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Author Topic: Drive has not been completed  (Read 6049 times)

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Misato27

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Drive has not been completed
« on: August 06, 2019, 08:17:12 am »
I moved into a new build home three months ago; the developer is a small local developer. We’ve identified many snags ranging from minor issues such as paint/stains on the windows, door handles, plug sockets to larger issues such as a cracked window and no sealant around the front door or external windows. We are having a lot of trouble getting the developer to fix our snags and one of the main issues we are having is getting a response about when our drive will be completed.

We are still waiting for the surface course to be put on the drive, currently they have only put down the binder course. This means that water is sitting on top of the drive because it can't reach the drains. Because the surface course hasn’t been put on the drive, the kerb at the side of the drive is very high (we've already popped a tyre on it) and the manholes are so raised that they scrape the underside of the car.

We were initially told that the drive would be completed approximately 6 weeks after moving in when they were going to be putting the pavements in. I chased this up last month and I've now been told that the drives won’t be completed until the development is fully built.

It took 16 months from reserving our house to moving in and we were the first plot to move in. There are 14 houses on the development and I don't anticipate that the development will be finished for another 2 to 3 years.

Has anyone else had to wait this long for their drive to be finished?
Is it standard with a new build that the drive is not completed until all the houses are built?


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Re: Drive has not been completed
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2019, 06:35:09 am »
I would question whether your housebuilder has sufficient cash flow.

It is very unusual for any builder to insist that their buyers wait two years before there drives and footpaths are surfaced. Delaying this opens up the possibility of litigation in the very likely event of damage to property or worse personal injury.  In your case, the builder is responsible  for the cost of damage to your car and the new tyre.

What is normal, is for buyers to wait around 2-6 weeks until sufficient drives are ready to warrant a contractor bringing his plant on site for a full day. It is also usual the footpaths are done at the same time.

The estate roads are always left until either the phase is fully complete and occupied, or the last house is sold on smaller developments.

My advice would be to get your solicitor to write to the builder giving a reasonable deadline when the drives and footpath should be completed. For example before 30 September 2019.
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