Questions for the builder

BobBobBobBob · 27-03-2015 12:00pm #1

Hi all,

Hopefully this is in the right section, if not can a mod moved it?

My girlfriend and I are looking to buy a house soon. We have found a house that meets our needs and look.

It's a 10 year old house that has never been lived situated 7 no. site small estate. It's the only house that was built. All the walls are plastered and most are painted, concrete floor downstairs and timber flooring upstairs, it's a blank canvas really.

We viewed the house and it looks very good inside and out, the garden, hedges, trees and tarmac have all been maintained down through the years.

We have a list of questions for the auctioneer to pass on to the builder before we make a bid. They are as follows:

1. No electrical meter installed, a new ESB connection needed? Completion cert required. Who pays for it?
2. Is cabling for telephone installed?
3. Is there an earth rod for the electrical installation?
4. BER rating needed.
5. Alarm system to be finished?
6. Security gate to put into working order?
7 . The boiler need to be commissioned.
8. The oil tank needs to be commissioned.
9. Water connection, is it turned off at the house?
10. Septic tank main sewerage?
11. Who fixes the broken window upstairs in the master bedroom?
12. Is there dampness in the roof? Is the roof structure in good shape?

Is there any other questions that could be added to the list?

Thanks in advance.

Strolling Bones · 27-03-2015 2:50pm

Architects opinion on compliance with Planning Permision
Architects opinion on compliance with Building Regulations
Structural Engineers opinion on compliance with Building Regulations
ETCI Cert of completion RECI or ECCSA ( i.e. the electrician cert)

You should not entertain to buy anything but a finished defect free house.

BobBobBobBob · 27-03-2015 10:03pm

Strolling Bones wrote: »

Architects opinion on compliance with Planning Permision
Architects opinion on compliance with Building Regulations
Structural Engineers opinion on compliance with Building Regulations
ETCI Cert of completion RECI or ECCSA ( i.e. the electrician cert)

You should not entertain to buy anything but a finished defect free house.

Thanks for that.

Will have to get a house survey for the bank anyways. Will look into the architect. The builder has an excellent reputation around the local area and county.

RORY O CONNOR · 29-03-2015 12:36pm

It's the only house that was built.

Is it on a Ghost estate? No other houses?

BobBobBobBob · 30-03-2015 11:47am

RORY O CONNOR wrote: »

It's the only house that was built.

Is it on a Ghost estate? No other houses?

No other houses were built. There was planning permission for 6 other houses but the sites were never sold.

cpoh1 · 30-03-2015 2:47pm

BobBobBobBob wrote: »

Thanks for that.

Will have to get a house survey for the bank anyways. Will look into the architect. The builder has an excellent reputation around the local area and county.

Your surveying engineer will be able to tell you if the original planning permission and building regulations have been complied with. No need for an architect imo.

Strolling Bones · 30-03-2015 2:51pm

cpoh1 wrote: »

No need for an architect imo.

Wait and see what the bank says ....

To clarify it is the builder who must produces certs from his architect

Strolling Bones · 30-03-2015 2:54pm

cpoh1 wrote: »

Your surveying engineer will be able to tell you if the original planning permission and building regulations have been complied with.

planning permission - maybe

building regulations - not a chance

sky6 · 30-03-2015 3:49pm

Check with LC what if any plans are envisaged for the vacant sites. Don't get caught were the LC take over the remaining sites and convert them into Social or even traveller accommodation. I know of someone who has been badly caught by this situation. Stuck with a big Mortgage in a house he can't sell. Just beware.

BobBobBobBob · 30-03-2015 4:31pm

sky6 wrote: »

Check with LC what if any plans are envisaged for the vacant sites. Don't get caught were the LC take over the remaining sites and convert them into Social or even traveller accommodation. I know of someone who has been badly caught by this situation. Stuck with a big Mortgage in a house he can't sell. Just beware.

