Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 May 31, 2011 7:43 pm Hi All,
Prostruct the builders of my house 'The Salt 26' have made a huge error and poured the slab 330 mm too low (no reference point on the plans) which means the land slopes to the house and the floor level is below the gutter level. Retaining walls, landscaping, tree removal, soil removal etc. will be needed. It might also minimise access down the side of the house and affect street appeal. The house is almost finished and the builders are not being to helpful to say the least. Has anyone dealt with this before and have any advice. Re: Slab height incorrect 2May 31, 2011 8:27 pm Your contract should say something like "the builder warrants that the building works will be carried out......................in accordance with the plans" From your post this is clearly not the case. You need to put in writing now to the builder your understanding that the house is not in accordance with the plans. Talk with either HIA or Master Builders association. Talk with a lawyer Don't pay any further payments until you are happy with the builders suggested remedies. Good Luck 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: Slab height incorrect 3Jun 01, 2011 10:27 am There are cases where the floor height of the house can be altered where the lesser of two evils is to lower it. Mine was raised as there was extra fill existing and not found on the soil test or survey. This meant that raising it would cause less delays and be the most cost effective solution. You should have been notified of any changes required via a "notice of variation request" bashworth Don't pay any further payments until you are happy with the builders suggested remedies. This is terrible advice as by the contract you are not allowed to hold any progress payments for any reason. The builder can legally charge fees and interest if you do. If the building works are suspended then you won't have an outstanding progress payment The reasons for suspending the builder from continuing works are in your contract. The only payment you can withhold if you believe there are outstanding issues is the final payment. bashworth You need to put in writing now to the builder your understanding that the house is not in accordance with the plans. Talk with either HIA or Master Builders association. Talk with a lawyer This is sound advice though. Also try contacting consumer affairs in your state. Re: Slab height incorrect 4Jun 01, 2011 12:40 pm chrisandkate bashworth wrote: Don't pay any further payments until you are happy with the builders suggested remedies. This is terrible advice as by the contract you are not allowed to hold any progress payments for any reason. The builder can legally charge fees and interest if you do. You can withhold payments if the stage has not been completed. From the information given the slab has "not" been completed in accordance with the plans! 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: Slab height incorrect 5Jun 01, 2011 8:36 pm PenProp Hi All, The house is almost finished and the builders are not being to helpful to say the least. . Why wasnt this error spotted earlier? Who noticed the error? Re: Slab height incorrect 7Jun 01, 2011 9:42 pm B STAR are you sure the slab heights isnt on the plans. It usually is. Is there a chance you haven't noticed it?? I thought it wasnt on mine I only noticed it when i finished the slab. I queried the project manager during construction who said 'Nah it is right' but after a few requests and showing him some obvious reference points around the house he looked into it explained that it is out by approx 350 mm and how it happened. The arbitrary heights are on the plan but the plan is without a site reference point. An independent surveyor has has checked and it is low by 330 mm approx. Re: Slab height incorrect 9Jun 02, 2011 8:49 am PenProp B STAR are you sure the slab heights isnt on the plans. It usually is. Is there a chance you haven't noticed it?? I thought it wasnt on mine I only noticed it when i finished the slab. I queried the project manager during construction who said 'Nah it is right' but after a few requests and showing him some obvious reference points around the house he looked into it explained that it is out by approx 350 mm and how it happened. The arbitrary heights are on the plan but the plan is without a site reference point. An independent surveyor has has checked and it is low by 330 mm approx. Something doesn't make sense to me. When you say its low by 330 what is your reference point then. Is 330 below ground level?? Re: Slab height incorrect 10Jun 02, 2011 9:11 am B STAR PenProp B STAR are you sure the slab heights isnt on the plans. It usually is. Is there a chance you haven't noticed it?? I thought it wasnt on mine I only noticed it when i finished the slab. I queried the project manager during construction who said 'Nah it is right' but after a few requests and showing him some obvious reference points around the house he looked into it explained that it is out by approx 350 mm and how it happened. The arbitrary heights are on the plan but the plan is without a site reference point. An independent surveyor has has checked and it is low by 330 mm approx. Something doesn't make sense to me. When you say its low by 330 what is your reference point then. Is 330 below ground level?? The FFL on the plans is 10.47 using using arbitrary levels from the plan (there are about 10 taken of the site & soil report) where the levels of the land vary between 10.00 and 10.45. The actual FFL is 10.14 so in areas it is below ground level. There is no fixed site point i.e. nail in road, telecom pit etc. I hope this makes sense. Re: Slab height incorrect 11Jun 02, 2011 9:44 am The make sense. So much sense that it is clear the builder has done it wrong. Those value are always in relation to a a reference point(in this case they are referring to the values from the soil report) that can be any number that's how itsn always done. To me it clear the builder hasn't followed the plans. Re: Slab height incorrect 12Jun 02, 2011 7:24 pm I wonder who should be held responsible for these kind of errors, the building surveyor or the builder? I'm also wondering if the surveyor actually inspect the formwork at all even though it's mandatory. I'm pretty confident to say mine didn't. Built: Modified H3nl3y S0h0 Q1 in Melbourne :- Never again Re: Slab height incorrect 14Jul 17, 2011 10:57 pm I have longed a conciliation application with BACV (Building Commission) and a meeting with the building commission inspector, conciliator and the builder in two weeks. Hopefully an amicable solution can be achieved. What a learning curve Re: Slab height incorrect 15Aug 13, 2011 10:25 pm PenProp I have longed a conciliation application with BACV (Building Commission) and a meeting with the building commission inspector, conciliator and the builder in two weeks. Hopefully an amicable solution can be achieved. What a learning curve Just wondering how you went with your meeting? We also built with Prostruct and fortunately didn't have too many dramas and most were fixed to our satisfaction. Constant What you have posted isn't really readable and also needs to be compared to your architectural plans. Happy to have a look if you email me at 1 8086 Unless the room is for storage then it's non compliant BCA V2 2019 S3 P3.8 You have 2 options 1. The builder deconstructs the section and rebuilds as per plan /… 7 10683 ok thanks - yes was wondering if that should have been listed as Option Three! 2 7741 |