New build: developer won't provide plumbing or wiring plans

jmmo20

Hi,

We completed on a new build last Summer. We are now looking at doing some stuff in the house, for example we would like to move a door in the small utility cupboard, and we'd like to get a water softener hooked up with the mains. I've asked numerous times to Developer, to their subcontracted builder, and now to the plumber, and they just keep fobbing me off. They've told another neighbour that they are not going to get the plans.

This is a fairly small developer.. why would they refuse to provide this? Do I have any legal recourse? I have an email from the estate agent who took care of the pre-sales communication and he accepted and confirmed we would get such plans after completing.

Cheers!

Slithery

If they weren't part of the purchase contract then the developer has no obligation to provide them, you've unfortunately decided to believe whatever the EA told you to get a sale without checking that it would be legally binding.

What makes you think that a) these plans actually still exist, b) are guaranteed to be accurate, and c) would be of any use to you?

jmmo20

aren't these required for building control?

I need to know a few things about the plumbing system. 
1) I need to find access to water mains to install a water softener,  I have no idea where the feed is coming from as I have an ASHP with lots of pipes everywhere

2) the radiator system uses a manifold where all radiators are connected in parallel. I would like to know where this manifold is actually located in case there's a fault in the future. I don't want to have to lift all floors just to find the manifold.

davidmcn

If they were submitted to building control then you can go to the council to see them (though admittedly that's probably not easy at the moment). You don't have any implied right to get copies from the builders, if it was important to you then you should have got them before exchanging. 

jmmo20

Thanks, all lessons to be learnt for the next time. We tried to be thorough but were also naive in some aspects where we had no advice. The whole home purchase process is so different in this country that we did miss things like this. (we are from Europe and in our country things are a lot more process-driven and things like these are a given)

fred246

We were given a plan of the drains. We had a blockage one day. We called the water utilities out. "It's in your garden mate, it's your responsibility". "Well I happen to have a plan of the drains here. I think you'll find it's a shared drain. Your Responsibility". Got it fixed for free. We didn't get any other plans though.

greatcrested

They might (just might) be online wih the council.

Alan2020

Hasn't it crossed your mind that such a plan does not exist.  Think about it for a moment, why would a small builder need such plans for a trivial job.  Building control doesn't need them either.  There is usually a note saying will be decided on site.  They are not building a Space ship, its a primitive house.  A few hours of spent using a bit of detective work and common sense will reveal all.  Don't worry too much, you will have to lift everything if something goes wrong.  Just relax and enjoy your home.  Even if a plan existed most wouldn't be followed anywhere remotely closely.

Alan2020

Oh and a bit of advice to you, find the stop tap - usually in the kitchen cupboard under the sink and turn it off, if water doesn't come anymore in the kitchen cold and elsewhere connected to the mains - high pressure, that is your feed.  Your water softener goes there with a bypass and valves for kitchen and emergencies

Lorian

They wont have such diagrams. The vast majority of home owners dont have plumbing or wiring diagrams.

917700

Better to ask the site manager