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Problems with builders

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  • 03-02-2004 7:58pm
    #1
    miguel42
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭


    I'm in the process of buying an apt but the finished property is nearly 10% smaller than expected. Anyone ever had any success getting money back from a builder in a simialr situation. I'm holding off on giving him the money and have asked for a 10% reduction..

    Any success stories would be appreciated


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    #2
    Bluehair
    Registered Users Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭Bluehair


    Check your contracts and contact a solicitor immediately. You really don't want to be withholding funds unless youre on solid legal grounds and filing some sort of action asap can buy you a lot of time.

    No particular success storys to share but I have heard of people in similar situations. The two best things you can do imho are 1./Legal 2./Pester (i.e. repetative calls/visits to the builder to get a solution, make yourself the biggest pain in the ass you possibly can without actually harrassing him.

    Hope you get it resolved..


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    #3
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,387 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Get your solicitor or a surveyor (or engineer or architect) onto it and put them between you and the builder. That way they can play the "bad cop" while you play "good cop". €500 could save you €10,000-20,000.

    Just how is the apartment smaller? Is it just a few centimeters off each room or is one room materially shorter? Also you can end up with service ducts that can take up a lot of space, especially if you are on the bottom floor of a tall building.

    If it is only a few cm off each room this is likely to be because of the thickness of the wall plaster and skirting boards - the dimensions on the brochure will have been structural dimensions ignoring these. A house I did a snag list for on Monday had rooms that were consistently 30-60mm shorter than the drawings, whereas a house my sister was planning to buy had the main bedroom left about 600mm too short. 30mm I wouldn't mind, 600mm I would.

    What stage are you at in the contract, as this may limit your options.

    BTW I am a surveyor and if you want me to give some better advice, PM me.


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    #4
    miguel42
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭miguel42


    Well the reduction in size is in each room - i.e a foot less in width and length which is a considerable difference.

    Not on my own in this one, my surveyor was the one who noticed and he is the one pursuing the builder. The solicitor is also aware and has told me to sit tight..he has put some kind of block on the apt so the builder is not able to sell to anyone else.
    At the moment the ball is in the builder's court, my surveyor has told him this is unacceptable and that I am requesting to be refunded money proportionate to the reduction in apt size.(this was yesterday!!)

    Anyway was just interested to know if anyone has had similar experiences and been successful, I mean....without going to court!


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    #5
    miguel42
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭miguel42


    Forget to say... this sale sale is in the final stages.. i.e the snag list is done.
    This point regarding the size was on the snag list & therefore as far as the surveyer is concerned, until this is addressed properly by the builder the snag list has not been completed!!

    The builder is not admitting the size is smaller...however he has declined an offer for the surveyer to measuer the apt in his pressence.


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