Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Sep 05, 2014 10:13 pm I have just started building my first home in Truganina with a small builder. A day before the construction, I was asked to pay an additional $15k for extra bored piers and concrete due to a P class soil test. I was shocked as I have already pay an extra $6,000 to upgrade my slab from H1 to H2 before I sign the contract. So I negotiated with the builder and he has decided to work around the so called problem at a cost of $4,000. After a week of work, the builder contacted me and informed me that I need to pay additional $25,000 on top of the $4,000 because they think the soil isn't compact enough to build a house. They found loose broken soil, broken bricks and rubble. They claim that they need to redesign the slab to add extra bored piers. Can anyone please give me some advice? Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 3Sep 06, 2014 7:36 am Yes. I have the design and soil test. It is just waffle slab and soil test is classified as class P and recommended for a H2 slab, which I have already paid $6,000 to upgrade it from H1 to H2 slab. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 4Sep 06, 2014 10:33 pm Hey greatfish, not a good start!! You have the soild test and slab design, which the builder would of had prior to construction and around the time the contracts were signed. They then poured a H1 slab instead of the required H2 slab as recommended by the soil test. They then pour a H1 slab, against the recommendation and ask you to fit the bill? Did the builder have a compaction test done prior (I'm assuming they did) to the slab being laid? My builder asked for $70k for earthworks (slightly different to siteworks), which didn't include a retaining wall and was going to be built on sand and no rock breaking. I feel your pain. I'm no expert by any means, you may need to have a chat to someone that is. Best of luck greatfish. Don't fork out your hard earned cash for their errors. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 6Sep 07, 2014 3:36 pm They claimed that the actual soil is different with the compaction report given by the developer. They found loose broken soil, broken bricks and rubble when they were doing the plumbing. They sent me a bunch of photos and then ceased the construction. The builder told us that we have to wait until the engineer can find a foundation system compatible with a new compaction report (To be honest, I don't know what they mean). They told us that it's our business to find the money for them, other wise they will not continue the job. I think this is ridiculous. The owners of the blocks beside me (left and right) have their houses built few months ago. I check with them and they don't have the same problem. Why do I have broken bricks and rubble in my block when my neighbours have no problems? Can anyone please tell me what is going on here? Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 7Sep 07, 2014 4:47 pm Sounds like this is something the builder should take up with the developer. Have a read through this thread here, happened to someone building here in Perth, they took it up with the developer and got them to foot the bill to clear the site. Not sure if it is a similar situation, but can't hurt to try it. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=71632 Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 8Sep 07, 2014 8:23 pm Marcia Sounds like this is something the builder should take up with the developer. Have a read through this thread here, happened to someone building here in Perth, they took it up with the developer and got them to foot the bill to clear the site. Not sure if it is a similar situation, but can't hurt to try it. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=71632 Hi Marcia, I think it's a different story. My builder claimed that the compaction report given by the developer is a false report. Even thought it is the same as the soil test, my builder still insist that the actual soil is not compatible with the report given by the developer. He threaten us that if we don't pay, he would cancel the contract. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 9Sep 07, 2014 8:41 pm greatfish I think this is ridiculous. The owners of the blocks beside me (left and right) have their houses built few months ago. I check with them and they don't have the same problem. Why do I have broken bricks and rubble in my block when my neighbours have no problems I would do as JB1 has stated. Get assistance fast. On a side note, what colour are the bricks they are finding on your block? Wouldn't be the same colour as your neighbours, would they? Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 10Sep 07, 2014 9:08 pm JKay greatfish I think this is ridiculous. The owners of the blocks beside me (left and right) have their houses built few months ago. I check with them and they don't have the same problem. Why do I have broken bricks and rubble in my block when my neighbours have no problems I would do as JB1 has stated. Get assistance fast. On a side note, what colour are the bricks they are finding on your block? Wouldn't be the same colour as your neighbours, would they? Hi JKay, We are planning to do as JB1 recommended. You have a good point. We didn't check the colour of the bricks as our neighbour but we don't think they are the same. The builder claimed that he found the bricks 300mm below the ground. That was the reason he claimed that the soil wasn't compacted. I just did a quick check on the soil test, it was stated that the soil was well compacted after 200mm. I don't understand where is the builder coming from. The builder claims that he is a reputable builder and he will not do anything to jeopardise his reputation. Can I believe him? Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 11Sep 07, 2014 9:12 pm I think your builder is doing right thing,has when excavating has found serious issues with your soil,if he went ahead with a waffle slab in unstable soil, god knows the certain big problems you would end up with,waffle slabs need everything going correct before during and after to not give problems,work with him to first find best solution,then go to developer fully informed with builder on your side. