Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Sep 30, 2010 5:58 pm Hi all, New guy here My wife and I are in the process of buying our first home, off the plan. We are having issues with modifications that we know nothing about. Firstly the garage was suppose to have a back door in the plans. The builder decidided not to put one due to the chance of flooding. However he now says he can do one but we have to pay $1500 which is half the cost. for this he will put a step in and cut the bricks out and put a door in. Is this a realistic price? doesn't he have to pay for his own mistake? Secondly the plans had a concrete paved backyard. He has shortened this and wont extend it. but he did put a pergola on top for free but didnt put the roof as this would clash with council rules about sun access. when i asked him to extend it to cover the window to, the response was that was against councils permission to only put it in front of the back doors. 3rdly he has used jib board on the bedroom robe doors. he is going to paint this. doesnt something go over the front of the jib board usually? The worst thing is I can never talk directly to the builder but have to go through the agent so I don't know what he is telling me and what he telling the builder. All this is really doing my head in. By contract he has to inform me of any changes to the plans and if i don't agree i can pull out of the deal and they would have return all money + interest. We both like the place and don't want to do this. What options do we have? Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 2Sep 30, 2010 6:14 pm Why dont you talk to your council. They will be able to tell you if the flooding is just him or a legal requirement. If you arnt happy with what they are doing maybe hire an inspector to help you through the jargon and problems. Its a big purchase and you will feel much better if you have experience backing you up. THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE IS 495 SQM OF BEACH SAND AND WEEDS! http://missvintageshouseofpain.blogspot.com/ Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 3Sep 30, 2010 10:29 pm Your contract and plans are your best point of information firstly. The buder has to provide what is set down in those documents. Read them until you know them inside out that way you know what is correct specs. Finally make an appt to sit down with your conveyancor / solicitor to address any concerns in writing - never raise them verbally, always in writing so you have a paper trail. Some things are worth waiting for. Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 5Oct 01, 2010 11:27 am He can't charge you for a door that was in the original plans.. not unless he gave you a credit when he removed the door in the first place. Metricon Riva 33 - http://herlihy-riva.blogspot.com Site start 15/03/2010 - Handover 23/12/2010 9 months and 8 days (284 calendar days) from site start to handover Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 6Oct 01, 2010 12:29 pm Insist on everything being done/redone as per plans, then if you compromise, make sure that this goes both ways. Ed "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 7Oct 01, 2010 5:37 pm Umm where are you located? Oceanus used one in Perth but eastern states I am afraid I cant help you much. THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE IS 495 SQM OF BEACH SAND AND WEEDS! http://missvintageshouseofpain.blogspot.com/ Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 8Oct 03, 2010 5:56 pm I am located in Melbourne. The lateset is the builder has costed the work. It will cost $3000 to put the door in. He has said the land os on a sloope and their is danger of blooding so he will have to dig it out and put one step in. Also the wall of the garage is brick with double brisk upto waist high. Does this sound like a reasonable price? I have not agreed to anything yet but he said offered to go 50/50. The agent has sghted a clause on our contract which states that the builder can make modifications to the the plans if he thinks it is suitable BUT he has to inform me which he did not. Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 9Oct 04, 2010 4:13 pm I could understand any changes that were required for a regulation reason, but I'd want to be told and negotiate the credit or compensation. As for changes he thinks are suitable. Nick OFF. Its MY (Your) house and I'll design/build it how I want. If I can't have it how I want tell me before I sign or you get not one cent from me. Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 11Oct 04, 2010 8:19 pm Gialandon I am located in Melbourne. The lateset is the builder has costed the work. It will cost $3000 to put the door in. Is he prepared to pay you a refund of $3000 for not putting the door in? Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 12Oct 04, 2010 9:59 pm So he now whats to charge you $3000 to put in a door in that he has already been paid to put in ?????? I think I would be telling him to take a long walk off a short pier. Has he reimbursed you for NOT putting the door in????? HHhhhmmm did you actually sign off on these modifications ???? If no then HE needs to fix the problems and build house to contract. Good luck and let us know how you go. Cheers Janet Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 13Oct 05, 2010 1:39 pm TheOK Gialandon I am located in Melbourne. The lateset is the builder has costed the work. It will cost $3000 to put the door in. Is he prepared to pay you a refund of $3000 for not putting the door in? lol no. The agent (through which all communication has to go through) told me he basically said he didn't accept any responsibility and would walk away. In the end he agreed to paying half and if I didn't like it I could build it myself! Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 14Oct 05, 2010 1:51 pm Gialandon TheOK Gialandon I am located in Melbourne. The lateset is the builder has costed the work. It will cost $3000 to put the door in. Is he prepared to pay you a refund of $3000 for not putting the door in? lol no. The agent (through which all communication has to go through) told me he basically said he didn't accept any responsibility and would walk away. In the end he agreed to paying half and if I didn't like it I could build it myself! Who's your builder? He sounds like a P**** , I can only imagine the problems you're going to face after handover. Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 15Oct 05, 2010 5:41 pm [/quote] Who's your builder? He sounds like a P**** , I can only imagine the problems you're going to face after handover.[/quote] well can't say on here (defamation etc) but he is a registerd builder so I thought I would have some safety. To be honest he was fine upto this. He put in a wall for us free of charge and promised us an extra air con for free. But since this has started he has just switched, I don't think we will be getting that free air con now even though the piping was done he has pushed it back in the wall and plasterd the gap. Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 16Oct 07, 2010 9:52 am Update: I rang the builder directly, he was a little surprised and asked how I had got his number, lol. I asked him what the $3000 was going to be spent on and how he was going to install the door, he had no idea what I was taliking about and said he was putting in the gate as I had agreed to! So it seems the agent has been telling porkies to both parties. To the builders credit he said he'd meet me on site on saturday to explain the technical dificulties with what I want. He did say he realised the installation of the door would have been the best but technically may be too expensive to achieve. advice needed here is; if I agree it will be to difficult to put the door in what should be next step, I was thinking ask for compensation? Does anyone know how these large scale commercial builders get paid? Do they get a set amount once the job is done or do they charge extra expenses to the company as it comes up? BTW really want to thank you all for the advice so far, its been very helpful. Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 17Oct 17, 2010 12:18 pm Our quote was $782-00 for a Corinthian solid core door added to the back of the garage,also has tri-locks. Good luck with it Block bought 1st RBC X! 2nd Ventrua,Keeper! Pstart 18/7/11 Ethwks jan 2012 Slab Bricks- finished 7/6 Roof Trusses 15/6-cbond 21/7 viewtopic.php?f=31&t=41185 Re: off the plan uncertified modification drama 18Oct 21, 2010 3:58 pm Wow, he initially told us $3000. After insisting he look at it again, he has come back and said it's not a big job and should be easy to do, but he wants me to pay for it and he will do it after settlement. Enoughs enough I have asked my lawyer to respond. I couldn't attached the photo for some reason. Here is the link to the photo https://pin.it/79jwdMp 1 3109 Get some long brass machine screws and bolt right through the gate and put brass acorn nuts and washers on the other side. It will never come off 1 9070 1 2962 |