Recently I inspected a home that has been restumped so badly that owner would have been better without it and kept his $18,000

Not only has the contractor failed to level the floors (as promised and required) but the floors have since subsided and wall cracks have appeared.

This is what I said in my report:

Inspection Findings:

Upon restumping, the owner would expect solid, even and lasting floors in the dwelling. This is not the case here. Uneven and subsided floors were found with wall cracking and broken line of weatherboards.

My investigation found that despite the builder’s registration limiting him to work not exceeding $12,000.00, he contracted for $18,000.00.

Contracting in excess of $18,000.00 requires that the owner be given a copy of Home Owners Insurance. That has not been done.

Reblocking and restumping is structural work requiring a building permit. A building permit was not taken out and stump hole excavations were not independently inspected via statutory mandatory inspection as required. This means that all work performed by the builder is unreliable and in violation of the Building Act 1993.

Owner is now in unhappy position of not only having ruined home floors but also delaying his renovation, facing dubious prospects of getting his money back from the contractor and no home owners insurance.

Proper contractor assessment and review would have prevented the current situation from developing. Do you think that owner should have spent around $550 for a pre contract advice?

Your call!