Not a chance it will be converted into social or even traveller accommodation.

cpoh1 · 30-03-2015 4:32pm

Strolling Bones wrote: »

planning permission - maybe

building regulations - not a chance

The bank wont give a crap about whether an architect reviews the house, you need to stop misleading people.

The Bank will want a valuation on the house and no issues with title and deeds (solicitor). The solicitor will typically follow up with the surveyor to ensure there are no issues from the survey. A lot of times the bank will ask for confirmation that all was ok engineering survey wise.

A surveyor (Civil engineer) will be able to tell you if the house complied with the original planning permission, boundaries are correct and complies with building regulations.

Honestly i know you are an Architect but a little balance would be great!

Strolling Bones · 30-03-2015 4:36pm

that's the internet for you op

cpoh1 · 30-03-2015 4:59pm

Strolling Bones wrote: »

that's the internet for you op

Wow.

BryanF · 30-03-2015 8:36pm

cpoh1 wrote: »

.

A surveyor (Civil engineer) will be able to tell you if the house complied with the original planning permission, boundaries are correct and complies with building regulations.

I have yet to meet a civil engineer who knows much about planning (other than road infrastructure ) or much about building regs relating to a domestic houses (other than of course below ground services and hard landscaping)

Honestly i know you are an Architect but a little balance would be great!

Attack the post not the poster

cpoh1 · 30-03-2015 9:29pm

BryanF wrote: »

I have yet to meet a civil engineer who knows much about planning (other than road infrastructure ) or much about building regs relating to a domestic houses (other than of course below ground services and hard landscaping)

You're from Cork right? I can give you the names of 3 top quality local surveyors from cork who are all Civil engineers by profession. All guys who are bang up to speed with latest building regs - its their jobs to certify houses, ive personally used one to sign off on an extension on a previous property to drawn down funding from a bank.

BryanF wrote: »

Attack the post not the poster

No attack there, just pointing out that an Architect is going to naturally drum up business for an architect.

Rabbo · 30-03-2015 9:44pm

BryanF wrote: »

I have yet to meet a civil engineer who knows much about planning (other than road infrastructure ) or much about building regs relating to a domestic houses (other than of course below ground services and hard landscaping)

Attack the post not the poster

This is a ridiculous and inflammatory post from a mod. I don't understand the need to routinely undermine engineers here. I suppose you don't agree that engineers are suitable to act as Assigned Certifiers either since the whole profession doesn't understand building regulations or planning permission? Maybe they should be substituted in the legislation for ATs? I routinely work with other engineers, architects and ATs and to make blanket statements about one profession like that, I find preposterous.

BryanF · 31-03-2015 1:06am

Rabbo wrote: »

This is a ridiculous and inflammatory post from a mod. I don't understand the need to routinely undermine engineers here. I suppose you don't agree that engineers are suitable to act as Assigned Certifiers either since the whole profession doesn't understand building regulations or planning permission? Maybe they should be substituted in the legislation for ATs? I routinely work with other engineers, architects and ATs and to make blanket statements about one profession like that, I find preposterous.

Educate us, what is a civil engineer trained to do?

Strolling Bones · 31-03-2015 8:36am

BobBobBobBob wrote: »

We have a list of questions for the auctioneer to pass on to the builder before we make a bid. They are as follows:

.....

Is there any other questions that could be added to the list?

I added to that list a set of documents. In my experience the most diligent surveyors ( who can be an engineer - of course ) making a property inspection for a house purchaser will include them in his/her report i.e. recomend that the purchaser should seek them from the vendor. Diligent conveyancing solictors will seek them too. But the OP could now get that ball rolling by including them in his/her list to the builder now.

I did not suggest or intend to suggest the OP appoint an architect himself.

cpoh1 · 31-03-2015 10:32am

BryanF wrote: »

Educate us, what is a civil engineer trained to do?

Come off the stage Bryan, you're not being helpful in this situation at all.

