New Build - En-suite error - Shower facing door

[Devious]

Hi,

Im in the process of waiting for new build to complete. I have bought off plan and had not access to the house.

I just had an email saying that they builder has positioned the boxed in cavity adjacent to the shower on the wrong side of the en-suite room. This meant they could not fit the normal swing door and have instead replaced with a folding door.

They sent me a picture.




I am kind of OK with the door, but I noticed the shower unit and head are on the wall facing the door??
In the showhouse the unit is correctly fitted on the right side wall with all the piping etc within the boxed in cavity.



I dont understand why they have not fitted the shower correctly to the left wall and had all the piping within the cavity.

I am not happy that the shower head is facing the door because.

1. Possibility of getting wet and water going outside when turning on the shower as its coming at you. I assume the water would be cold as first so wouldn't want to get in and close the door until the water temperature is right.

2. More chance of the water seeping through the fold in the door over time with a constant spray on it.



Here are plans to compare the showhouse first then my actual layout showing positions of everything.




I have replied saying that I am not happy and await their reply, but I cannot see them wanting to move the shower now it is all tiled.


Does anyone know if there are any British standards or rules that say you are not to have the shower facing the door? I have found a couple of websites saying its bad practice but would love an british standard or similar to show them.


Cheers

 

[Devious]

I'll try to get them to change it but I think they will just offer me the last remaining house plot, unfortunately the garden is much smaller though.

I hoped there was an official set of rules or standards outlawing it unless there was no choice.

I really don't understand why they didn't install the shower on the left wall? I mean that is where they have created a cavity for all the pipes etc. On the far wall they have had to put all the pipes in the thin partition wall... Weird

 

[Devious]

Probably didn't want the door to hit the shower.

I wouldn't worry too much about water - that's a £70 electric shower, there won't be much water coming out of it.

Have you exchanged contracts?

If the shower was fitted correctly on the left and the door folding to the right I don't think It would have hit.

I've not exchanged contracts yet. I only reserved a couple of weeks ago. Just paid the solicitor to do the searches last week.

I really like the house though it's in a good location and good price for a detached. It's just annoying when it's not right.
I had a bit of an issue last week when I noticed there was a lamppost right outside. From one angle it looked like it was right in front of the windows but when they let me on site to look front on it was just to the side.

 

[Devious]

From what i can see they have made a mistake and have dealt with it in there way.So to get them to change it is going to be a very hard job if they even entertain it at all.Builders will try and get out of any thing once the house is built even snagging.This dose not help you as its not to your taste but as you say the rest of the house is good all round for you i would say live with it as its only a small issue if any.
As the door is now like pic 2 and folds inwards from what i see of the lay out is it will give you more room to get in and out of shower as the opening door in pic 1 swings across blocking most of room as it opens and you'll end up standing in the door/bedroom to fully open it will be tight fitr in the bathroom..
And as for water seeping through the fold in the door cant really see much if any issues iot would drip down door back in to try and be contained . I would worry more if having the door open out in pic 1 with water driping on to the floor when you have the door open getting out the shower /leaving door open due to the lack of room when standing dry your self off.

I have told them the folding door is Ok if of good quality. The positioning of the shower is more of an issue but as they are in the final stages of the devopement i cant see them changing it now as it would mean re-tiling most of the room.

I will just say i am not happy and hopefully get some carpets out of it.

 

[Devious]

Are the folding doors still glass though, versus a door.

They look like glass from the pic they sent me. Im not allowed in the property yet to inspect.

Ive found a better pic of the showhouse en-suite door. Updated the OP. I think the full door looks nicer but i can manage with the folding door.

im more bothered about the shower position.

 

[Devious]

Ive been back to the development this afternoon and taken some more pics of the showhouse. Ive added a picture to the OP showing the normal door fully open. The en-suite can open the shower door fully without encroaching into the doorway.

The layout of the original is better with the sink against the boxed cavity wall.

I noticed that they have moved the sink much further away from the shower on my plot. I wonder how close to the toilet it will be as it is already right in front of you when you sit on the toilet in the showhouse.




I spoke to the sales man and said I wasn't happy but he just said he needed to talk to the builders to ask what went on. He said my plot would be handed over in 2 weeks so I can go in and have a look around.

