New House - so-called landscaped garden!?

annieee

When you buy a house which includes a landscaped garden what exactly does this mean? Ours is marshy, not draining properly, uneven and lumpy, has rocks sticking up out of it and the grass only grows in patches. In one part you can actually see an empty cement bag which has been barely covered over with soil. Can I have this rectified at no extra cost by the builders - exactly what is the definition of 'landscaped' in this situation? Anyone else with this problem? Thanks in advance

beolight

i wouldnt put much hope in the builder doing anything here, with these guys landscaped has a very liberal interpretation by all means hassle them but dont expect anything, if your lucky they might offer to rotavate it and reseed it but would you trust them?

wait until you start digging:) 5 years on im still digging up builders rubble guaranteed any spot in your garden that isnt draining properly you will invariably discover scaffolding planks,lengths of wood ,bags of cement/plaster gone hard, excess concrete dumped/ drainage pipes/blocks/bricks you name it, its all just dumped there with a thin veneer of topsoil covering it

annieee

What if the fact that the whole site isn't draining properly leads to damp? Surely the builders have to admit to responsibility then? I'd prefer that they sorted it out before that happened.:( Aren't they meant to put down layers to ensure proper drainage in the garden?

rockdrummer

Bought a house nearly two years ago, the drainage in the garden is very bad, puddles form in alot of places and the grass gets very marshy after rain. I have been digging up certain areas and have found bricks, plastic buckets, rubber, bags etc etc.....

Dont expect much from the builders, I had a problem with plumbing previously and took about 4 months to get someone out to fix. Only took them about 2 - 3 hours to fix it !!

annieee

rockdrummer wrote:

Bought a house nearly two years ago, the drainage in the garden is very bad, puddles form in alot of places and the grass gets very marshy after rain. I have been digging up certain areas and have found bricks, plastic buckets, rubber, bags etc etc.....

Dont expect much from the builders, I had a problem with plumbing previously and took about 4 months to get someone out to fix. Only took them about 2 - 3 hours to fix it !!

This seems to be the norm for a lot of people then? Anybody know anybody that got any kind of come back from the builders??

garyh3

Would that not be classed as illegal dumping by the builder. What gives the builder the right to bury scafold poles planks and buckets ???? In Your back garden !!!

I bought a year ago and so far no rubbish found yet....Maybe I havent gone down far enough ?? However the bleeding tiler just dumped the grout down the drain and blocked the lot... Took em 2-3 hrs just to get the drain running again....

Garyh3

annieee

garyh3 wrote:

Would that not be classed as illegal dumping by the builder. What gives the builder the right to bury scafold poles planks and buckets ???? In Your back garden !!!

I bought a year ago and so far no rubbish found yet....Maybe I havent gone down far enough ?? However the bleeding tiler just dumped the grout down the drain and blocked the lot... Took em 2-3 hrs just to get the drain running again....

Garyh3

I know! I can't believe people just accept this. Surely, we're paying enough for the opportunity to be home owners without having to clear up the builders' rubbish as well.

sudzs

I think in "builder-speak" landscaped means spread out and flatten the mud and builders mess you've left around the house and chuck some grass seed on it, sure it'll look grand when it's all green!

I'd chase him up... If they're still building in the area then you might have some chance of getting them to fix it. Good name and all dat!

walkmanwilly

Ok....Get your camera out before you touch anything. Talk to your agent who sold and advertised the house and if he refuses to budge then speak to builder. If this doesnt work then get the real meaning of the word landscape and chat a solicitor. Trust me, if a builder thinks a solicitor is on his case ,he will repair it..........worked for my brother!

annieee

walkmanwilly wrote:

Ok....Get your camera out before you touch anything. Talk to your agent who sold and advertised the house and if he refuses to budge then speak to builder. If this doesnt work then get the real meaning of the word landscape and chat a solicitor. Trust me, if a builder thinks a solicitor is on his case ,he will repair it..........worked for my brother!

It's the same for everyone on the block. If we all got together and wrote to builder and all signed it do you think it would work?

walkmanwilly

Well it might but you are still going to have to threaten solicitor or even the dreaded Health & Safety Authority explaining how unsafe the sites are with rocks etc sticking up. If a health &safety inspector gets involved with a builder then he may have more than a bit of grass seed to worry about. Ye going to have to take the hardline asap!