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Author Topic: Major isssues with Barratt 3 bed semi detached.  (Read 9932 times)

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mkfc1981

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Major isssues with Barratt 3 bed semi detached.
« on: April 27, 2018, 01:18:13 pm »
We moved in November 2016 and we still have a lot of unresolved issues. Some of which we had to escalate to the NHBC which to my shock made matters worse. They have tolerances but I have found them ruling in Barratt's favour even when walls/ceilings were outside the tolerance, saying that 1-2mm won't make a difference and he'll have to allow it. As it turns out the Customer Service manager is EX NHBC, so things are "questionable" at best. Any advice as to how to deal with the matter of impartiality?

Floors:
We have very bad floors on the upper levels, it appears the floor may have dropped a few inches. The floor or shall I say the ceiling below would generate a very loud cracking also squeaking from the walls can be heard. Along the landing it's bad as well a loud creaking can be heard almost on the entirety of the floor.

In the master bedroom we have loose floor boards that Barratt refuse to fix. How can I get them to fix my floors, they won't even assess what is wrong with them. Get my own engineer in to carry out an inspection under the floor boards?

Stairs
Metal creaking can be hear when walking the stairs, also when stepping on one the steps above the storage cupboard under the stairs it will cause a loud "click"  this sound can be reproduced by pressing on the door frame.

Insulation
We paid for our own heat survey, it found patchy spots so have reported this to Barratt.

Brickwork
We have stepped cracked mortar between roughly 3 x 3 bricks high, should I be concerned it's about half a meter under a top floor window.

Our DPC is not at least 150mm above ground. Some mortar is coming away on some of the bricks along the bottom of the house.

Garden
Insufficient draining at the rear of the garden (away from the house), turf always soaked and less than 50mm topsoil has been found during the snagging survey. I have a 2 x 2 metre mud patch with no grass at all in one corner of the garden


Walls, Floors and Ceilings
Almost all of my walls and ceilings are uneven/not level some worse than others. The worst ones are  the reveals around my skylight windows (2 sets of two above each other) left and right side or top and bottom windows are not lined up properly approx 1-2cm offset.  NHBC says there are no guidelines to them being aligned.

The list of snags is 195 items long, NHBC only allowed about a handful, so what are my options?
And does anyone have similar experience?
How does one get their hands on the building plans and specifications of the floors?

Any comments would help.


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Re: Major isssues with Barratt 3 bed semi detached.
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2018, 08:51:14 am »
It is disgraceful that neither Barratt or the NHBC are prepared to face up to the clear fact, from what you have stated, that your home has defects, some of which could be potentially serious, yet they appear unprepared to do anything to remedy them.

It appears the industry is content to push for buyers to "accept" poor quality and careless workmanship, even when it falls outside their own tolerance guidance.

This is unacceptable.  Most sales contracts contain a clause such as this:
Quote
"The seller will construct the property in a good and workmanlike manner in accordance with planning permission, building regulations approval and the drawings and specifications"

"The seller will construct the property in a good and workmanlike manner to the standards required by the NHBC"


So there you have it most housebuilders are in breach of their own contracts and could be sued in court by buyers. Until there is a new homes ombudsman, this is your only option, so write to Sajid Javid (e mail - sajid.javid@communities.gsi.gov.uk ) Secretary of State Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and your MP and demand one is set up!

In the meantime you should contact your local press and national press.
Defective new homes are in the new at the moment, especially from a so-called, five star rated housebuilder!
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