Building Inspection Melbourne, done by the system.

This is a true story about a little old lady that got done by our system that is rotten to the core.

Some time ago I was engaged to prepare a defect report for a job where a lady got extension done to her home.

The extension was about 10 squares and cost nearly $300,000. The workmanship was poor, drawings were not followed and everything was done on the cheap, and the building leaked like a sieve. Builder did nothing about complaints.

To make the matters worse this was an architect job where he was paid a full fee for design, supervision and contract administration. I spent a lifetime working with architects and mostly they are highly professional and competent professionals but this one was a dud.

The architect did nothing about effective supervision and control and was to a large extent intimidated by the builder as was the little old lady.

After unsuccessful conferences I prepared defects and costings report showing that it would cost $120,000 to rectify with another builder. The matter went to VCAT.

The client went to VCAT mediation with her lawyer and without me. The mediation was not successful and she got hit with $40,000 fees by her lawyer.

She later settled for a little over that amount with nearly all of the contribution to settlement by the architect’s insurer and the builder got away nearly scott free.

Little old lady was done over by her builder, her architect, her lawyer and the rotten system that allows it.

I would have liked to see the builder de registered for professional misconduct but Building Commission  and Building Practitioner Board are rotten to the core and there is no chance of that.

This story has no happy ending.

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