Intumescent pita

walker0611

We would be really grateful for some advice. We are close to exchange but having just had a visit from the building inspector for what we naively assumed would be a formality, we are a bit stumped. We had our kitchen 'done' 8 years ago including an RSJ. Last job was to have the RSJ painted with intumescent paint. I know this was done as I was at home at the time and sppoke to the sprayer who explained how it worked, but we don't have a certificate. Intumescent paint is quoted for in the schedule of works but foolishly after an appointment for building control sign off was cancelled we never got round to doing it.

I assumed when we invited the building inspector round this week that sign off would be a formality. But no. Apparently without a certificate there is nothing he can do. We are therefore faced with having to dismantle half the kitchen to have another layer of intumescent paint put on top of the existing, then redecoration.

If we have to, we will. But are there any other options (boxing in doesn't work because of a lack of clearance between the RSJ and kitchen wall units)? I understand from an earlier thread that indemnity insurance is no longer an option because we have alerted building control to the issue. Any ideas how we can reduce the potential hit which I (very inexpertly) estimate to be around £2k all in.

Mark

Fire_Fox

Welcome! Have you contacted the company who you employed to do the kitchen?

julieb1987

If you don't want to do the work yourself you could negotiate with your buyers to knock the cost of the work off the price of the house.

walker0611

It was a new architect. He's been on Grand Designs since and has become too grand to deal with the likes of us! Seriously though, we're trying to raise him - but eight years - he's very unlikely to have any records I would have thought.

I don't mind doing it myself but assumed it had to be done by someone competent. Not that I am not capable of banging on a couple of layers of paint but assumed some sort of specialist was required - presumably I can't 'certify' my diy effort?

julieb1987

Seems a lot of hassle and work when you're selling the house. I'd speak to the buyers and see what they think. Make it sound like you're doing them a favour by knocking the money off and that they can also make the kitchen as they want it as well then. If they insist on you doing it fair enough. But if you do it there's a chance something else could crop up and could become more expensive for you.

Fire_Fox

walker0611 wrote: »

It was a new architect. He's been on Grand Designs since and has become too grand to deal with the likes of us! Seriously though, we're trying to raise him - but eight years - he's very unlikely to have any records I would have thought.

I don't mind doing it myself but assumed it had to be done by someone competent. Not that I am not capable of banging on a couple of layers of paint but assumed some sort of specialist was required - presumably I can't 'certify' my diy effort?

Have you had your solicitor write to the architect? I'm no expert on the field but I would have thought he'd need to maintain an archive in case of insurance claims and these could conceivably occur years later.

The issue is not simply the paint, it is without the council certificate the buyers may assume the work has not been done properly - maybe there is no RSJ at all. I would not knock a couple of grand off for a house that might fall down and you cannot get an indemnity for.

G_M

walker0611 wrote: »

It was a new architect. He's been on Grand Designs since and has become too grand to deal with the likes of us!

Quite the opposite. Anyone as 'grand' as this will want to protect his reputation!

And as said, he should have records.

walker0611

Thanks for the replies - good points all and I am really grateful to you for taking the time to reply. We need to chase down the architect don't we. The building inspector (who was really nice but I swear in my day would still have been in short trousers!) seemed to suggest that anything, like a final invoice from the builders, might do but couldn't guarantee. Which suggests that a 'statement' from the architect might just be enough. Otherwise, I think we'll have to bite the bullet and just get on with getting it done. We'd hoped to be out by Christmas - looking less likely now. Mark