Lessons Learned - Building a House

[heater31]

Don't forget that January (or Fanuary if you read the other thread ) is the tradies holiday period. Currently at my place of employment we are having trouble nailing subbies down to do any work in January plus our office doesn't re open until the middle of jan.

[rsemmler]

Smac, March 31st was the date given at the start of construction.

[smac]

Smac, March 31st was the date given at the start of construction.

Then I'd reckon Heater is on the money.

[Spot]

Hey re the trades,

My bricks and wood was delivered to the block 2 weeks before Xmas, go figure. Yes the bricks have changed as the ones I ordered won't be ready until the end of Jan. So bricks and wood sitting on block taking all the weather. Best thing Monday start of action at the block and today the whole frame up and windows in. Gosh the poor tradies have worked hard.

So some are working.

To all the people that have built before have all the invoices blowing around the block, I have 5 other peoples plans with their names and addresses on plans, invoices and other personal things left to blow around. Nice to think that they are careful about information.

But at last my house is starting to look like a house...

[Felch]

Hey re the trades,

My bricks and wood was delivered to the block 2 weeks before Xmas, go figure. Yes the bricks have changed as the ones I ordered won't be ready until the end of Jan. So bricks and wood sitting on block taking all the weather. Best thing Monday start of action at the block and today the whole frame up and windows in. Gosh the poor tradies have worked hard.

So some are working.

To all the people that have built before have all the invoices blowing around the block, I have 5 other peoples plans with their names and addresses on plans, invoices and other personal things left to blow around. Nice to think that they are careful about information.

But at last my house is starting to look like a house...

Good to see you have some action happening !

We still have nothing, were told right up until 3 weeks before Xmas that our slab would be down in December - which i knew was not true. Then 2 weeks before Xmas, we were told that it wouldnt happen until January !!!
Our building supervisor doesnt get back from leave until next week, but we are hopeful of something happening within the week.

Already 2 and a half months behind schedule, for reasons i cant explain

[Dutchy]

it happens to everyone Lads...just try to work with them as much as you can is my advice and be patient as possible

a house being built 2 doors down left the site in a mess over the 3 week break with crap everywhere including a cement lap pool about 9 foot deep unfenced, stair case to the second story unfenced etc...they had the inspectors there last week and the builder can expect a big fine! it was extremly dangerous for kids in the street if they wandered in there...

[Dirko]

We have done a heap of reno's on our joint, and the next step is to put up a rendered fence around our courtyard.
The renderer has suggested we use "high tensile foam" boards instead of blueboard.
He showed me a sample and they look OK, reckons they don't warp or buckle as blueboard can especially in a fence
where you get a fair bit of movement.
Has any one used the foam sheets during construction of their new joints ?

[smac]

We looked at those foam sheets when we extended a couple of years ago, went with blueboard instead for a few reasons, mainly the structural strength - although we were using it for external walls, not a fence.

Their point sounds valid to me, I recall it being a little less rigid. I reckon it's lighter and easier to work with as well, which may form part of their motivation.

[Spot]

Good to see you have some action happening !

We still have nothing, were told right up until 3 weeks before Xmas that our slab would be down in December - which i knew was not true. Then 2 weeks before Xmas, we were told that it wouldnt happen until January !!!
Our building supervisor doesnt get back from leave until next week, but we are hopeful of something happening within the week.

Already 2 and a half months behind schedule, for reasons i cant explain

Don't worry I was told that I would be moving in Nov just gone. They won't give me a finish date, but I am sure it will be June.

Funny they asked me to take the front fence down and now they are using to keep the block closed and have asked me for a lock...
Go figure.......

Who are you building with ?
My supervisor never will take a call, he only calls me if he wants something and will never give me a date for anything. When you give up it will happen....

[Psyber]

The last house we built was in a rural setting and I put up a 15 metre by 6 metre galv. shed and gave the builders a key so materials could be stored in it. Of course they then stacked the floor boards out in the open to get rained on and then put them down despite their badly cupped state. When I complained they said it would be OK they would sand them flat!

Fortunately, an acquaintance of mine was an Architect who used to arbitrate for the courts when experts disagreed, so he had a look and wrote a report saying that sanding them flat would leave too little tongue and groove for stability. Then they got their own expert who upset them by agreeing with mine entirely!

After a few more similar events, I withheld the last construction payment and wrote a letter to them contending it was just enough to fix their mistakes, and waited for them to take me to court. Our Barristers negotiated in the courtroom while the judge had a cup of tea, and I got to keep about a sixth of the building cost to pay for fixing things. Fortunately I'd supplied the locks for the doors because I wanted good quality deadlocks [Schlage] so I had keys and they couldn't use that to make me sweat..

Yeah, put up with the minor inconveniences and delays, they are inevitable, but go for the bastards if there are serious faults.

I used these guys. http://www.lynchmeyer.com.au/

[Felch]

Good to see you have some action happening !

We still have nothing, were told right up until 3 weeks before Xmas that our slab would be down in December - which i knew was not true. Then 2 weeks before Xmas, we were told that it wouldnt happen until January !!!
Our building supervisor doesnt get back from leave until next week, but we are hopeful of something happening within the week.

