Variation Cost for Generator

Hi Guys,

I have a question that hopefully someone out there will be able to answer! We are currently 85% through construction of our house, lockup was 2 weeks ago, pretty much the only things left to do are the appliances, driveway, and tiling!

I received in the mail yesterday an invoice asking to pay for Generator Hire, which i was never told would be charged to me. I'm building with S*mond's Homes, and my CSO has informed me that as of sometime in January, they were no longer obliged to give the customer a courtesy call informing them that there is no power on site, and that generator hire would be charged to the client! She has insisted that there is a clause in the contract stating this will be the case.

Obviously i was never told that this would be the case, and it was my understanding that all connection costs and services would be covered as a standard inclusion for their homes.

Does anyone know if this is an actual clause, or whether it's simply a note in the variations of the contract informing the client of this. I've triple checked my signed contract and can find no mention of Generator Cost under my variations.

Has anyone else had an experience like this previously?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Bunky!

that sounds like a pile or rubish!

Ask the CSO for the exact clause in the contract where it says you are are required to pay for generator or any other tool to facilitate the building activity without notifying you beforehand.

Sounds like the CSO forgot to tell you, and trying to handball the blame to you.

Hello sounds very unfair,

In our contract there is a clause that a generator charge will apply if no power is made available for connection. It should be a responsibility of the builders electrician to make a temperary meter box and connect to the power before commencement of construction. If there was no power made available ie; service to block/power pit for the builder to connect, then i would assume you would be liable if the clause was stated in the contract. If you had a power pit (which new estates have) then i would refuse to pay and state it was neglegence on the site supervisors behalf.

Saying this we have power in our own name via temp meter box which is fixed in the right spot ready for bricklayer to fix in. I am using my brother for electrical which saves a packet. We had a very large building company using six extension leads to three doors up stealing our power. I asked them to pay for my services and asked for 150 dollars, a refusual occurred and they said if i drive to them they will give me 5 dollars which is all it would cost rude buggers ! i asked for a house built at cost ! hmmm of course a refusal . I politely told them to shove there five dollars and get there own power!

Anyhow thats my rant hope i have not confused you.

Simple. Ask for the clause in the contract that states you are liable for generator hire.

We have an HIA plain language building contract for new homes

We have been stung with these clauses by the builder submitting changes to council (that we hated) without our consent - they did this under clause 13.2 "We can do a variation under clauses 8.2, 10.2 16, 17 or 18 without your consent". Clause 17 says they can go to council.

I'm thinking they could probably do it under clause 13.1 "we may vary the work without your consent where materials become difficult to get but we can supply suitable replacement materials". Couldn't find a definition of materials but I reckon electricity could be considered a material.

Good luck with it - we had to wear the cost.