Recent Posts

1

Snagging and defects / Builder refusing to accept professional snagging list

« Last Post by KiwiFi on August 23, 2019, 03:46:32 pm »

Hi everyone,

We moved into our new Harron Homes house at the end of May, and had a professional snagger come a week later to do a report (we weren’t allowed access to snag before completion). He identified a number of issues, none major, which we promptly sent through to the customer care team. We had advised the site managers that we were going to get a snagger in to help us and they didn’t have a problem. After nearly three months of patiently waiting for them to find the right people to address the snags (they’ve changed the entire site and sales team during this time), Harron are now trying to tell us that they don’t accept professional snagging reports as it’s “not company policy”. They’ve also failed to sort out some of the issues that were raised and agreed before we even completed on the purchase, at the home demonstration.

Does anybody have any advice or experience with this situation? I’m absolutely gutted that they’ve changed their tune all of a sudden, they never mentioned this until now, and I’m really concerned that we may end up with a house full of issues that never get fixed.

Thanks for your help

2

Snagging and defects / Re: Minor issues with new build home

« Last Post by cmcc147 on August 23, 2019, 02:04:55 pm »

I have attached a photograph of one of the 'issues' found in the list above.

1) The windows on the house have silicone round the sides of frames but not at the bottom.  The garage window does have sealant around the bottom of the window frame.  Should this be sealed? The surveyor mentioned there may be a bed of mastic in behind reducing the need for sealant but he couldn't be sure.
This picture also shows the bonded bead cavity wall insulation in my gulley.

3

Snagging and defects / Re: Parking bays- size and regulations

« Last Post by QEOP on August 22, 2019, 05:13:18 pm »

Hi - sorry for hijacking and resurrecting this old post.

I have moved into a new build in Dec 2018. My parking bay is sandwiched between two bays. And the three said bays are surrounded by 4 pillars and so essentially my neighbouring bays are less than 2.4m as the pillars take up some space. Although my space is full 2.4m wide, because of the pillars, my neighbours’ cars are often parked on the line which then has an effect on my bay. And to make things worse, all three cars are big family cars.

Also, during the sales process, we were told that the parking bays are undercroft and covered, but the back of my bay is uncovered for ventilation. Hence 1/5 of my car is exposed outdoors.

Have tried speaking to the builders but they are of no help.

Would appreciate advice and suggestions.

4

Snagging and defects / Re: Minor issues with new build home

« Last Post by cmcc147 on August 22, 2019, 12:37:18 pm »

I finally got round to getting my house snagged over the weekend just passed.  It seems to have been a worthwhile as it has identified numerous issues which I can hopefully now have resolved over the next 8 months before my builders warranty runs out.  There were 105 snags identified.  I took a bit of time and split these in to categories which I have listed below in to subsections to hopefully make it easier for the builder to strategically work through.

There were numerous issues identified in the report which were recurring hence the high number of 105 and also a few minor ones which I have been able to rectify myself so these are not listed below.

Could you advise if the below list is one I could reasonably expect my builder to completely fulfill?  I am awaiting the printed report to be sent to me then I will be approaching the builder to get a plan put together.  I have attached a few photos for reference of some of the key issues.

Builder to do                     
Bonded bead insulation in gulleys - remove this and inspect all gulleys      
Rain water pipe at back gate entrance - re-centre not in middle of gulley      
Rear soil pipe clip only partially fixed - only has 1 screw fixing of 3      
Rear outside tap - missing fixing               
Drainage inspection chambers x 3 all missing screws to secure         
Garage door - missing fixings x 1 at each side            
Garage window sill running off level                
Internal garage wall tie down not properly secured to wall at top      
Downstairs WC sink white waste pipe is leaking. (when sink filled and drained bubbles appear at join)
Kitchen extractor fan hose - gap where hose enters wall needs filled (can see daylight)
Finial at peak of garage needs centred               
Main bathroom extractor is venting to the loft and not exiting the house      
Water ingress to master bedroom - to be investigated (recessed joints couple with bonded bead cavity insulation??)
                        
