Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Feb 06, 2013 3:11 pm Hi all, i built a new house approximately one year ago - and due to a raft of issues that were never addressed, am now considering options as to how to get some of the not-so-good work fixed. One major hassle has been the height of the house - or to the point, the height of the slab. The slab is so low, that we have had to dig out over 150 tonnes of dirt from our back yard, install a retaining wall, site drainage was made substantially more difficult, dig drainage ditches etc. We are in a completely flat block in a completely flat area, surrounded by flat areas. When i talked to our builder about this before handover - they denied all responsibility, stating that it was the engineers that specified the height of the slab..... which does not sound right to me. (or even if it was the engineers, isnt it the builders responsibility to check this?) Can anyone in knowledge in this area (i assume a surveyor?) provide any advice on how to go about obtaining the correct information in order to hold the builder responsible (if indeed they are) ? Re: Building height/slab level 2Feb 06, 2013 3:26 pm Who employed the engineer and the surveyor? If it was the builder its down to him. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Building height/slab level 3Feb 06, 2013 3:39 pm yep, was the builder - so thats my line of through as well.... still, they're point of view seems to be "there is nothing wrong with the height - and even if there waqs, its not our issue"... so i need to be able to prove both..... showing that they engaged the engineers and surveyors isnt a problem - proving the height wasnt adequately managed - well, thats up to me.... (unless it gets to court, then fair enough, it will be a professional) Re: Building height/slab level 4Feb 06, 2013 4:01 pm Hi Verukins it certainly seems you have a big problem. Get a set of approved drawings and see if the floor level is shown and compare it to the benchmark. I am assuming that the builder is responsible for design and construction of your home in which case his designer and his engineer are merely his subbies. Then it is his responsibility. It is possible that the design of the levels is defective or construction does not follow the plan or both. It is more than likely it is builder's responsibility however if the design is yours then your designer is your responsibility. You will need professional help to follow this through. 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: Building height/slab level 5Feb 06, 2013 6:51 pm the house was designed and built by the one builder - so there is no issue there. maybe im not conveying what im after well..... what specifically, can i look for on the plans (or in any other document) - and what benchmarks or standrads or (insert something else) can i compare that too in order to work out if i have a valid case to take to the builder - or if im completely barking up the wrong tree..... i have many sets (including the latest) set of approved drawings - and i believe the appropriate measurements are TBM RL 56.882 (nail in kerb) - and GFL 57.10..... which i assume are readings of the metres above sea level.... so once i work out if the ground floor is actually 22cm above the kerb (however i do that) - where/how do i find out if 22 cm is an acceptable height above.... and since the property seems to slope lower as it goes back - are there any standards on this for a flat block ? Or - if this is flat out too complex for a forum - who is my next port of call... a surveyor ? Re: Building height/slab level 6Feb 07, 2013 5:54 am See if you can find concreters in your estate, they should be able to take quick levels (with automatic laser level) for you for few beers. That will tell you if design level has been achieved. House level is regulated by BCA and in most cases it should be 150mm above surrounding ground. I know it is too late for you but I will include this for the benefit of others who are just starting, we always recommend pre contract review where levels are one of the things we look at before you sign. That is the time, before you sign to get what you want, otherwise you will be chasing your tail. more info http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog/b ... -anything/ 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: Building height/slab level 7Feb 07, 2013 6:57 pm fair call - but as imagine you may hear a little - its awful hard from an "outsiders" point of view to try and find people to give you a straight anwer.... as per any industry - there's a lot of bull artists in building.... its just that the result and cost assosicated with building mistakes is pretty high! i do have access to laser level, so ill take some measurements. (once i work out how to use! cant be that hard....) Re: Building height/slab level 8Feb 07, 2013 9:17 pm I've heard of this happening before. Was there fill on your site? I've known of clients having to pay for excavation, to avoid pier and beam slabs or bulk concrete. Happens a bit when during road construction, the excess soil is spread across the blocks. You end up with flat blocks with a sharp grade up from the crossover. You tend to have the good clay soil under a 1.0m off fill. What then happens the engineer designs a suspended slab with piers galore and the cost goes up for the client. The building cost can be reduced by excavating out all the fill, potentially reducing a problem slab to a standard M or S reducing the need for piers. Volume builders are known for this practice....instead of designing the house to suit the block, the block is modified to suit the house. See if you can track down the original site engineering down from the council engineering department. It says a lot about what you are actually building on. Re: Building height/slab level 9Feb 07, 2013 9:42 pm I have different experience to G-Thorpe I see a lot of very heavily engineered slabs and this is where builders make money, they don't make it hanging doors. Real money is made in the ground plus upgrades and variations.The standard procedure is to base products on level M class slab and then add for site conditions frequently when the owner has already committed, That way they don't have to be competitive and can charge what they like. Owners grumble but pay. 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 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair Thanks. I was thinking of using either Extreme Joist or LOWDECK timbers for joists. Any idea what sets them apart and which… 2 12877 isn't a garage level with the rest of the house a given? pretty sure they 'came around' long time ago. if you have a flat block, the garage is usually level with the rest… 1 17502 they can, it's a fairly standard solution when the slab isn't recessed. the falls need to be in the main floor, if it hasn't been done then you need to ask them to redo… 4 6578 |