Mistakes in Foundation and house layout

advicerequired

Hi I have spent a lot of extra money on a raft foundation for my house. It is currently at stage that ground floor blocks are half way up. Underfloor pipes are in downstairs and the floor is poured. It turns out that there are several walls in the wrong place downstairs by 450mm. The house is wider at the gable than is allowed by planning. It is the builders mistake but a mistake none the same. One of the projections out the back is also 450mm too wide which means every other room alonmg the back is 450mm too far left. This all came to a head when it came to setting out downstairs rooms this week. They just didnt work in right. This results in stepped walls and an incorrectly sized cloakroom. Double doors into open plan also at incorrect angle. Its hard to explain but basically the walls are pretty all out by 450mm along back of house. Problem began in setting of foundation, but was made again it seems in the laying out of house on top of the foundation. Problem now is it has a big knock on effect upstairs also. All rooms along the back of house are affected in their dimensions and especially a corridoor into a back bedroom. To fix this I will have to put a step into a wall which is double height in my hallway (another unwanted step) and reduce width of my walk in wardrobe to accomodate my reduced sized corridoor. Problems fitting doors to openings are caused by all the upheavel - not having room for architraves etc....

I am so unhappy by these revelations. The deepening in middle of raft is in wrong place by 450mm and the raft is slack approx 200mm along 1 of the back walls so the outside cavity block is resting on the very edge of the cavity. To make the raft seem the same as the rest of the raft a piece was poured up against it which is not tied or re-inforced in any way to the raft of the house. So its not doing anything bar camoflauging the mistake.

I am meeting the builder Monday as I have done most days this week but frankly he is simply saying well move this and move that and it'll be fine. My architect and engineer will also be present. I spent a lot of money on planning, I also employed an interior designer to perfect the inside of the house before I began and now I'm not going to get what I ordered. I was thinking of also asking my solicitor for advice beforehand.

This is my first experience of building and having to use a raft foundation when it was not expected hurt the pocket. I also had to pay for a structural engineer to design the raft. And after all that outlay I'm now left frustrated again and the house is just being started in reality.

I'd appreciate any advice or past experiences like this people have heard of.

mathepac

Sorry to hear about the problems but I have to admit to being a bit puzzled.

You paid out good money to have the design done, plans drawn up and detailed specs made for the raft, but what drawing was the builder using? Did you have a QS draw up bills of quantities etc or was that part of the architectural work you paid for or did the builder do it?

You seem to have had a contract drafted buy your solicitor; was this accompanied by working drawings etc?

Who was supervising the builder / project managing?

None of my questions appear helpful I know but your solicitor may ask some of them on Monday. I strongly urge you to meet with your solicitor and review contracts, roles and responsibilities with him / her before you meet the builder.

advicerequired

mathepac wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the problems but I have to admit to being a bit puzzled.

You paid out good money to have the design done, plans drawn up and detailed specs made for the raft, but what drawing was the builder using? Did you have a QS draw up bills of quantities etc or was that part of the architectural work you paid for or did the builder do it?

You seem to have had a contract drafted buy your solicitor; was this accompanied by working drawings etc?

Who was supervising the builder / project managing?

None of my questions appear helpful I know but your solicitor may ask some of them on Monday. I strongly urge you to meet with your solicitor and review contracts, roles and responsibilities with him / her before you meet the builder.

The builder was using those correct drawings. I checked with him today to see it was the correct drawing and it was. He simply seems to have made a errors setting out the house and just carried on full steam ahead rather than correcting them. I do not have a Q.S employed. The builder has the full job and I got plenty advice from my engineer/architect before signing contracts regarding spec. It is all signed and sealed in a lott of detail.

My contract is very clear. He is responsible for putting the errors right.