 

[Devious]

I got an email from the developer advising me that the shower heads rotates so everything is OK.

I think they are being funny.

 

[Devious]

Well they got a point. With your left hand point the shower into the corner while with your right turns on the water. When up to temperature straighten it up.

If your door opened outwards, would it not crack onto the sink? Ignore. Just saw the door is hinged the other side.

They have changed the door to a folding door.

Get as much of the issues / faults spotted BEFORE you take ownership and insist on having them dealt with. Once you take ownership, and the builders move on, you're in the hands of the customer care and "clean up" teams. Some of whom are top notch, others are bloody awful. There is a whole industry based on "post new-build fixing".

Can I insist in haveing this dealt with or do I just have to accept it? I know i can move the head around but I dont feel i should have to on a brand new "luxury" home. I dont have to on my current 130 year old terrace.

 

[Devious]

Whilst we have a folding door our shower does not spray directly on to it but parallel.

This would bug me forever, I don't think you should accept it or at least get some further compensation chucked your way...flooring/lighting/turf etc.

As you say it is a new 'luxury' home, and as such should at least be to the spec you were expecting.

Exactly, im also a bit insulted by the email enlightening me that a shower head will turn to the side. And that email took a week to come.

You can insist on what you like. Whether they choose to do anything is between you and your builder

Most I can see they would offer is to place the shower rail (not the shower unit) on the wall you want it and replace the two tiles they presumably had to drill originally.
To move the shower unit too, they'll have to redo the pipework, the wall and the shower and the tiling. Which is a bigger job entirely.

Salesman's promises are worth nothing unless they're on paper or a signed off document.

I don't think I will be happy with that as the the shower head tube will have to stretch across the left corner of the cubicle.

I would be pretty annoyed, just for starters on the fact that the sink is now in the path to you entering the shower and it is closer to the toilet, which you said was already in your face anyway when sat on the loo.

Exactly, until it gets handed over and I gain access I wont know for sure. The whole layout is a mess.

That would pretty much be my main concern actually, that the sink is blocking a lot of your exit from the shower.

Also they tiled the area between sink and shower on how the setup is supposed to be which obviously is now not tiled on your setup

Yes, they also managed to save on a few tiles on my layout

edit: Is this DWH? If so you've done well not having a more disastrous issue based on my experiences of the past 2 years

No its a company called Plumlife.

That's definitely Crest Nicholson. Why are they fitting an electric shower in a new build? They're useless. Premium house builders my backside.

I would refuse to complete until they have sorted everything. I'm guessing paperwork will already be in place by now though.

No its a company called Plumlife.
Im not too far down the line, i think the solicitor has just begun searches.

Looking at your photo above from the show house, the sink is approx 1 tile (if not less) from the toilet. Given that your new sink is 1 tile further over I can't see how the two are not going to be a reasonable distance apart at all. It's surely going to look very odd.

What a mess up, but as you say to re-work it will be a massive amount of work which I am sure they won't do or indeed give you anything decent for

Until I get access maybe next weekend I cant see If I will be resting my chin on the sink whilst on the toilet. They haven't provided any photos of that area.

What is the point in that boxed cavity if they're not using it for anything? Seems like a waste of space. Could have had a wider shower with that space?

Exactly, why not use the cavilty to run all the pipes for th eshower unit. They must have had to saw through all the back wall batons to fit the piping.

In the situation though, the folding door that they have fitted isn't anywhere near as nice as the full panel glass door in the showhome. I particularly like how in the showhome it opens up to be flush against the wall and it ends perfectly where the bathroom door starts. So when the shower door is open, it's not in the way at all. Your folding one is.

I agree. The correct layout is very nice use of space and I prefer the original door.

Their suggestion of turning the shower head sideways will work to an extent but there will still be quite a lot of fine spray coming out of the shower. Have they taken a picture of a different home to yours? It looks a lot wider.

A suggestion for getting it fixed, are you able to say that the sink currently blocks to access to the shower which isn't suitable for people with disabilities? In the show home, this issue is solved by the sink being where the boxed cavity is. There may be a standard relating to this?

My home should be the same as the showhome, i think its just the camera making it look bigger.

