Issue with dwarf wall to leisure area

VJ · Apr 11, 2008 11:56 pm

Hi everyone,

Just want to hear your thoughts about this.

All the display homes of M has dwarf wall to their leisure area upstairs (the open area just after you go up from downstairs).
The wall is around 1M in height.
I remember seeing this on the standard plans.

Unfortunately though, the our signed plans do not have this annotation and when we met our SS and CM, we mentioned that we noticed the wall was connected to the roof (meaning, not a dwarf wall anymore, but a full wall).
They asked for the plans and to our surprise (unfortunately, we didn't check it prior to our meeting), there wasn't a note on the plans that it was supposed to be a dwarf wall. SS was ok to make it a dwarf wall but CM suggested that since we have kids, it would be advisable to have full wall instead. But we didn't like it because it would look very dark in the stairs area as we closed off the formal lounge to make way for a home theatre. Meaning, when you go up to the 1st floor, instead of having an open area to the lounge, we will have a wall there for the HT. We were hoping we would get a dwarf wall when you go up to 1st floor, but now it would be another full wall. We told them that all display homes have dwarf wall, but they said it might be an upgrade.
Since we didn't have any proof that the original plans have dwarf wall, we agreed verbally to have full wall but CM suggested to put an opening so it wouldn't really block the light coming from the stairs window.

Just tonight, we had a look at all versions of the plans that we received from our sales consultant and lo and behold, the standard plans indeed have dwarf wall!

My question is, can we insist to have dwarf wall even if our signed plans don't have the annotation as to the height of the wall? Their standard plans have that annotation.

Thanks.

blessedpeople · Apr 12, 2008 12:27 am

Hi VJ,

I my limited experience, what's on the standard inclusing list is a standard, and therefore, you should get your dwarf wall. I can't understand the builder's reasoning as wouldn't a full wall cost more for the builder in terms of material, man hours etc?

Something like that happened to us. in our case it was a bath in the ensuite, all the standard drawings showed a bath but when it came to our contract, there wasn't a bath. sales rep told us bath wasn't a standard, the standard floorplans had it but that as it was an oval bath, it was in actual fact a spa and therefore an upgrade. we found that they were telling the truth from other clients building with them...however, as we were told "verbally" differently, they agreed to give us 50% off on the bath, we ended up upgrading to the spa and they were happy to apply the $500 discount to the spa. However, this entire fiasco occured during the cooling off period so at the end of the day, when it comes to legality, i'm not very sure.

However, I would think a standard is a standard...hopefully Michelle, Phoenix and the other experienced members would be able to assist better.

VJ · Apr 12, 2008 8:36 am

Thanks blessedpeople for your response.

We will email the CM and attach the standard plans that our C/S gave us a long time ago.
Our mistake was, we only checked the changes to our plans (ensure all measurements and specs were correct) and not whether the standard were altered. Who would ever think that they would change the standard plans without your instruction?

Another lesson learned.

blessedpeople · Apr 12, 2008 11:39 am

All the best VJ,

I'm appalled as well with some of the things we have heard & experienced first hand...i can't believe it's legal ???? :twisted:

Anyways, I really hope it goes well. Be firm. Between dh & I, i go first, only get halfway with them and then dh zooms in for the homerun... :lol:

pathetic really.

coljacqld · Apr 12, 2008 3:35 pm

Hi VJ

We had a similar issue with M and the plans they hand out, ours was with the robe doors. On the brochure we were given the Grandview 28 and 30 had hingled doors but in the same brochure the Grandview 36 (ours) had sliding doors. When we questioned this at PC stage they told us it was jst an image and we must refer to the standard plan that you do your changes on. They also pointed out that on the back of the brochure it has a disclaimer. In my book it is false advertising but they always cover their backsided.

There is no harm in standing your ground, but knowing M it may not get you very far. I think they owe you big time surely they can accomodate you with this :roll:

Good luck

Anne

'chelle · Apr 12, 2008 7:00 pm

This is just a suggestion, but if you are concerned re children and dwarf wall ......I know you said it was CM who raised that as an issue but.....you could have the dwarf wall with glass above to let the light in.

I only suggest this as we are having something similar in our lounge and I like the idea of letting the light and view in but keeping some of the noise out as our rumpus is at the bottom of our stairs below the lounge.

Doesn't solve your problem with your plans though.

Good luck

oznow · Apr 12, 2008 7:44 pm

Hi Vj
I think the best option is to talk/email to your ss soon rather than later. We also encountered some missing/incorrect items (laundry doors, kitchen vac pan, security in the garage). We emailed the builder who said that he will be looking it. so far our laundry door has been replaced to clear glass.

VJ · Apr 12, 2008 9:43 pm

Quote:

Anyways, I really hope it goes well. Be firm. Between dh & I, i go first, only get halfway with them and then dh zooms in for the homerun...

pathetic really.

Yes blessedpeople, we will be firm about it. If it wasn't really on the standard plans, we wouldn't ask for it. But as far as I can remember, I really saw a dwarf wall somewhere... and now we saw the proof.. good thing we still have the standard plans emailed to us by our SC.

Quote:

There is no harm in standing your ground, but knowing M it may not get you very far. I think they owe you big time surely they can accomodate you with this

Our SS and CM seem to be very accommodating. When we met them to discuss about the issues with the slab and frame (based on Kev's independent inspection report), they went through the list one by one and agreed to address them all. They were after the document that would prove that it was a dwarf wall and they would change it to a dwarf wall. Now that we have the proof (we'll email it tomorrow so they would have it first day Monday morning) to show that the standard plans have dwarf wall, I'm quite positive that they would agree to change the full wall to a dwarf wall. fingers crossed.

Quote:

This is just a suggestion, but if you are concerned re children and dwarf wall ......I know you said it was CM who raised that as an issue but.....you could have the dwarf wall with glass above to let the light in.

I don't think it would be possible to add glass above the dwarf wall at this stage. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. Although the plans that we signed didn't have that note saying 1000mm wall to the leisure, they definitely have that dwarf wall on their standard plans and we didn't alter it in any way.

Quote:

Hi Vj
I think the best option is to talk/email to your ss soon rather than later. We also encountered some missing/incorrect items (laundry doors, kitchen vac pan, security in the garage). We emailed the builder who said that he will be looking it. so far our laundry door has been replaced to clear glass.

Oznow,
Yes, we will contact the CM (as we have his email address - he gave it to us during our meeting and told us to contact him for urgent matters), not the SS, on Monday re: this and will forward the standard plans sent to us by our CSR.

Just in case they don't agree to make it a dwarf wall, we will escalate it to the higher management, as they definitely alter the standard wall without our instruction.