I suppose my engineer is supervising things officially. I am on site a lot of days but I did not go around checking after the builder with a tape measure to make sure he set it out right. My engineer for the build came out this week and my structural engineer came out to see the raft before pouring. Again he did not go and check every measurement.

sinnerboy

In my opinion - and based on my experience - give the Architect a shot a sorting this out. S/he may be able to skillfully adjust the layout for you.

observer2u

advicerequired wrote:

sinnerboy wrote: »

In my opinion - and based on my experience - give the Architect a shot a sorting this out. S/he may be able to skillfully adjust the layout for you.

I will do that but am I entitled to have these mistakes corrected. The house for me is tarnished by all the mistakes and resultant nooks and crannies

What contract are you using? There is no reason why you should have to accept this. If u want it changed to the correct drawings the builder must do it provided you have a good contract in place. Pm me details if you want.

sinnerboy

The contractual position within RIAI contracts with respect to setting out is very clear - the builder is alone responsible. And he must put it right.

So far it seems his attempts to put it right amount to proposals for unacceptable alterations to the layout - is this correct ?

My concern for you in this circumstance is that - through no fault of your own of course - you may win only a pyrhic victory if the builder cannot meet his obligations to you under contract. It may cost him his entire profit to correct this situation and so he may be motivated to simply walk away. He makes his problem de facto your problem - that would be my fear of pursuing a narrow legal remedy.

It is not clear to me if you have retained the Architect for any role during the construction period. Of all the building professionals they are best trained to work out ( and re work out ) floor plans. It is possible that your layouts may not only be saved but maybe even enhanced under this circumstance.

I would play it like this -after consulting your solicitor - put the builder under threat of remedial works . Separatly , explore the architect option. If the architect pulls it off then he should be paid for this extra work ( you have not suggested anything to suggest he is at fault in any way) but the builder should pay the architect .

If I understand correctly the building footprint is larger than that granted permission? If so a retention application must be made - at the builders expense again of course.

advicerequired

I would also be worried he might walk away but he is also building my brothers house and so e would be burning a lot of bridges. My contract clearly states that it is at the builders own cost that mistakes are remedied. Its just that the cost here would be huge. I can't see however why I should have to accept the mistakes and resultant implications in my house. Ill speak to all parties concerned today anyway. My engineer also happens to be my architect so that helps in so far as he is still employed during the job. I wonder if any blame lies with him also as he has signed off on the first mortgage payment. If I am correct and I'm fairly sure I am he never came out to the site to see the work done - he simply sent in the forms. Anyway Ill see how things go today

Victor

You need the builder (and the builder needs to employ whatever expertise he needs to) make a proposal to your engineer that the engineer (and his insurer if necessary) can stand over.

In the current market, I wouldn't worry about him walking away - there are plenty of people out there who aren't busy. There is of course the risk that he transfers his responsibilities into your problem.

advicerequired wrote: »

I am meeting the builder Monday as I have done most days this week

Get off the site. Only visit when the architect / engineer are there. The risk is that you will be held responsible for supervising the setting out. Whatever about the foundations, there is the possibility that the builder will also tap you for extra money by making all sorts of suggestions.

I was thinking of also asking my solicitor for advice beforehand.

Stop doing the architect's / engineer's job. Keep away from the solicitor (unless you need the reassurance), but make it clear to all concerned that things need to be rectified. Write to the architect / engineer and express that you are unhappy with progress and that you will not look kindly at extra cost.

My engineer also happens to be my architect

Are you sure that they legally hold both titles? For what one would presume is a simple house, you have a lot of people involved.

Architect
Engineer x 2
Interior designer
Solicitor

sydthebeat

advicerequired wrote: »

My engineer also happens to be my architect so that helps in so far as he is still employed during the job.

is your engineer ACTING as your architect, or is your architect ACTING as your engineer.... or is he actually a qualified professional in both fields?

advicerequired wrote: »

I wonder if any blame lies with him also as he has signed off on the first mortgage payment. If I am correct and I'm fairly sure I am he never came out to the site to see the work done - he simply sent in the forms. Anyway Ill see how things go today

if he has "signed off" the foundations without actually visiting the site to see the construction of the raft then i would be very worried.