Some time ago I had the displeasure of doing defect reports on a  mid tier builder that had done a rotten job on my client’s new house. It’s the sort of a job that will forever leave a bad taste because even after half hearted fixing the job would never be right and the client could never be happy.

I got another call few months after completion with my client saying that his house has moved and cracked and would I do another report against the builder.

The client has however done all the concrete paving around the house with his own separate contractor and it was all defective with grading the wrong way. Water was entering against slab causing foundation heave.

I had to explain to my client that, yes the house is damaged and cracked but that he was now the builder and it was his responsibility. He did not know  what he was doing and the contractor didn’t know or didn’t care. I could not blame the original builder(despite the grief he caused earlier) for the most recent defects because he did not cause them.

All my client had to do was to ask me or email me before starting and that could have saved him from a blunder.

You need to be careful because the best way to get your builder off the warranty hook is to do building work yourself. The builder may and will hide behind that.

Think twice and call Building Expert