Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Jan 09, 2011 9:04 am Hi all, Just looking for some advice. House almost up for completion and need some comments whether I should be following up on some "issues": 1. Plumber when installing drainage to downpipes needed to cut out some of the slab, which now has some reo bars exposed. 2. Downpipes are colourbond, when the installer put them together they are scratched where they join and overlap. Should it be possible to install without scratching the colourbond coating? 3. Our laundry sliding door architraves from top to bottom are not straight and have about a 1cm difference from the adjecent wall. Need to get a level here to see whether the wall or door is not straight. Either way should this be fixed? 4. House has been sitting there for 3-4 months and most of the cournices and architraves at the joins are begining to crack. This is probably the house settling but should I be worried with structural issues so early in the piece (considering point 3)? Either way should I expect these to be filled and repainted? Comments here would be great. Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 2Jan 09, 2011 8:55 pm Hi. I know from being in the building industry that concrete standards say that they are suppose to have the steel exposed as in rusts and blows out the slab. I have noticed before with architraves not being straight is not actually always the door. Sometimes it actually the cornice not stuck on properly or wonky and make the door look out of plumb. With regards to the 3-4 months and cracks, don't be too concerned YET. I far as I know all builders do a 6 month check up after hand over to fix any minor defects. If it keeps getting worse down the track after this like 18 months or more, get the BSA to check it as the house maybe sinking. That is not always the case though. Thanks Simon Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 3Jan 09, 2011 9:16 pm simon88 Hi. I know from being in the building industry that concrete standards say that they are suppose to have the steel exposed as in rusts and blows out the slab. Say what?? I think you may have made a typo or 2 there.. there is NO way the steel mesh should be left 'un covered'. Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 4Jan 10, 2011 6:29 am David, also have a look here - you may find some references and rules about the cracking. http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/resources/documents/S+T_GUIDE_07.pdf If you don't already know it, this guide is pretty much the bible for home owners, since it lists some of the main points in one place and in a fairly easy to understand terminology. My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 5Jan 10, 2011 8:06 am All reinforcement in slabs must have at least 40mm of cover at all times. The standard for walls being out of plumb is 10mm over 2.7m by the Building Code of Australia.(but i in no circumstance would accept any less then perfect for timber walls.) With the cracking of the architraves, i don't think cracking should be happening if they are properly glued and fixed together. With the plumbing worries with the downpipes, that is a sign of poor workmanship not taking care and should be fixed no expense to the client of course. Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 7Feb 06, 2011 7:30 am Thanks for the replys. I have had a walkthrough with the SS and pointed these things out with him. The non-plumb laundry door/architraves is possibly within spec, its 1cm over 2m. If it was 1cm within the first meter I'd be able to call that a defect? Could someone confirm this through this: http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/re ... IDE_07.pdf PAGE 29 The downpipes they are trying to buff out, see how that goes. I have issues with 3 bricks. They are Silkirk Macedon, and 2 have around a 50cent sized chip (about 15mm deep) in the corner facing out. 1 brick has a 20cent sized white pebble. I have pointed this out to the SS and he is reluctant to change as the morter colour will change and that will be offputting? It sounds like he is just trying to dodge this one. Cornices they have tried to paint a 'strip' along the crack, now it looks like there is a shadow. Have asked for a repaint to blend properly. The behaviour of the SS is a little disapointing, for every issue I bring to attention there is almost always some excuse that it is okay. Really showing a bitterness in my mouth that I dont like! Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 8Feb 06, 2011 9:22 am It is a tough one discovering defects and dealing with them. Also it is neccesary to understand that defect repair has a chain of protocal..., While it is disappointing to have them, they(ss) will need time to fix. No point in getting all angry at the first point of call. There is nothing better to get someone offside than to jump into an arguement. Much better to be calm, and discuss the outcome required by the owner and the time frame required to 'make well' all defects. I know it is a hard thing to do but, you will have a better relationship and things might get done more expeadently(sp?) Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 9Feb 06, 2011 11:33 am I recently attended a VCAT hearing as a witness... we met at the home in question. I watched the "judge" get down on his hands and knees to examine a brick with a crack in it that I could not see, and would have no effect structurally. The builder agreed to replace it. So IMO ask away... 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: Possible building defects? Advice please. 10Feb 07, 2011 8:06 pm onc_artisan It is a tough one discovering defects and dealing with them. Also it is neccesary to understand that defect repair has a chain of protocal..., While it is disappointing to have them, they(ss) will need time to fix. No point in getting all angry at the first point of call. Just had a phone call from the SS, seems he wants to get hand over done quickly as he has other jobs on the go, just wants to make sure I have the money on handover. I said no not really. I want to see the finished product before I draw money. He got all cranky unfortunitally and said no thats how its done, you walk through and pay. I don't think so, im happy to fight this one out. Re: Possible building defects? Advice please. 11Feb 08, 2011 7:02 am Busy with other jobs ... that's no excuse David, seems like you have a tough one on your hands - good luck with all of this! Please also don't get entangled into unimportant things (if there are any), just focus on stuff that is hard or expensive to fix it yourself - that is, IF there are some other things on top of what you listed earlier; I think the slab/reo is most critical. Good luck and stay calm! My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... All 3 items listed are defects and are of concern. Please seek qualified independent inspector and/or legal advice for your state. 1 8198 Hi All, I engaged a tradie to install concrete retaining wall 600-800mm high over 32 meters in Victoria. Sleepers are 200*75*2000 mm installed over 17 steel posts. I… 0 6882 1 9462 |