insulation.
2. Post final- 4 month home cracking, review of construction evidence, defective paving around dwelling, defective wall and ceiling insulation
3. Pre purchase inspection: cracked hip tile pointing, defective ground levels to side of dwelling, garage missing wall and ceiling bracing, pergola-permit verification required. No termite protection.
4. Swimming pool: left in condition where it can be damaged by soil liquefaction, collateral damage to site with probable reclassification from M to P, unjustified variation claims, probable builder’s misconduct.
5. Swimming pool: three year old pool heaved
6. Swimming pool: three year old pool, developing patchy fibreglass colour, shell manufacturing defect.
7. Units development, non conformance with plans and specification, balcony leaks, unjustified variation claims, probable misconduct by architect.
8. Extension to dwelling, slab heave, poor drainage, ground levels do not comply, ceiling heights do not conform, window in wrong place.
9. Renovation to dwelling, builder fails to take out building permit, no HOW insurance, numerous cosmetic defects, liquidated damages.
10. PCI, entry step does not conform with plans
11. Commercial building-pre purchase inspection: dilapidation issues, roof drainage issues, essential services maintenance out of date
12. Lock up inspection: damaged wall bracing, preparation for plaster incomplete, wall insulation installed but falling out, temporary downpipes installed but taken down by brickies and not maintained.
13. Pre slab inspection: surface drainage issues, potential for foundation flooding, inadequate surface grading for drainage.

As you can see I have a most interesting life dealing with wide range of problems, often helping people in dire situations.

Very interesting catalogue of problems. What percentage of builds would you see in a week where the builder and/or trades have managed to leave the site without a number of issues?

Hi Building expert - This may not be your area of expertise, but I'm desperate at this stage. I'll try and make this easy to understand.
We paid a large volume builder to build our home. We can't interpret building plans (I'm sure like many).
We are on a bit of a slope, with the house sloping upwards towards the back.
We just asked to make sure that we could take a step down, from the back door, into the garden from the floor level.
The slab is now in (they haven't poured the top concrete yet) and it is so high. It looks like the slab is around 400mm too high which brings our front floor level almost the same height as our side 6ft fence. It looks like the back will need 3 steps now. (and the front will have many more). We were verbally advised by them, to achieve the one step at the back, we would need additional fill, etc, and we had an additional cost of around $20K for this. We thought this was a lot of money, but then we thought that perhaps it was worth it to ensure that the floor level wasn't under the ground. Seeing the slab height now, it looks like we didn't have to raise it at all.
We had already signed the plan and trusted that they did what we asked. We have tried to mediate with them, but they are taking no blame and telling us that we need to landscape around it. At the end of the day, I want the whole thing re-done so that the slab level is correct. We are building a 2 storey home which is going to look like a 3 storey home due to this error. Any advice for me would be greatly appreciated.

I know its silly.. but I kind of don't want a building inspector to look at my house, I can't worry about problems I can't see (or understand). I have a very head in the sand approach.. mostly because I've already been through so much before the build has started, my head will explode it anything else goes wrong.

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Given that people call me when they have identified problems or suspect them the percentage of builder without significant issues is naturally very low. However this changes significantly for the better when I do pre contract and the 4 stage inspections because any issues detected are progressively dealt with before PCI. There are still issues but are mostly easily fixed and where they persist then evidence is there if required for subsequent action.

No it's not silly, just human. We don't want to hear unpleasant things and as they say none are as blind as those who don't want to see.
Obviously not wise but very human.

It looks like unpleasant and complex problem, not to mention builder's reluctance to help you. You will need someone like me to review your contract, drawings, communications and inspect as built slab to diagnose what went wrong and why as well as to recommend a remedy and take on the builder if required.
I understand you are in NSW and I work in Vic. Try to find someone like me, my qualifications and experience is on my web site. If not you can book me but the cost may be prohibitive for fly in fly out but then what is the size of your problem? Last time I flew in I crunched the builder and got a really good result for interstate owner. You can PM if interested.