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 12Sep 07, 2014 10:30 pm Why didn't the builder get his own soil test (of course at your expense) before, no builder or engineer in their right mind would trust one from the developers. It is after all their responsibility to ensure the slab is suitable. Seems too suss to me, asking for extra money just before they start. What works have they done so far? Maybe walking away is the best solution. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 13Sep 07, 2014 11:07 pm JB1 Why didn't the builder get his own soil test (of course at your expense) before, no builder or engineer in their right mind would trust one from the developers. It is after all their responsibility to ensure the slab is suitable. Seems too suss to me, asking for extra money just before they start. What works have they done so far? Maybe walking away is the best solution. Hi JB1, They have soil test done before we signed the contract. I can see in the soil test report that the soil was well compacted. I agreed with you. I thought they should read the soil test report and decide the slab before we sign the contract. Now they are claiming that the soil test and the compaction report from the developer are inconsistent with the actual soil. I don't understand how could that happen. They just completed the plumbing. Then they just stopped all the work and claimed that they found excavated soil. I was at the site this afternoon and I don't see any sign of rubble or bricks except virgin soil and clay. It just seems too suss to me. How can I walk away now? Can I do that? Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 14Sep 08, 2014 12:35 am Oh dear great fish, I agree with an earlier comment, not a great start. It seems very suspect. I'd be asking the builder to physically show you the rubble in your sand pad. Was the sand pad build managed by the builder? If so, they will need to go back to the contract earthmovers and find out where they sourced the sand. It sounds very suss that a compaction certificate could be issued if rubble was in the pad. My nose twitches in the direction of the earth moving company, particularly if they did the work and they issued the compaction certificate. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 15Sep 08, 2014 12:39 am And I certainly would not be putting my hand in my pocket for any more money until the issue is resolved Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 16Sep 08, 2014 1:14 pm The builder should be asking the soil testing company to confirm his concerns with a second soil test and you should be there during the drilling. The soil testing company may confirm it is a localised bad fill spot or something more wide spread. You could also engage your on soil test just to double check everything and ask them to do at least 5 holes and one in the area the builder has identified as bad. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 17Sep 08, 2014 3:19 pm greatfish JB1 Why didn't the builder get his own soil test (of course at your expense) before, no builder or engineer in their right mind would trust one from the developers. It is after all their responsibility to ensure the slab is suitable. Seems too suss to me, asking for extra money just before they start. What works have they done so far? Maybe walking away is the best solution. Hi JB1, They have soil test done before we signed the contract. I can see in the soil test report that the soil was well compacted. I agreed with you. I thought they should read the soil test report and decide the slab before we sign the contract. Now they are claiming that the soil test and the compaction report from the developer are inconsistent with the actual soil. I don't understand how could that happen. They just completed the plumbing. Then they just stopped all the work and claimed that they found excavated soil. I was at the site this afternoon and I don't see any sign of rubble or bricks except virgin soil and clay. It just seems too suss to me. How can I walk away now? Can I do that? How can you walk away? Call his bluff, he was the one who threatened to cancel the contract! lol Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 18Sep 09, 2014 8:47 am JB1 just seems too suss to me. How can I walk away now? Can I do that? How can you walk away? Call his bluff, he was the one who threatened to cancel the contract! lol I have done very similar, contracts were signed (still within my 45 day period), then they wanted to charge us an extra $80k for earthworks. I spoke to a property lawyer, and we ended up walking away (a couple of negotiations/meetings later mind you). They just ended up keeping the deposit. The money we have now saved for just taking a back step, has all been worth it. Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 19Sep 09, 2014 8:14 pm JKay JB1 just seems too suss to me. How can I walk away now? Can I do that? How can you walk away? Call his bluff, he was the one who threatened to cancel the contract! lol I have done very similar, contracts were signed (still within my 45 day period), then they wanted to charge us an extra $80k for earthworks. I spoke to a property lawyer, and we ended up walking away (a couple of negotiations/meetings later mind you). They just ended up keeping the deposit. The money we have now saved for just taking a back step, has all been worth it. Hi JKay, Do you mind to let me know if you end up building your house with another builder? It will be good to know more about your experience. Thanks, Re: Unreasonable Site Cost? 20Sep 27, 2014 9:30 pm Hi JKay, Do you mind to let me know if you end up building your house with another builder? It will be good to know more about your experience. Thanks, Hey Greatfish Hope I'm not too late (sorry). PM sent. i would suggest nothing is unreasonable for PCI. we did all sorts, including checking the hot water, checking all the GPO's had power, testing that the showers were… 9 98623 We were lucky in that our old house was so small (86 square metres) compared to the new house, they were able to take enough readings around the old backyard house before… 8 37085 Thanks for the insight! 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