No building completion certificate on 2013 extension

mcivos

In 2013 we extended our house both double and single story. We obtained planning permission. We paid the fee to the council for the extension to be inspected by the buildings inspector. The builder we were using said they would contact the buildings inspector at the relevant times. I am pretty sure he was out when the foundations were dug (or laid) but don't know if or when he was out since. We never received a building completion certificate when the extension was finished. There was so much going on (baby, back to work etc) I never realised nor chased it.
Now I am in a panic. We are considering selling in the next year. I don't know how many, if any, of the ness checks were done as the extension went up. I am concerned as to why the builders never bothered to inform the buildings regulator perhaps during and defiantly after the work was completed. I don't want to contact the council to find out as I have read that then I can't apply for indemnity insurance, which it sounds like may be the only chance to secure a sale.
I plan to phone the builder tomorrow re this but l don't hold much hope there!
Any advice or suggestions?

Doozergirl

Not to panic.

Speak to the builder and let us know how that conversation goes first?

EssexExile

We had the same problem when we sold the late father-in-law's home. We phoned the council's building control who came round, had a quick look & signed it off.

Silver-Surfer_2

On final inspection all my building inspector wanted to see was the electrical certificate.

DRP

Yes, be careful with contacting the council because of the indemnity possibility. Although for such a recent extension, I'd be surprised if a buyer would accept indemnity anyway.

As others have said first thing is to check with the builder whether the inspections were carried out. We recently sorted out the final inspection & certificate for our extension as after 4 months the builder hadn't got around to it - we showed him the electrical certificate and he had very short look about (literally 2 minutes). However we knew that BR had visited at the required points during the build.

mcivos

I phoned the council this morning to find out which BR checks were done and it turns out they all were except the final one, phew! My sleepless night was uncalled for! They are coming round next week for the final check. Hopefully it will all be up to scratch but even if one or two things need altered its a better option than what I thought I was facing last night. The BR man I was on the phone to said this happens in about 50% of extensions. Panic over 😊

Hoploz

That's good then. Have all your certificates ready, they'll want to see them.

I had my final inspection 5 years after the main build - we ran out of money so I'd got the inspector to give me a list of outstanding bits and bibs, eg we left the bathroom empty for a year before we could fit it out, then got the jobs done one by one as we could afford them.

He said just call me when they're all done and I'll sign it off, which is what happened. The date doesn't matter, it only matters that you get the sign-off in the end!

J_B

Hoploz wrote: »

That's good then. Have all your certificates ready, they'll want to see them.

Noooo .... well yes, but don't show anything unless asked.

rosie383

Just a quick question, our electrician is coming to do the last few bits today. Should he automatically give us the certificate? Or is it normal to chase that up after a few weeks?
Inspectors have been out at each stage and have been happy, so once we have the certificate do we contact them? Builder is turning up when he feels like it as he has started another big job and doesn't answer his flipping phone. Lots of snagging bits needed. He isn't really communicating properly with us now, so I don't want him to keep us hanging around thinking he will ask for the BR certificate, or final inspection or whatever, if we can do that for ourselves.

Doozergirl: we still owe the last payment instalment, but are withholding it until he finishes all of the bits which need done and which have been agreed. He is complaining that he hasn't got money to get certain bits, or to pay the people needed to do some of these last bits. According to all of the advice on this forum, it is the done thing not to make the final payment until everything is finished. Should we stick to our guns? It is only the completion payment which is due still. Every other payment has been made on the day he requested it.

Doozergirl

My guys produce their certificates slightly after finishing. It's usually a week or two for them to get round to it.

You should agree what's being witheld before you get that point, Rosie. You shouldn't just withold without warning the guy. That said, he should also not charge you the very last payment until things are really at the point of finished bar very minor snagging.

It's fair to charge for what has been done - at some point it becomes a case of not charging what hasn't, if you see what I mean. He needs to pay people for what has been done, but doesn't need to pay people for what they haven't done yet and anything you withhold should cover that.

How much is this payment?

Do you have a proper snagging list now which can be provided to everyone and ticked off?

rosie383

Thanks DG. That sounds about right. The final payment on completion is £3.5k. It was agreed that it would be upon completion only.
Dh has a list and is organising the various guys to come and finish off their hits as the builder just isn't bothering.