Building Regs - how does it work

DevilsAdvocate1

My builders have more or less just finished building a 2 story extension to the back of our house. The have 2 small tasks left and have told me it will be finished by tomorrow lunchtime, when they want their cheque for the outstanding amount.

I currently owe them £6500 - £4300 is for extras, and the remainder is the last installment. The problem is that they have not given me any documentation to say that it had been approved by the building inspectors. I queried this today and was told that it has all been signed off and I will receive the paperwork in 4 weeks or so.

This doesn't ring true to me as I remember my friend having a hassle getting building regs signed off. So to be sure, I rang the building regs people today and was told that they have not visited my site for months. They have not signed it off and are not even aware that work has almost finished.

Obviously, I'm not going to pay all the money until it has been signed off, but how do I broach this with the builders? I did email them yesterday about the few outstanding things and they got a bit shirty about it, so don't think it will go down well. The office girl told me that they are desperate for money. I have thought about offering the £4000 for the extras as that work has been done.

Help!

Thanks, D.

PS. I have every intention of paying them but want it all signed off first.

iamcornholio

Well, it's not finished until its inspected and confirmed as finished by building control

However, in the absence of any other contractual payment arrangement, and on the basis that the work has been done to your satisfaction with no real problems, then withholding £2.5k is a bit too much. I'd say £500 would be reasonable, and the builder should understand this.

angelavdavis

Don't allow yourself to be bullied.

Say you have queried with planning about the building regs and that they have not actually visited, therefore you aren't in a position to release the final funds until this visit is completed and the works are signed off.

You really should have signed up to an agreed payment schedule up front that agreed milestones and payments including getting building regs signed off before final payment was released.

Not sure how much this remaining money is % wise of the total amount, but as iamcornholio says, stand your ground and with-hold some of the funds at least.

DevilsAdvocate1

The total build, including VAT is £42000, so £2500 is quite a small percentage. We did agree a payment schedule and I have paid the other 4 installments quickly. Therefore I was a bit surprised today when he sounded a bit off that I'd emailed a list of 9 minor things which still needed doing. I think that as far as they were concerned it was finished as they had left the key on Monday.

They did visit today and apologised to my dad (who was painting) and have done 7 of the things (in their mind, 6 in mine). And have said the remaining 2 will be done tomorrow.

But the big thing is that they have lied by saying that building control have signed it off when I've spoken to building control today who have said that they haven't visited my site since the windows went in. Building control want a full drainage test and a copy of the electrical certificate before they will sign it off. I presume they will also visit to ensure that the window they wanted changing has been changed (one of the jobs which was finally done today).

D.

elsien

iamcornholio wrote: »

Well, it's not finished until its inspected and confirmed as finished by building control

However, in the absence of any other contractual payment arrangement, and on the basis that the work has been done to your satisfaction with no real problems, then withholding £2.5k is a bit too much. I'd say £500 would be reasonable, and the builder should understand this.

As a non builder, I think £500 is too little to hold back. It's a bit early to be saying the work has been done with no real problems when you don't actually know that at the moment. I personally would want building control out before I hand too much more money over. If they want the last payment, surely they can get their act together and do what they should have done in the first place?
Edit - I have no idea of the legalities, just my personal opinion.

iamcornholio

You may be very suprised at just what building control actually check and what they are interested in

They have done the significant structural inspections by the time the roof timbers have gone on. Then the next one may well be the final one where they look to make sure that a fan is fitted to a kitchen or bathroom, and that windows have a means of escape.

Then they ask for the paperwork and close their file

They don't do a quality check, and so don't rely on the BCO to validate the work.

Nothing significantly structural is going to be picked up by the BCO at final completion stage, and so the retention of a large amount of money is not necessary ... but it could be significant to a builders cash-flow

You can book a BCO inspection within 24 hours or (sometimes) same day if you call before 10 AM. Ring him up, get him out, and get the things looked at. Then you know what is required, and then you know what money to release. Don't rely on someone in the office reading a file .... files are often not updated

Having had a builder on site for the time it takes to build a two-storey extension, then you should get some sort of inkling as to whether the work is likely to have been done well or not, and how the builders will deal with any issues

DevilsAdvocate1

Ok. Now you have me worried. They have not fitted a fan in the bathroom and it was on the plans. I wasn't bothered about this so haven't pointed it out (we never used the one in the old bathroom, had it switched off).

Its not the quality of the work I'm bothered about, as I'm happy with the quality and have seen it every step of the way. But if I want to sell, I need to have the paperwork. I don't want to be told that we have to do something expensive to get it signed off after I have paid as I probably won't see them for dust then.

I didn't realise you could ask them to come out. Will ring building control tomorrow and get them to come out.

D.

latecomer

No fan = no completion certificate

building control up here were not interested in foundations but very interested in drain testing??? Drains are important yes but surely foundations are fundamental.

To be honest I'd ask them for the name of the BCO who has done the final inspection and see what they say. Personally I wouldn't pay them a penny more until you are satisfied everything has been completed to the spec & plans and that building control have been out for a final inspection.

DevilsAdvocate1

Spoke to builders today. They have now done all things on my list except 1. I also mentioned that there was no fan in the bathroom and this has been installed today.

Instead of letting them know that I knew they had lied about building control coming out, I decided to pretend that we hadn't had that conversation. Instead, I asked when building control were coming out. I was told by the young project manager that he would find out. Less than an hour later I had a phone call to say that he is coming out tomorrow morning at 11am and do I want to be there. And if approved, will I write a cheque straight away.

I did give him the cheque for £4000 today to cover the extras. But have withheld the rest for now.

Thanks for your advice yesterday.

D.

latecomer

Glad its all working out

DevilsAdvocate1

The building inspector came today, but when they did the drainage test the plug popped out and my ceiling was soaked. Building inspector wasn't happy about a couple of other things, but said they were all minor. I'm guessing that he will be back next week.

I wasn't asked for the money today, which is just as well as I wouldn't have given it.

Hopefully, they will get it on Tuesday.

D.