Not a bad idea with the disablilty access. My brothers wife has M.S and uses crutches, i think the sink position would cause access difficulty for somebody like her.

 

[Devious]

The builder is plumlife.

 

[Devious]

Thanks for your comments.

You are right It would bug me forever how it is now.

I'm going to stand my ground, they will probably offer me the remaining plot but I prefer the bigger garden on my plot.

 

[Devious]

You could ask to look at the plumbing and heating drawings, if they send them to you (no reason why they shouldn’t) you can say to them you want it changed.
I’ve not been on any plumlife sites, they seem to be a northern developer.

i got given this drawing which clearly shows the correct position of the shower, but not all the plumbing.

 

[Devious]

I met with the salesman and the Clerk of works yesterday on site to go an view the ensuite. This was the first time I had access to my plot.

i could probably live with the shower position but the sink is in the way somewhat of accessing the cubicle which would bug me.

What is far worse though is that the sink is over the toilet, you have to almost sit diagonally on the toilet so the sink isnt touching your chest.

They say they is no way that they can do any more work on the estate as they are handing over the houses today.

I said if you are not going to do the work then i want compensating so I can get the work done by someone myself before i move in.
They said they were going to have a meeting today to discuss an will let me know today.

I just had this email from the sales man.


"Just to confirm that handover didn’t take place today. I will update you once I have received the revised dates.
In the meantime, we have consulted with the developers and it has been agreed that we can move the shower arm and its attachment from the wall facing the shower door (but not the main control unit) to one of the side walls. Please can you let me know which wall you would prefer this to be fitted on?

Unfortunately at this stage in the build programme, we are unable to make any more alterations to the sink unit."


No mention of compensation...

 

[Devious]

..have you checked with new neighbours did everyone (other than showhouse) get the adjustment - joint action ?

I think its only my plot with the problem. The plumber had a few too many drink the night before doing mine.

 

[Devious]

I said last week it was unacceptable and want it putting right or compensation to get it fixed myself.


I've just had another email from sales..

"As a gesture of good will instead, we would like to offer you £500 towards the cost of legal fees.

Please let me know if this is acceptable."


Does anyone know the minimum distance from the centreline of a toilet to sink?
I found some websites that states 15 inches but I want to quote an official code.

 

[Devious]

So that tells you they can't be bothered or it will cost more than £500 to put right with their discounted supplier rates. Joe Public ringing up the tiler, plumber etc to get this fixed will be paying more.

If they subcontracted out the work to a plumber or tiler originally, they will probably be able to bring them back to rectify and cost them [the house builder] very little. They are avoiding it either for timescales or an overdose of cant-be-arsed.

They told me its not possible for the contractor to come back and fix it .. bot going to happen.

So i can only assume they have fallen out with the contractor or signed off this room.

I'd ask for 5 times that amount or them to fix it.

Yes, im thinking the same sort of amount.

Part M covers sanitary ware in domestic properties and covers spacing around toilets; 450 either side from the centre and 750 in front.
Have a look at the document and search for sanitary there will be a diagram showing the space around it.

Part M: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...BR_PDF_AD_M1_2015_with_2016_amendments_V3.pdf

Awesome find mate!!

Google wasn't coming up with anything useful for me.

I will send him these extracts.



Cheers

 

[Devious]

moving that cavity has really screwed the whole room as it means they had to relocate the washbasin, which then has a knock on effect for the WC

the layout they have given you simply doesnt work all because of 1 slight mistake

they realise they have screwed up so relocate the basin slightly right so it doesnt impede entrance to the shower..but this then moves it closer to the toilet, its just one mistake covering another mistake

until its rectified, the room wont work, it will bug you every morning you get into the shower or want to sit comfortably having a dump

Exactly

 

[Devious]

Had a reply.

"The details you have provided are regulations which relate to meeting disability access requirements in a w.c. They don’t relate to an ensuite.

Our offer of £500 legal fees stands. Please let me know whether you wish to intend to proceed with the purchase of the property."

 

[Devious]

Apparently there are 2 plots still available. My dad inquired this morning. One being the show house.

 

[Devious]

What legal fees are they going to contribute towards exactly? You have you own solicitor right, not one they recommend?

Yes, I have my own solicitor.

I think they are probably just making sure not to say £500 to fix the en-suite.