There is no need to complicate things for the original poster here - what he needs is a decent surveyor to review the house, and follow up on the planning, boundaries and compliance with building regs. Any surveyor I know was originally educated with a BEng civil background.

sydthebeat · 31-03-2015 11:02am

cpoh1 wrote: »

Your surveying engineer will be able to tell you if the original planning permission and building regulations have been complied with. No need for an architect imo.

a surveying engineer commenting on building regulations based on a visual inspection will be worth next to useless

the documents listed by strolling bones in their first post should be all based on "during construction" inspections.

Any post construction certification should be taken with a pinch pf salt and the purchase price should reflect this.

Penn · 31-03-2015 11:19am

BryanF wrote: »

I have yet to meet a civil engineer who knows much about planning (other than road infrastructure ) or much about building regs relating to a domestic houses (other than of course below ground services and hard landscaping)

I've met many, and worked pretty closely with a few too. Their knowledge of planning laws and building regs can definitely be to as high a standard as architects and building surveyors.

Even though the main focus of their qualification may be civil-orientated, the fundamentals of construction, structure and the associated regulations still apply, and it's not that big a transition to perform many of the same tasks and duties as architects, arch techs or building surveyors. It doesn't take much to become familiar with planning and building regulation requirements when you already have knowledge and experience in the construction industry.

OP, don't discount engineers. Just ensure that they carry out the same type of work for other projects on a regular basis and are legally qualified to sign off on any works as required.

Strolling Bones · 31-03-2015 11:57am

Bad Horse wrote: »

Just ensure that they carry out the same type of work for other projects on a regular basis and are legally qualified to sign off on any works as required.

It is for the seller - the builder in this case - to furnish all certifciations i.e. sign off of works. The purchaser would be very very foolish to invlove himself direcetly or indirectly with this.

The buyer - the OP - should appoint a surveyor ( can be an actual surveyor or engineer / architect / architectural technician ) to do no more than
- inspect
- snag
- oversee collection of certificates

Rabbo · 31-03-2015 12:30pm

BryanF wrote: »

Educate us, what is a civil engineer trained to do?

Interesting that you respond with a question, maybe you should try to backup your outlandish claims first. As you probably know, civil engineering is a very broad profession that includes building works. We certainly studied building detailing, building regulations, planning, etc when I was in college. Like with most professions, most of your day to day knowledge is picked up from experience, ongoing CPD, etc as standards and regulations change so rapidly.

This is supposed to be a Construction & Planning forum. It's disappointing that a moderator of the forum feels that it is appropriate to regularly undermine the engineering profession. Chartered Engineers have recently been deemed in legislation to be suitable to certify all types of construction works. This has also been the case for decades before this and many, many civil engineers specialise in both planning and supervision of buildings. It's disingenuous to suggest that they are not suitable to perform the role.

Strolling Bones · 31-03-2015 12:36pm

I know of many architects who spent years and years working on hospitals, offices, industrial buildings - everything but houses.

Best not to ask one of these to inspect a house for you - my opinion.

Same goes for any surveyor , engineer or architectural technician who does not have regular in practice experience of domestic construction.

BobBobBobBob · 31-03-2015 3:30pm

18 questions emailed to the auctioneer last night so looking forward to the answers.

Thanks for everyones help.

We will get the right professionals after we get the answers.

I'll let ye know how it goes.

Bob

BobBobBobBob · 24-04-2015 1:45pm

We got verbal answer from the auctioneer but he is fairly useless and getting it down on paper!

Gor a Propert Inspection Report done last week and the report is very detailed with a good snag list of issues, meeting the builder in an hour to go through the report and see can we come to an arrangement about the works to be done and price.

Exciting!

BobBobBobBob · 21-09-2015 3:12pm

The works for the builder to complete was finailised last week, just waiting on the solicitors to draw up the contracts now!

Our engineer has been excellent!!!

Strolling Bones · 21-09-2015 6:17pm

BobBobBobBob wrote: »

The works for the builder to complete was finailised last week, just waiting on the solicitors to draw up the contracts now!

Our engineer has been excellent!!!

But you should have hired an architect !!!

Only kidding - great news Bobx4.

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