Building our dream home.. walls no longer bare!

vpande · Mar 07, 2008 11:00 am

it has been quite surprising for us too as they have gone ahead to finish the roof.. we hvnt had major issues with kev's report apart from a gas pipe not adequately spaced in the wall cavity and waterlogging from the recent rain. we are hoping to meet the site supervisor next week to discuss kev's issues
I wonder if they speed up in order to cover up the faults :shock:

VJ · Mar 07, 2008 1:50 pm

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I wonder if they speed up in order to cover up the faults

vpande, that's what we think too!

We should be happy because they're working...
they should really fix the issues with the framing/slab before starting with the bricks!

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it has been quite surprising for us too as they have gone ahead to finish the roof.. we hvnt had major issues with kev's report apart from a gas pipe not adequately spaced in the wall cavity and waterlogging from the recent rain. we are hoping to meet the site supervisor next week to discuss kev's issues

have you met your site supervisor ever?
We haven't even met ours!

Kev will try to finish the report this afternoon, but he reckon he would be able to give the report this weekend.

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I hope everything works out well for you... you get your report and they fix it all.!!!

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Good Luck VJ - I hope Kevin can you give you the report and you can get the problems fixed quick smart

raz & haywgl, thanks! i really hope they fix ALL issues ASAP (and to our/and Kev's satisfaction!)

vpande · Mar 07, 2008 2:15 pm

yes VJ he is very approachable person. we have met twice so far for clarifications. he wasnt happy to hear when kev was mentioned. we also have a blunt reply that they are under no obligation to fulfil kev's changes ... hoping to resolve it in a calm manner!

donuts · Mar 07, 2008 4:32 pm

I can understand how disappointed you and your husband must feel VJ

Hope everything works out for you.

VJ · Mar 07, 2008 9:28 pm

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yes VJ he is very approachable person. we have met twice so far for clarifications. he wasnt happy to hear when kev was mentioned. we also have a blunt reply that they are under no obligation to fulfil kev's changes ... hoping to resolve it in a calm manner!

vpande,

that's good to hear... we haven't even met our S/S, and by how he gives update to my husband we reckon he's ..........

no obligation to address findings raised by your inspector? what the ?
what if the issues were non-compliance with BCA? are they still not obligated to adhere to it?

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I can understand how disappointed you and your husband must feel VJ

Hope everything works out for you.

Thanks, donuts.
We are really disappointed at the moment... but when we saw the house all wrapped up and can visualise how it would look like inside and out, we got a bit excited

... but still worried about the issues. hopefully, the issues would be fixable.

ahuang · Mar 08, 2008 9:12 pm

coljacqld

My frame has now been exposed to the weather for 36 days :roll:

Hi Anne,

Frame should be strong enough for that. In our case, as we are building 2 story brick vaneer, our first floor floor board was soaked in rain for weeks as our builder build brick walls first, then cover the site with roof.

Now we are having major issues with "floor lipping", that is, the area where 2 flooring boards joined together sort of pops up a bit and not very leveled. It was sanded once but still not very level. We ask for another one and they did it, but not sure if they either over done it of the lipping was too bad, lots of the nails were now removed during the sanding process...

Wonder if anyone experiencing similar problem...

vpande · Mar 08, 2008 9:49 pm

yes, non compliance with the BCA is what we will stress upon as kev's report is backed by the BCA guidelines in every fault mentioned.
Not sure what they will do next. hubby shd have held that payment but it was on the due date and kev gave a go ahead.
:roll:

VJ · Mar 09, 2008 10:22 am

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In our case, as we are building 2 story brick vaneer, our first floor floor board was soaked in rain for weeks as our builder build brick walls first, then cover the site with roof.

ahuang,

i normally see roof tiles being laid first before the bricks.
hmmm... it must be hard for you to see your house being soaked in rain for weeks!
it happened to us too and we felt bad... it's like seeing our baby soaked in rain! :cry:

at least now we have our roof tiles on... problem is, how are they going to fix the issues with the frame if the roof tiles were already laid.

