Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Apr 30, 2013 9:51 pm Hi everyone! Hoping you can advice me on my current problem... Builder has so far done a not so bad of a job but im not entirely happy. I've noticed some mistakes as we are approaching completion. Im looking at 5weeks til handover unless i get the builder to fix some issues. I think the builder uses my weakness as a way to get away with things. One of the problems is our feature wall, instead of putting a 1course brick in stackbond the builder have cut the brick in half, which looks not bad but still not as it should be. Their reasoning is that it was what was on the drawing, which was conflicting with the words in the drawing itself. So anyway, cut the story short, they made me agree to leave it as it is with a verbal agreement that they will finish my home in the timeframe that we were already at, just so delays wont happen. In return they'll install my rangehood (as long as i buy it) for free. This week, i noticed that our sink (both in ensuite and bathroom), which we specifically asked to be moved a few mm forward (away from the wall), was not done. So instead of 550mm away from the mirror, it's now just 500mm. And when i pointed this to them, i was again given the option of either fixing it and delaying construction another 1-2 weeks, or Leave it as it is! I know it may seem minor for some, but these are things that are obvious and we see... If you can not trust a builder to do these small things, how can i have peace of mind that the major ones that i don't see are going to be ok. Because i am renting, which means i pay for rent and mortgage, i am in a hurry to move to my new home therefore i think they are using a delay as a way to make me just agree. Also i have booked leave, i have bought furnitures and due for delivery, etc... And sadly because contract states that construction may take up to 250 days, legally if they were delayed to fix these problems, we will be well within construction period. If you were in my shoes would you let it go? Re: Building Issues- Leave it or Fix it? 2Apr 30, 2013 10:45 pm I am writing this with a devils advocate view. First, you have to ask yourself is the pain to rectify worth the effort. Second, if they do delay by 1-2 weeks, how much would that actually cost you with rent etc. Is it more or less than the result? Thirdly, you can ask them to provide in writing "The issue of .... will be resolved by doing ...... within ..... days of handover" Aesthetics is one thing, a defect is another. But all in all, if the builder really wanted to, they could delay your build all the way up to 249 days and then you would be up s**t creek. Re: Building Issues- Leave it or Fix it? 3Apr 30, 2013 11:40 pm Its a toughie, we were talking to our sales rep about this last night - our current house has a wonky wall between the ensuite and our bedroom (the tile width on the inside varies about 40mm over less than 2 metres) but we only discovered it at PCI at which point it would have been huge to rectify it so we just left it - we too were desperate to get into our new place! I guess you have to question yourself can you be bothered? Having done this before and having more realistic expectations of time frames we know this time we can keep constantly checking on our progress and if we spot a problem we can ask for it to be fixed - I was a bit naive in round one and thought "if i tell them i've seen a problem they'll know I've been onsite and I'm not meant to be!" This time round we can cope with the delays (reasonable ones) to get things perfect Our Custom Dale Alcock build in the Village at Wellard https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=78620 Re: Building Issues- Leave it or Fix it? 4May 01, 2013 6:44 pm I do see both points and now thinking to maybe leave it...i was fuming angry when they told me about the mistake as it's the 2nd one so far... I guess i am more worried now about finding serious problems as i can't even trust them to do simple things properly! Re: Building Issues- Leave it or Fix it? 5May 01, 2013 8:53 pm the way i see it is that you paid for certain things that they have not delivered.. if they arent going to fix them then ask for reinbursement for the issues could be a compromise Hey guys, what’s everyone opinion on James Hardie linea direct fix to frame? Would this be the most common method and anybody ever had any problems down the track? 0 5132 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair If the railhead is so poorly fixed it is also likely that the railhead is also non compliant, what about overflows and sealing railhead to the gutters?. 3 5963 |