Affordable Housing and getting ripped off?

Shmall

Hey all,

I am in the process of buying an apartment in finglas under the affordable housing scheme. I have mortgage approval signed off and fingal county council want me to do a snag this week.

During my last conversation with the Sales agent I said how I had noticed that there were no skirting boards in any of the rooms. I asked if this had since been completed. The agent told me the apartment was "sold as seen". After further questioning and saying that I thought this was a little odd she said that they were not included.

I wonder what the point of a snag is if nothing is included. I took from what she said that they would not repaint any walls or replace anything.

Just looking for some advice - anyone already bought affordable house and did they get skirting board. Should I include it on the snag anyway and just ignore what this sales agent is saying

Thanks

Shmall

Archeron

Hi there,
Dont know if its of relevance to you, as its not an affordable housing issue, but I recently got an extra room added on at home, and the builder was quite adamant that skirting is not included in the price, and thats the one thing he always excludes. No idea why, coz I thought it was part and parcel, but maybe your builders have the same outlook. In fairness, my builder told me this before he started the work.

Sponge Bob

Includeeverything on the snag. If there is an 'issue' then get the reasons why they will not do it in writing.

If they still won't do it go after the Council. Joe Duffy would LOVE to hear that affordable houses in Dublin, megacapital of the universeoid, have no skirting boards (and are there internal doors either I wonder??)

It may be that skirting, like internal doors, is not in the building regulations you see.

chuckles30

I just bought a new house and when I signed the contracts I got a detailed list of exactly what was included in the price. Did you get something similar? Now that I think about it though, I'm almost sure that the advertising blurb that I got before had was highlighting the fact that the skirting was included...so maybe it's not standard.

Also just a word of warning - you can have quiet a struggle with some builders to get them to do the things on the snag list - I know a friend of mine had fierce trouble and finished up that there were some things not done. So just because you put it on the snag list does not mean it will be done.

Shmall

Thanks all. I never got a list so I will ask for that and tell you all how it went. The skirting if not included makes me worried about what else might be left out but i will soon find out ;O)

DamoKen

never heard of skirting not being included on a new home, then again I bought outright rather than affordable housing so wouldn't know if it's any different. would seem a bit cynical though. I'd check with your council to see exactly what should be present, a skirting definitely doesn't sound like a "luxury".
And as already mentioned, the builders rarely if ever complete a snag list, the only way I found to get most of the major stuff done was to nag them on everything, that way I would "compromise" on something small I knew I could do easily in return for them doing a proper job on something major such as window sills not horizontally laid.
You'll feel like a bit of a pr**k hassling them all the time but don't worry about it, now is the only time you'll get them to do it, once they're gone off site it's vague promises if that.

annieee

Hi, we bought an affordable house from Wicklow County Council and we definately have skirting board. We did a snag list and the builders fixed everything on it, not that there was a lot. We even got the builders' foreman's telephone number and rang him when we moved in to rectify things we had missed - he sent a guy over with missing kitchen shelves, and even got his electrician to wire up our electric oven free of charge.....eventually. You have to be persistent with these guys. I think you should defo have skirting board, and should defo put it on the snag list and hassle them to get it. Just because its an affordable house doesn't mean you should get a raw deal.

Shmall

Thanks for that info. I feel better now to say that I should have them. It ain't the end of the world if they didn't but if you let them do this next it may be anything that they can leave out.

It has no bell or intercom system either. Gosh it always the little things you have to chase them for.

Thanks again all

mad m

Normally when buying a house its as per show house,did you happen to see the showhouse before you picked the house? In all my years of being on sites or wherever I've never seen a house that had not got skirting boards included....

Shmall

Hey all,

I went out to the apartment on Sunday and was let in by a couple who had just bought the top apartment and were moving in. I was amazed to find the apartment immaculate - There were new units in the kitchen, skirted through out and floors instead of bare concrete.

Absolutely delighted with it, just shows that sales agents don't know what they are selling and don't believe a word that comes out of their mouths.

Thanks again everyone,
Shmall

Eurorunner

Be aware that if you happen to be putting down timber floors - its just as well there are no skirting boards on there. When I went through the process a few months back, there was skirting put on. I had planned to put down timber floors - but this meant that the skirting would have to come up (to do it right) and put back in again. This is more work and plaster may come away from the wall in the process. They also painted them white - so that they could conceal the absolute crap plastering/crooked walls by filling in behind them with while filler.


If timber floors are going in, pursue them for the skirting but make sure it doesnt go in until after the flooring.

Good Luck.

TrilbyBlue

My bf was offered flat recently in D1 - there are skirting boards but no floors (concrete), the windows are unvarnished, and no cooker, kitchen seems a bit unfinished too. Agent said it comes "as is". I wonder if there's any chance he can get them to do any more work to it at this stage?

DamoKen

TrilbyBlue wrote:

My bf was offered flat recently in D1 - there are skirting boards but no floors (concrete), the windows are unvarnished, and no cooker, kitchen seems a bit unfinished too. Agent said it comes "as is". I wonder if there's any chance he can get them to do any more work to it at this stage?

if you're buying a place, especially a new place, normally the floors downstairs are concrete, anything else is a bonus. If it's a second hand place normally the carpetting or whatever is left down as it's next to useless to the person moving into their next place.

A cooker and other appliances are normally not provided unless 1)it's a new place and a showhouse, or 2)it's second hand and you've come to an arrangement with the seller whereby certain household contents are included in the deal.

I wouldn't be too worried about unvarnished windows, when I moved into my place which was new (and a showhouse), it was painted throughout. It was in the long run more work for me though as they used really cheap and in some places inappropiate paint (i.e indoor paint on outdoor masonry) as well as paid no care to keeping paintbrush hairs, dust and dirt out of the paint. For things like that you are much better off doing it either yourself or using a professional.

TrilbyBlue

Thanks DamoKen. Yeah it's a new appt. What's your view on timber floors vs. semi-solid vs laminate?

DamoKen

well I've got the semi-solid in my place and have to say I like it. Never investigated the pros/cons of each as it was already laid (advantage of a showhouse ), but having seen laminate in friends places I think the semi solid at least is a lot nicer imho, most of the laminates that I've seen look sort of cheap.
Never looked into it any further than what I've seen in mates places though so if you want a definitive answer you maybe better off asking in the diy forum, get good answers as to where to buy, which is easiest to lay, methods of laying and which type is best cheapest etc.

TrilbyBlue

Thanks, yeah I agree the laminate doesn't look or feel as good. Apparently it's very durable though.
Is there anyone else on these Boards that has been offered an affordable flat by DCC?