Already 2 and a half months behind schedule, for reasons i cant explain

Don't worry I was told that I would be moving in Nov just gone. They won't give me a finish date, but I am sure it will be June.

Funny they asked me to take the front fence down and now they are using to keep the block closed and have asked me for a lock...
Go figure.......

Who are you building with ?
My supervisor never will take a call, he only calls me if he wants something and will never give me a date for anything. When you give up it will happen....

AV Jennings

[Spot]

Shame to see another builder just as slack as mine.

Well they moved a shed into my block, what do they use that for???????

So with the toilet and the shed don't know how I am going to remove the fence now whan they decide they don't want it there anymore...

So how come Av have no builders working now

Hope they start soon for u, My house is getting things done to every day now, I think they are trying to get to lock up to shut me out.

[Felch]

Shame to see another builder just as slack as mine.

Well they moved a shed into my block, what do they use that for???????

So with the toilet and the shed don't know how I am going to remove the fence now whan they decide they don't want it there anymore...

So how come Av have no builders working now

Hope they start soon for u, My house is getting things done to every day now, I think they are trying to get to lock up to shut me out.

I believe Jenning's tradesmen came back on deck last week, but their office staff (including our supervisor) only came back this week.

As we have built before, we know and expect problems and hurdles along the way. Its the way these issues are handled by the builder which is important. I know from experience, its easier just to tell the truth than to keep lying to a client, hoping they will 'go away'.

Just be honest with us !!!

[Spot]

My bricks are now up, the builder has locked the block so I can't get in after work, I just jump the fence.

Best thing today they sent me a letter dated 30/01/2008 asking for the third prog payment for the bricks and roof. Shame there are no tiles on the block and not one on the roof. How good are they. I will be getting to the block before work tomorrow to take photos to email them and my bank. Can't believe they could do this again to me, must be tight on money or something....Have to ask them if they supply the umbrella's for the rain, lol.

Do all builders do this or am I just the lucky one........

[Squawk]

My bricks are now up, the builder has locked the block so I can't get in after work, I just jump the fence.

Best thing today they sent me a letter dated 30/01/2008 asking for the third prog payment for the bricks and roof. Shame there are no tiles on the block and not one on the roof. How good are they. I will be getting to the block before work tomorrow to take photos to email them and my bank. Can't believe they could do this again to me, must be tight on money or something....Have to ask them if they supply the umbrella's for the rain, lol.

Do all builders do this or am I just the lucky one........

Unsurprising Spot. The thing the builders are most efficient at is chasing progress payments, even when there is no progress. Progress has an official description that is called 'substantial completion'. Tell them your payment is substantially complete - cheque is drawn and in an addressed envelope - just needs the stamp put on and dropped in the box!

[Spot]

My bricks are now up, the builder has locked the block so I can't get in after work, I just jump the fence.

Best thing today they sent me a letter dated 30/01/2008 asking for the third prog payment for the bricks and roof. Shame there are no tiles on the block and not one on the roof. How good are they. I will be getting to the block before work tomorrow to take photos to email them and my bank. Can't believe they could do this again to me, must be tight on money or something....Have to ask them if they supply the umbrella's for the rain, lol.

Do all builders do this or am I just the lucky one........

Unsurprising Spot. The thing the builders are most efficient at is chasing progress payments, even when there is no progress. Progress has an official description that is called 'substantial completion'. Tell them your payment is substantially complete - cheque is drawn and in an addressed envelope - just needs the stamp put on and dropped in the box!

I will tell them that one for sure tomorrow, best thing I have heard since building.
I see if they like that

[Felch]

Good to hear you are getting some progress anyway Spot.

We STILL havent got anything on our block. All we are getting are excuses, sent a nasty email off yesterday in fact. Still waiting for a reply.

I would like to see our builder ask us for some money !!!

[Spot]

Good to hear you are getting some progress anyway Spot.

We STILL havent got anything on our block. All we are getting are excuses, sent a nasty email off yesterday in fact. Still waiting for a reply.

I would like to see our builder ask us for some money !!!

Yes I am happy they have started but I must have the only builder that sends out invoices for work they haven't done, shame I work for the bank that they also send the invoices to and that this morning I took photos and emailed them to the bank. The bank rang me and will now inspect every time they ask for money and the builder has just been added to the list that they keep a close eye on.. I might get the last laugh after all.

As for the builder, yes they knew I didn't have the tiles as they were just going to the block today, shame they didn't explain that to the person that sent the invoice dated the 30th.....No sorry just a yes we know..........

[brod]

Have just put a block of land on hold. Will be looking at signing the contract for the land later in the week. Is there anything out of the ordinary that any who have been through the process, would recommend as a condition of the contract?

[Spot]

Have just put a block of land on hold. Will be looking at signing the contract for the land later in the week. Is there anything out of the ordinary that any who have been through the process, would recommend as a condition of the contract?

I would make it subject to soil test if you don't already hold one and are going to build soon. One block I was going to buy the footings were $15,000 and after changing blocks the footins were reduced to $6500, made a big different and both blocks are just around the corner from each other. I would much rather spend money on paving, fences etc once the build is finished than at the start of the build.