Opinions please - plasterboard overhangs skirting - photos

h.cowell

27 col, I will post an update after we've spoken to the surveyor and the building superviser. I have sent photos and a list of concerns to the surveyor via the building contractor/insurer so am just waiting for a response.

I'm inclined to agree with leveller2911, and especially in our case, that the insurance company is cutting corners. The builders they are using are 'insurance specialists' and naively we thought that would mean a quality job and therefore extended the scope of work out of our own pocket. I hope others reading this thread will learn to be more cautious and less trusting than we have been...

rosekitten

I hope all this is resolved soon for you
just out of curiosity are they reccomended
from the likes of this

http://www.fmb.org.uk/

I know ours was and everything went
well and they did a good job

h.cowell

Quick update: the building supervisor called round this morning. He claims 2 helibars were inserted into the outside wall (we can detect neither), 3 helibars on the inside wall (we can detect one) and NO helibars in the corner that had the most extensive cracking. In other words, the corner has only the 5 metal straps shown in the photo (plus one more than was applied after the photo was taken).

The supervisor claims that with regards to the helibars, the surveyor's instructions were followed (ie the surveyor did NOT specify helibars in the corner).

We will now get back to the surveyor about this, and are thinking of paying for an independent structural engineer to take a look. I wish we'd done this in the first place!

As for the plasterboard and overall finish, he was full of excuses and apology, and took plenty of photos. We'll wait to hear back from him.

rosekitten - thanks for the link. Predictably, this building company doesn't appear to be a member!

h.cowell

Sorry for the multiple posts, but if anyone knows if there is an official body I could report this to, should it come to that, I would be very grateful. We know for a fact they are lying about the number and positions of the helibars.

The supervisor even showed us the sketch of the positions of the helibars given to him by the builder who claimed to have done it. I trust our metal detector though.......

h.cowell

Another update: I just spoke to the surveyor, who incidentally claims not to have received the e-mail plus photos that I sent three days ago. Ho hum.

Bottom line is:

1. He claims the straps in the corner of the room should be adequate and it is normal to have either one or the other (helical bars OR strapping). In other words, he didn't authorise helical bars to be installed which is why we haven't got them in that position.

2. He didn't respond to my assertion that some of the other helical bars are missing, but said he would contact the builders directly.

3. He claimed that the finish to the walls is irrelevant to the job ie plasterboarding is no better or worse than sand & cement render in terms of stability.

4. He is trying to pass the buck to the building contractor used by the insurer with regards to the poor quality of work.

GSXRCarlos

nomis21 wrote: »

Thought i better add that i cannot work out if its a window or patio door in one of your pics, but theres no lintol above it.!

an existing catnic could have been used under the soldier course, but i'm unsure why you'd have a soldier course above a stretcher course like the pic.

Unless the catnic is holding up the 2 stretcher courses and the soldier course???

nomis21

GSXRCarlos wrote: »

an existing catnic could have been used under the soldier course, but i'm unsure why you'd have a soldier course above a stretcher course like the pic.

Unless the catnic is holding up the 2 stretcher courses and the soldier course???

If it was a catnic you would be able to see the box part of the catnic lintol, unless its on the outside and then it would have been installed the wrong way round only thing i can think of is its some kind of special lintol and your right it would be under the soldier course but then theres two stretcher courses?

nomis21

h.cowell wrote: »

Sorry for the multiple posts, but if anyone knows if there is an official body I could report this to, should it come to that, I would be very grateful. We know for a fact they are lying about the number and positions of the helibars.

The supervisor even showed us the sketch of the positions of the helibars given to him by the builder who claimed to have done it. I trust our metal detector though.......

With regards to a official body, iam not sure but you could try asking your local authority BCO (building control officer) for advise on the structual side of the job. Iam not sure they would respond to this matter as its an insurance job but they might provide advise in finding a structual engineer?

h.cowell

Thanks nomis21, I'm not sure we want to get authorities involved but you never know what it might come to!

I'm a bit lost with the talk about lintols. I do know that they found one that looked like a box? It was behind the lower bricks over the sliding doors. They put a second one in to replace the bricks and provide more support.

never_enough

h.cowell wrote: »

Another update: I just spoke to the surveyor, who incidentally claims not to have received the e-mail plus photos that I sent three days ago. Ho hum.

Bottom line is:

1. He claims the straps in the corner of the room should be adequate and it is normal to have either one or the other (helical bars OR strapping). In other words, he didn't authorise helical bars to be installed which is why we haven't got them in that position.

2. He didn't respond to my assertion that some of the other helical bars are missing, but said he would contact the builders directly.

3. He claimed that the finish to the walls is irrelevant to the job ie plasterboarding is no better or worse than sand & cement render in terms of stability.

4. He is trying to pass the buck to the building contractor used by the insurer with regards to the poor quality of work.

Wait until he's seen the photos. If e-mail 'fails' again (:rolleyes:) then print them out & send by recorded post to him.
What have the insurance company said?
Don't be afraid to involve the authorities if necessary. Don't buildings regs people need to be involved with lintel type things? [I don't know, but am sure someone else will]