New build - completion process

[ADT]

Hi all! Update time!

So I got there for my demo appointment and completion on Friday. The painter was still in there carrying out touch ups!

The house was filthy, they had to hoover it after the demo while we waited for their solicitor to receive the money. So far I have recorded 85 snags! Most of them are cosmetics. The rear garden was a mess full of rubble etc. The kitchen sink was leaking as well (typical), which was fixed on the day. Other issues included tarmac and concrete in my drains. Overall I would say no QC was done on the house whatsoever. Some sockets looked like they were installed by a 5 year old.

I made sure I flagged the snags to the site manager (who was doing the demo/completion with us. I've been told he or his assistant will visit us on the 3rd of Jan to arrange for those issues to be fixed.

Thank you all for your help. I will keep this updated as I have a feeling I'm in for a ride with these people.

 

[Richie]

Who's the builder? 85 snags seems like an awful lot...

 

[ADT]

Who's the builder? 85 snags seems like an awful lot...

Bellway.

They’ve pretty much rushed all the finishing

 

[fastwunz]

Mate of mine bought a new build.

The builders put the light switch for the second bedroom OUTSIDE the room in the hallway.

After a few weeks all the sockets and switches were wonky. Turned out the ‘electrician’ didn’t screw any of the wall plates in.

They also installed the wrong kitchen - like, completely wrong - this had to be changed a week before completion for the one they had actually ordered.

There was a brick in the mains drain which blocked all the showers in a row of houses and caused sewage to back up into people’s en suites whilst they were in the shower. Apparently it was a disgruntled builder who was sacked who then put bricks in the drains to vent his anger.

The builders mixed up the water meters meaning the provider was billing everyone for each other’s water usage.

They installed pendant lights instead of spot lights in half the suspended ceilings which were designed specifically for the spots - these all had to be changed.

The garden is a disaster.

Saying all that though, it’s a blumin lovely house in a lovely spot in a great neighbourhood and it’s all brand new.

 

[Jono8]

Just bought another new build (second one in a row) and completed Friday too.

Still needs a garden gate and some more fencing and the top coat of tarmac on our drive.

Garden is just a muddy bog too (though this isn't their fault, it has been far too wet for them to do anything with it).

Few cracked tiles and marks here and there and one tap is plumbed the wrong way round (cold is hot, hot is cold)

Site manager was great and did seem embarrassed and explained it is simply because head office wants all the money for the end of year figures.

It is a great plot though and we did really want to complete before Xmas ourselves too so can't complain.

Pleasantly surprised that they gave us a 20 foot long garage! Result! Thought it would be a standard 16 foot one.

The site manager and assistant seem really nice though so I have confidence they will sort us out in the new year. They are there for another 8 months at least too do hopefully snags will be fixed quickly.

I think you have to be realistic and keep expectations low. You won't get perfection and should expect a few months of having things corrected/ put right.

 

[blueboy2001]

I think you have to be realistic and keep expectations low. You won't get perfection and should expect a few months of having things corrected/ put right.

Spot on. Whilst the builders could and should really do better, pretty much everything we buy these days is made in a factory in tightly controlled conditions with standardised production procedures with quality management processes in place throughout the production process giving a uniform repeatable end product that meets the design specs. Consumers are used to this and have come to expect it.

Yet we build houses by giving numerous different subcrontractors - who by and large have no real vested interest in the end product because they are often not employed by the builder - a pile of building materials outdoors in a country with a variable climate and tell them to crack on with their “bit” and get it finished so the next trade can get in. Most are on piece work in one form or another so their incentive is to get the job complete rather than achieve any sort of quality. It’s archaic really.