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yes, non compliance with the BCA is what we will stress upon as kev's report is backed by the BCA guidelines in every fault mentioned.
Not sure what they will do next. hubby shd have held that payment but it was on the due date and kev gave a go ahead.

What we did was DH rang the A/R manager and discussed about our issues. He first insisted that we pay the frame invoice, as the issue (at that time) was about the slab (and we already paid for them). But DH argued :n:

and they reached an agreement that we would pay after the issues with slab and frame were rectified.

ahuang · Mar 10, 2008 9:14 am

VJ

how are they going to fix the issues with the frame if the roof tiles were already laid.

Sorry I might have missed it, what was the issue with the frame other than it's exposed in the weather for 36 days as you mentioned?

VJ · Mar 10, 2008 9:29 am

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what was the issue with the frame other than it's exposed in the weather for 36 days as you mentioned?

From what I gathered from my DH (still awaiting report from Kev), the spacing of the frames to some parts of the house were too wide. Also, according to Kev, the noggings should already be 2, as per the new code, but M was still putting in 1. Don't know if the new code should be implemented now. There was another one, which Kev was saying should have been done while the frames were being erected, but they didn't do it. He was wondering how they would put that in, now that the frames were already finished and roof tiles already laid.

ahuang · Mar 10, 2008 9:44 am

VJ

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what was the issue with the frame other than it's exposed in the weather for 36 days as you mentioned?

From what I gathered from my DH (still awaiting report from Kev), the spacing of the frames to some parts of the house were too wide. Also, according to Kev, the noggings should already be 2, as per the new code, but M was still putting in 1. Don't know if the new code should be implemented now. There was another one, which Kev was saying should have been done while the frames were being erected, but they didn't do it. He was wondering how they would put that in, now that the frames were already finished and roof tiles already laid.

Oh, that's not good. Noggings can be easily fixed. But the too wide thing would be a bit more complicate and probably can't be fixed easily with the roof tiles already on I think...

PhoenixStar · Mar 10, 2008 10:07 am

VJ

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what was the issue with the frame other than it's exposed in the weather for 36 days as you mentioned?

From what I gathered from my DH (still awaiting report from Kev), the spacing of the frames to some parts of the house were too wide. Also, according to Kev, the noggings should already be 2, as per the new code, but M was still putting in 1. Don't know if the new code should be implemented now. There was another one, which Kev was saying should have been done while the frames were being erected, but they didn't do it. He was wondering how they would put that in, now that the frames were already finished and roof tiles already laid.

VJ, are you referring to 2 noggings for every gap between studs???
Kevin has our builder putting in 2 nails into each noggin as per the recently reviewed standards. So i'm wondering if that is the same at your place???

Our builder has to remove some studs and pack them properly. So it seems that adding studs isn't really a problem - as far as Kevin was concerned at our place...

Nothing is impossible....it does surprise me though, why M is not being pro-active in resolving these issues. Instead they are waiting on Kevin's to see what he has "picked up"....

You would think that they would KNOW what they've done wrong by now??????

Hopefully you will have Kevin's report and it will all be resolved soon, then you will be back on track? :wink:

VJ · Mar 10, 2008 12:45 pm

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VJ, are you referring to 2 noggings for every gap between studs???
Kevin has our builder putting in 2 nails into each noggin as per the recently reviewed standards. So i'm wondering if that is the same at your place???

Our builder has to remove some studs and pack them properly. So it seems that adding studs isn't really a problem - as far as Kevin was concerned at our place...

Yes, Phoenix, I was referring to the 2 noggings for every gap between studs. I think that could easily be fixed.

With the studs being too far apart, what will happen if the roof tiles were laid already. When they fixed your studs (remove and them them properly), did you have the roof tiles then?

