New home builder issues with garage

ScoobyDoo69

ScoobyDoo69

ScoobyDoo69

Soldato
Joined
27 Aug 2003
Posts
9,814
Location
West Midlands
Howdy,

Looking for other people's opinions on something so please let me know what you think.

I have reserved a new build home with detached garage before foundations were laid and said new build home is currently only at 1st floor floor level and garage is fully built.

The garage was built very early, with all the other houses have their garages going up either at the same time or after the main house building has been built. This caused an issue with that I was unable to add the optional extra of an extra door to the side of the garage for access via the garden. This was a problem, but minor, I've not lost anything.

I went back to check build progress on Saturday to find the house at 1st floor level and in a different brick to what I had signed for. Not so much a problem as I prefer how these bricks look, but still... not what I signed for.

I then realised that the garage is now in a completely different brick to the house and therefore does not match. This bothers me so I go around the rest of the development and see that not a single other garage doesn't match their associated house.

So I have 4 "problems"

1. Garage built too early, couldn't spec a side door.
2. The house is not being built in the bricks that I signed for (kind of glad about that.)
3. The garage and the house do not match.
4. My home would be the only one with a mismatched garage.

I raised this with the sales person on site on Saturday, she seemed very bothered by it and very apologetic. She fired off an email to the regional manager followed by a phone call this morning to follow up to see what they could do to rectify or whatever. This is the last plot of said type of house that I would be interested in (the others have the garages at the back, less parking space overall, not what I want.) so this is the only plot left I'm interested in.

Late this afternoon I received a phone call from the sales person giving me some options. They are willing to cover the side of the garage that is visible in the garden with plants or some bamboo decoration, no mention of apology or anything like that. Obviously garage can't be knocked down and rebuilt, neither can house. I expected more?

So... this has left me feeling underwhelmed and generally put off. But am I being silly? I'm paying decent money for a house and I expect everything to be as it should?

What do you guys think?

TLDR Garage built too early, house bricks not what signed for, house brickwork doesn't match garage, developer offered to cover/decorate garden side of garage, me underwhelmed..
 
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It's not the most desirable plot by any means. There are bigger houses on the development for sure, but probably (for me) the best of what's left for this house type.

They've said no rebuilding is going to happen so reskinning I doubt also.

Thing is I'm not sure if I'm actually more bothered about the garage bricks or the fact that they've essentially offered me some plants as the solution/apology/incentive.

If they'd turned round and apologised and offered to pay for some extras on the house (I'm already planning on quite a few regardless!) then maybe I'd feel better about it. But I feel that essentially right now they think it's ok for me to have a different house if they give me some plants...

Think I need to speak to my solicitor for legal advise, but I really appreciate the opinions. Glad to see that I'm not just being silly!
 
That's very true actually. It's a cover up, literally. And the more I think about it the more I am offended by plants covering it. I'd have rathered they said tough cookies.

Sales office at the site is closed until Thursday now so I've got some time so decide what I want to do.

Thanks all.
 
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I do have pictures but you can't really see the garage due to fencing around the build work. I'll go through the pics though and see if anything worth posting up.

The sales person did actually say that they could well find someone who simply didn't care about the difference and would buy in the knowledge of differing bricks, which would leave them with no reason to fix etc.
 
Here we go, took one through the fence. You can see garage in red brick and my prospective house to the left in the lighter bricks. House to the right also has the light bricks tbf..

IMG_20150502_135846_zpsqy0mqhnu.jpg
 
Base level on the house is the same as all houses. No idea if any power etc. has been added but it will be.

Not a Miller Home.. Although I like their houses the developments by me have very few double garages and they're normally associated with the biggest house.

I agree about the door being easy enough to put in, but they flat said no at the time, despite being built far too early. Possibly built for storage purposes?

I'd be happy with upgrades, I was planning to spend about £10k on upgrades anyway... So some paid for would be nice, but after the offer of plants I'm doubting their cooperation for monetary value at the moment!
 
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See this is where the lines are a bit blurred for me.

I'm yet to sign solicitors paperwork for the sale, but I signed a lot of reservation documents which detailed things like the bricks, locations of power sockets etc. etc. So I'd say they're in a breach of reservation but not "contract" ?

Anyway the reason I bought this house with a double garage was because of the better parking available with it. You're right in that all new builds suck generally. Single garage houses have the garage and then a space or 2 behind it. I am not playing musical cars for the rest of my life!

There are houses with render, spec'd by the buyers. Not something I want near my house or garage.

I don't think that is the top layer of tarmac for the drive as normally the garage floor is level with the drive from what I have seen on the other plots.

I don't want to cancel my reservation, but I don't also want to be fobbed off for their mistake. Will be pushing and not mentioning pulling out. I want a resolution or a peace offering.
 
You can't say what is and what isn't a good price for a house as it all comes down to area. I've found certain parts of Birmingham very expensive then you find identical houses further into Dudley way and they're waaaaay cheaper. But we want to be where we have reserved as it's a distance from everything that we're happy with.

If I wanted to pay less then basically I'd move further out of Birmingham.
 
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It does to me too! Heck I was tempted by Redditch, then I realised it is Redditch and is much cheaper for a reason. :D

However quality of life for me involves ensuring that we both have shorter commutes and are within close proximity of parents. I'm not interested in being far away from people I care about or places I frequent.
 
So they've called me back today.

After a discussion about potential extras added, and then interest in the larger houses with a "good discount" I then left it with them to make me an offer.

About 30min ago I got another call back and they have said they will tint the bricks. Result.

Apparently the offers were on the table as the tinting of the bricks was being rejected by many, including the builders.

My conditions are that the whole garage must be tinted and that it matches the house. If it is done badly or very obviously different then further discussions to be had based on my happiness.

Wouldn't have minded some freebies, but they're rectifying the mistake which is more than enough. :)
 
I don't think I'll be getting any further freebies unless I'm not happy with the finish.

Apparently it doesn't cost much to redo, but the reality of it is that by the time it will need redoing I will have probably had the centre pillar removed, the front of it extended about 1m and a door added, so the bricks would need the extra coating :D

I wouldn't have minded the freebies, but as I said I've already budgeted about £10k for upgrades on things like kitchen, cabling, extra lighting, moving of sockets and radiators. So I guess I'll still be spending that money :( :D
 
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