New build house issues.

Elwood_Blues

H all,
Not sure if this is the correct place to post this. Have recently bought a new build house but are facing some issues with the quality of the build. Some items were identified on the snag list but were never fixed and other ones are new things that are just raising their head. We're at the mercy of the building company and foreman to try and rectify these issues but I'm sure they're more interested to finish building the rest of the houses.

I'm wondering if they have any legal requirement that they must fix these issues or are we pretty much on our own?

Cheers

Gloomtastic!

So they ignored your snag list and you/your solicitor still exchanged contracts! :eek:

You may be in big trouble here so I would advise talking this through with a different solicitor and getting a building engineer or someone suitably qualified to advise you on what needs to be done to rectify your problems.

dudara

Moved to Accommodation & Property. You'll get better advice there.

dudara

witchgirl26

OP I'd just keep chasing them on email and phone. If possible even go into the foreman on site yourself and have a word. I'm in a new house 8 months and we're still getting some bits sorted. Some were on the snag list (but quite minor so was happy to close) and some have only come to light since being in the house. It can take them a bit of time once you're in to get things done but we are getting there. It does require a lot of follow up though. And as much as you may want to, make sure that you don't lose the rag at them as this can get their backs up so may delay things. I'm not saying be a walkover - be forceful without being too much.

Elwood_Blues

Cheers for the advise. Yeah I'm not losing the head or anything. I just hate having to chase them up but do realize they are trying to finish building the rest of the houses so need to keep on them. I have the foreman's number who's pretty sound but he has a habit of promising things that he never follows up on.

witchgirl26

Elwood_Blues wrote: »

Cheers for the advise. Yeah I'm not losing the head or anything. I just hate having to chase them up but do realize they are trying to finish building the rest of the house so need to keep on them. I have the foreman's number who's pretty sound but he has a habit of promising things that he never follows up on.

Chasing is annoying all right but it's the only way it's going to get sorted unfortunately.

Maybe try to send an email after talking to the foreman, noting what was agreed and when it was agreed to do it by.

Elwood_Blues

Elwood_Blues wrote: »

Cheers for the advise. Yeah I'm not losing the head or anything. I just hate having to chase them up but do realize they are trying to finish building the rest of the house so need to keep on them. I have the foreman's number who's pretty sound but he has a habit of promising things that he never follows up on.

It's always trickier to get them to sort stuff after the contracts are signed but there is often pressure from every angle to complete the sale so I can sympathise.

It's hard to get trades people with the current shortage so I would imagine your foreman has the same issues. Don't let him forget it, keep politely reminding him, preferably in person.

awec

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

So they ignored your snag list and you/your solicitor still exchanged contracts! :eek:

You may be in big trouble here so I would advise talking this through with a different solicitor and getting a building engineer or someone suitably qualified to advise you on what needs to be done to rectify your problems.

You will never get everything on your snag list fixed.

Elwood_Blues

awec wrote: »

You will never get everything on your snag list fixed.

Yeah starting to realize that. Not sweating the small things that we can do ourselves. Just want them to fix the major issues like water leak and some really bad finishing.

Just need to keep patient by the sounds of things.

Tefral

I actually work in the industry.

Can i ask you a question? Are all the workers still on site doing other houses? Your answer will determine what you do

Elwood_Blues

Tefral wrote: »

I actually work in the industry.

Can i ask you a question? Are all the workers still on site doing other houses? Your answer will determine what you do

Yeah, they're still here and probably will be until the end of the year I reckon as another phase is only just starting.

Tefral

Elwood_Blues wrote: »

Yeah, they're still here and probably will be until the end of the year I reckon as another phase is only just starting.

Ok, what you need to do is bring down a bottle of whiskey to the main site foreman. Bring your snag list and tell him the ones you really want complete and the smaller ones you will do yourself.

Tell him as your leaving there will be the price of a couple of pints in it for him.

I know it sounds like bollocks and that you are entitled to have these things done anyway but trust me, once they move off site they will never be done.

Gloomtastic!

Tefral wrote: »

Ok, what you need to do is bring down a bottle of whiskey to the main site foreman. Bring your snag list and tell him the ones you really want complete and the smaller ones you will do yourself.

Tell him as your leaving there will be the price of a couple of pints in it for him.

I know it sounds like bollocks and that you are entitled to have these things done anyway but trust me, once they move off site they will never be done.

He’s not wrong!

witchgirl26

Nope he's not at all! I've bribed ours a couple of times with home baking. Appearing down with a load of treats for all the lads got a few things sorted for us.

Reminding in person is great but follow up with emails too so that you have an actual track of when you talked to them/agreed things. Helps if nothing else for yourself but also when pointing out the delays in getting things sorted to them.

Brego888

The fact that they are still on site is a good thing. Keep chasing them.

What's the ballpark figure for someone to carry out a snag these days?

Elwood_Blues

Thanks all, will try the bribery if all else fails. Have emailed a couple of times with a list but from what I'm hearing almost everyone that's moved in has some issues and are trying to get them to do stuff..

I paid around 180 for a snagger. They did the initial snag and then came back for a follow up look.

Klonker

Elwood_Blues wrote:

Thanks all, will try the bribery if all else fails. Have emailed a couple of times with a list but from what I'm hearing almost everyone that's moved in has some issues and are trying to get them to do stuff..

I paid around 180 for a snagger. They did the initial snag and then came back for a follow up look.

Hi OP, if it's any consolation I don't think what's happening in your estate is unusually. Having same issues with mine and I'm in the house year and a half now and issues still haven't been fixed. It's on their list though but the whole development seems to have issues that builders are trying to work through, feels like the place was thrown together.