My builder talked me out of an inspector, told me how it was up to them if they allowed them on site, would hold up the build and its not like they have to correct anything in the reports, so it would be a waste of my money and obviously me and the builder should just be able to trust each other. I know I should get one, but I just don't want the hassle..and I don't want to annoy my builder, since I need him to build me a house.

We are in the contract stage of building. At what stage do you recommend having a building inspector come through during the build and how would you go about sourcing an independent inspector?

I can understand where you're coming from aloenyx but statements like the above just depress me. We trusted our builder and got a few nasty surprises at the end. If the builder is already saying he doesn't have to rectify any problems found by an inspector I would be wary. But I would also be wary about hiring an inspector. They are not all equally qualified and in Victoria there is no requirement for any qualifications. So if you do choose to get some backup be careful who you pick.

You are too trusting to the point of carelessness with the biggest investment of your life. That means you are playing Russian roulette with a chance of blowing your budget or worse. Your bank did not lend you the money until they checked you out and made sure you can afford repayments, then made you sign mortgage, why? Because you cannot run a business on blind trust and they are not in the business of trust, their business is making money. You are blindly trusting your builder who has already misled you about inspections and about defects. If your builder has nothing to hide then there will be no worry about inspections.
I wish you luck.

BE
Just for my own interest at what stages of the build do you inspect the site and how many site visits to you conduct ?
Is your job the same or similar to a building surveyor?

We have very little knowledge about building and really felt that we needed that extra safety net of having someone experienced look over the build at each inspection stage. Our builder has been great and not negative towards us telling them this. If they were, I'd be quite suspicious of their reaction. Sure, We could do without the added expense but a house is a huge investment and we want to know it's being done to a high standard. I have also wondered, if the builder knows there will be inspections, does that make it more likely that they will do a better job? So to avoid having to fix bad workmanship or mistakes?


Building with Simonds in S.A

Our site supervisor didn't even blink when we said we were hiring an inspector. I would be very suspicious of a builder who tried to talk you out of it or suggested they wouldn't be obliged to fix issues (I suspect that's weasel words from them - they are not working for the inspector so they don't have to address things for them, but they ARE working for you so if YOU ask them to correct substandard work they would certainly have an obligation to do so).

Our first inspection is tomorrow and I am certain issues will be spotted but I also think knowing the inspector was coming has probably kept everyone on their toes.

Yesterday I met building supervisor on site for a pre slab inspection. He told me that his company selects best tradies for jobs they know will be independently inspected. Presumably leftovers are delegated to jobs not independently inspected. Anyway this is what I said about the pre slab

"At the time of inspection slab preparations were complete and the workmanship on display was excellent however water was pooling at slab edge toward rear of left side and builder is required to urgently attend to remove pools of water to prevent foundation damage." I took photos for evidence.

And the same builder on another site with different supervisor"

At the time of inspection frame was completed and neatly constructed. Builder’s management of site surface water drainage was satisfactory. Workmanship on display and builder’s site management are a credit to the builder.

Then another site with a different builder:

At the time of inspection frame was completed and roof was covered. Inspection did not reveal significant defects. Frame set out and workmanship on display was excellent. Builders management of roof and surface drainage water was excellent with ground surfaces sloped away from dwelling and temporary downpipes connected.

I would like to think I make a difference and that my clients get a better job but now you heard it from a horse's mouth.

It is astonishing that people still question the value of independent inspections and I still get questions "which stage inspections are more important? We recommend 4 stage inspections, think of it as a car. Which wheel would you like me to take off for you?.

Is there somewhere where we can find a list of independent inspectors? I'd like to have recommendations, I've asked on here before but so far, not had much luck.
Thanks


Building with Simonds in S.A

Hi building expert!!
I am building with Fairhaven homes in Melbourne's north(Laurimar) and they are using a new sort of slab. There doesn't seem to be much info online about them, are there any good?





I wad already stressed about potential site costs and then they do this. I'm not a big fan of the unknown.

I am sorry I am not aware of one, do your research on forums.

I have not come across this type of slab before but at first glance it seems it may have significant advantages over waffle slab. Waffle is a slab on ground whereas this new system is fully suspended slab and could avoid ground movement. If it is cost effective I would be for it.