Anyway, we really hope to receive the report tomorrow so they could start with the fixing.

Isn't it that M should have their own inspection & give the report to us?
Is it standard for builders to have their own inspection every stage?

coljacqld · Mar 10, 2008 7:57 pm

Hi VJ

In QLD M does have their own frame inspector. We had a site visit with our construction manager (site super's boss) last Friday. I told him that we planned on getting our inspector in today. He told us we were best to wait until after the roof tiles go on as they then send out their frame inspector for any issues to be addressed before it is then inspected by the certifier.

The reason they wait until after the tiles go on is once the frame is weighted it changes and our inspector may pick up things that will either be addressed by the weight or by their own inspector.

Our sarking went on Thursday and the tilers started today so we have our independent guy penciled in for Friday. The house it due to be wrapped on Tuesday and we definitely wanted it inspected before then.

On another point I took the step of ringing the certifier and then sending the before photo's of our beam and a list of concerns we had so when they go out they see what it looked like before M put the post underneath. Certifier was very helpful and very interested in the photo's. May be worth you doing the same thing.

I really hope it works out for you

Anne

VJ · Mar 12, 2008 10:19 pm

Hi Anne,

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In QLD M does have their own frame inspector.

M's building surveyor should have inspected our frame/slab prior to our inspection. But they haven't done it until now.
Kev told DH during inspection that he doubted whether M had already inspected the frame.

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The reason they wait until after the tiles go on is once the frame is weighted it changes and our inspector may pick up things that will either be addressed by the weight or by their own inspector.

but there might be issues with the frame that when they rectify would result to removing the roof tiles again :?:

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I really hope it works out for you

We're just hoping that all issues would be fixed on time.

VJ · Mar 12, 2008 10:22 pm

We already received the inspection report today and DH immediately forwarded it to our CSR and the A/R manager.

It's an 8-page document - 6 pages of which contain the list of defects.
I wonder if it's fairly standard :roll:

I will post some photos of some fixes they had done with the slab issues (frame overhang).

PhoenixStar · Mar 12, 2008 10:42 pm

VJ, glad to hear that you received your building report...

Hopefully your builder will be right onto it and commence rectifying the issues!!!

6 pages of defects - hmmmm....Kevin must have put a lot of work into that report by the sounds of it!!!!!

Let us know how it goes....

VJ · Mar 12, 2008 10:46 pm

How many pages was your frame inspection report? :?:

I will provide a summary of all defects on our blog this weekend.

VJ · Mar 31, 2008 10:50 pm

Hi everyone,

Just letting you know that we will be having a meeting with our site supervisor and site manager tomorrow morning (7:30am!).

We hope that this would result to a positive outcome.
But we have a strange feeling... they have our independent inspection report... but up to now, after about 3 weeks since we handed it to them, nothing has been fixed!

I wonder if the purpose of the meeting is for them to justify why they were not willing to fix them

... hope not

Hope the meeting is to clarify issues and so they could properly address 'em. But.. they have the report a long time ago.. so how come they haven't fixed even one?

Will let you know tomorrow about the outcome.

At the moment, I'm no longer looking forward to see the site.. because nothing's happening anyway. Just a waste of time and petrol travelling there. Gone were the days when we were looking forward to go home from work so we could visit the site and take some photos. :cry:

Question - if they aren't willing to fix ALL the issues with the frame, what's gonna be our next move? :?:

PhoenixStar · Mar 31, 2008 11:18 pm

VJ, i hope everything works out tomorrow.

Listen to what they have to say, take notes if you need to.
Ask for time frames if they promise to fix the issues, so that you have an idea of when you will be back on track.

I suggest that IF it doesn't go to plan tomorrow, try giving Kevin a call and ask his opinion of what you should/could do?

But i hope that you will be approached with a positive solution and a schedule of work that needs to be started a.s.a.p.

Please let us know how it goes....

Good Luck!!!!! :wink: