It is beyond question that the quality of new homes has not improved over the last 20 years.
Once described as "Gerry building" after WW2 as homes were thrown up. Even the NHBC established as long ago as 1936 hasn't managed to stop new homes being built and handed over not just with poor quality workmanship, but also with defects and regulations not being adhered to.
So what can be done about it?
It is clear the CEOs of the large housebuilders give as much thought to their poor quality, defective homes as they do about littering on dual carriageways.
So it is up to the site managers on site everyday to actually manage for a change. This assumes that they actually care about the homes they are responsible for, homes that will still be around many years after they retire and die.
So what can they do? Quite easy really.
Put a signs up in the site canteen, site toilets, safety notice board, in fact anywhere they will be seen by everyone working on the site saying:
Workmanship Quality
- This site operates a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to poor workmanship.
- All poor quality work will be photographed and uploaded to an online forum and Twitter, complete with the name of the individual "tradesman" responsible and his sub contract company!
- No payment will be made to any subcontractor for any works not up to the required standards.
- This site is inspected regularly by the site management and nothing will go unnoticed!
You have been warned!
It really would be that simple. Everyone has a camera on their phone, most people have wifi in their phone contract or certainly broadband in the site office. The problem is no one cares, because they don't have to.