Loft Insulation                      
At wind bracing/binders this is only complete in single layer (should be double)   
Incomplete insulation out to eaves also               
Gap in second layer - daylight visible and other areas with no insulation laid   
                        
Floors/Floorboards                  
Creaking floors in main bedroom, landing and rear bedroom (translating to crackling ceilings)
Needs investigation - should not creak
Stairs creaking when walked on               
                        
Sealing/Pointing                     
Seal around external sink waste (where this enters the brickwork)      
Seal around boiler external blow off pipe (where this enters the brickwork)   
Seal around waste pipe at rear to left beside patio doors (where this enters the brickwork)
Gaps inside garage pointing - back wall, large area at back left.      
Living room window sill - pointing crumbling left hand side         
                        
Joiner                        
All internal door handles not properly secured - no through bolts used and various handles coming loose
All internal doors to be checked that they close without catching door frames and they are latching fine.
Check all internal doors are not rattling when latched         
Kitchen door hall side - excessive gap when closed (warped??)      
Architraves cut short x 2 (need replaced/painted) Downstairs WC and inner kitchen door
                        
Window cill board in living room not secure - can be moved up/down easily   
Rear bedroom cill board - off level by 9mm            
Master bedroom cill board - off level               
                        
Painter                        
Poor/bubbling paint finish kitchen back wall near heating controls      
Dowells at newell posts top and bottom of stairs need rubbed down repainted - untidy/rough
                        
Kitchen Supplier                     
Kitchen Cupboard doors fouling despite being adjusted fully (corner cupboard to lower left of sink)
Edge of laminate worktop at patio doors coming away (needs 'ironed' or reglued)   
                        
Tiler                         
Chipped tile at top of main bathroom shower unit - has been filled with grout to mask this issue
                        
Fireplace/Stove                     
Woodburner setup unfinished to chimney ceiling and large gaps leaving it untidy.   

Questions                     
Inspect weep vents above windows - are these the correct way round for traditional masonry build? (fitted as is standard for timber frame house)
Base of outside window frame - should this gap be sealed with silicone at the bottom as it is on the garage?   

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5

House Builders / Re: Barwood homes

« Last Post by New Home Expert on August 21, 2019, 08:07:56 am »

Great feedback.
One of the reasons why I created this forum.

Prospective new homebuyers need to be warned what they are getting into.

6

House Builders / Re: Barwood homes

« Last Post by Unhappy on August 19, 2019, 03:55:22 pm »

Do not buy a house from Barwood Homes. They have no quality control, no time scales and no attention to details. The houses are on nice plots with reasonably good fittings BUT Barwood cannot build houses. I had the misfortune to buy one. It wasn’t finished when I moved in.

7

Taylor Wimpey Homes / Fun

« Last Post by Repton buyer on August 17, 2019, 10:05:20 pm »

https://www.facebook.com/groups/232694117092003/permalink/894104377617637/

8

General discussion / Re: Visitor parking- Sold bays

« Last Post by New Home Expert on August 16, 2019, 08:41:41 am »

You should the plans that were given planning approval. 
I expect this is a breach.

No, you cannot expect compensation, the parking space was not for you to use, but for various visitors and it is they who have lost not you.

Finally, no housebuilder can arbitrarily change anything that would influence your decision to buy.
They are bound to notify you under the CCHB such as that is.

9

Snagging and defects / Re: Sound proofing Barratt ground floor flat ceiling/floor not built as certified

« Last Post by New Home Expert on August 15, 2019, 10:47:26 am »

Try Google!

The requirement is that a certain level of sound insulation transference must be achieved.
How its done is up to the designer.

10

General discussion / Visitor parking- Sold bays

« Last Post by RBCG2019 on August 14, 2019, 01:53:24 pm »

If this has already been discussed, then I apologise in advanced but I couldn't see any relevant posts.

We moved into our Weston Homes new build house in November last year, and we had 2 private owned parking spaces as well as one additional Visitor Bay within our car park (servicing 5 surrounding houses).
This was one of nine visitor bays within the estate. This was clearly labelled in our signed legal plans (as a "free use bay") and within ALL literature and advertising brochures (which I still have copies of), as well as being confirmed by Weston Homes a few times when we first purchased and in the viewings etc.

However, this year I have had a few of my family members park there when visiting and been left with angry notes on their windscreen that this is a private bay. After contact Weston Homes, and waiting weeks for a reply, they confirmed that this bay was no longer a visitor bay and had in fact been sold since we purchased. In fact of the 9 visitor bays within our plans, there are now only 3 available on site (none of which are within my car park area).

Do we have any legal right to compensation regarding this?
Visitor parking was a key factor in our purchase as we have family living very far away who can only visit by driving. Surely as it is in the legal plans they have a right to provide, or at least to inform us of any amendments/changes to this?
Any advice is greatly received!