Loft conversion- damage to the property due to heavy rain

Doozergirl

You don't put blue grit over wallpaper.  It's really expensive stuff used to improve adhesion before a skim coat.  

You've given the job of adhesion and weight bearing of plaster to a layer of wallpaper paste.   

The blue grit is pointless in that scenario.  I'd almost expect that the plaster would blow.  

Water isn't going to help it, because wallpaper paste, but it got a thorough soaking when the skim went in in the first place.    

You check if your builder has liability insurance by asking them.  Ay chance they're a member of the Federation of Master Builders?   

Tucosalamanca

So many mistakes made by everyone. There's a lot of lessons here for anyone considering an extension.
But staying on point, this thread was started on Friday 18th. We've had the weekend and now onto fourth working day.
Within this timeframe, the roof should have been felt and battened at a very minimum.
If this hasn't happened, you've got a very clear signal that the builder is incapable of doing the work (I actually think that lack of scaffolding is a very big clue that they're not a professional outfit).

I fear your problems are just beginning, cost of works plus 10% allowance is a woefully inadequate budget.
I'm advising clients to buy all materials in advance or have a pot of 30 - 40% set aside for increasing costs and unforeseen items.

Going legal is good advice if you have a chance of reclaiming money, but the immediate issue is to get the house watertight, followed by assessing your choice of builder. I fear that you've got some large compromises to make.

Builder should be able to provide insurance details immediately (or within a few hours), they should have notified their insurers already (likely in their terms of business with insurer).
If they cannot offer evidence TODAY, it's a fair assumption that they don't have cover.
Hope it works out for you.

SoJacob

Dear all, 
quick update. Our builder left early today so my husband couldn't see him. He spoke to our builder on the phone. Builder told my husband that he cannot finish the work ready for us to move in as agreed less than a week ago. Also, he told my husband ' I don't want to give you a shock, I would like to discuss finance'. He said he cannot complete the work for the quoted price, and he is not trying to scam. My husband tried to explain the situation that there is no way we can afford and asked how much he is expecting. Our builder is still working out the price and told him that building regs changes, referred to the insulation. If we can't then his solution is, make the house watertight and restart the work when we have money but that is not what we want. 

Can someone please let me know what building reg changes since September 2022? 

Bendy_House

I am as certain as I can be - and I'm, ahem, sometimes wrong - that your builder is BS-ing you.

What he has completely avoided saying is what, I believe, is the truth - he wants extra money out of you to cover his mess.

I am pretty certain that the submitted-and-approved plans you had with BC are what you will be expected to adhere to. Perhaps, if the build was delayed by a decade, this might not apply, but that is not the case here.

He wants 'more' because BC said the ceiling material was a fire hazard and needed doing anyway? BS. He wants more 'cos BRegs have recently increased the requirement for insulation? BS.

Er, what did your LP say?

Man, this is going to be one awkward conversation with the builder when it happens. You MUST be armed with the 'reality' of this situation. The FACTS delivered with a matter-of-fact shrug; "That is what I've been told by BuildControl/LegProt - are you saying they are wrong?" (A 'question' is always a good way to make a point - nail them down - 'are you saying..?!')

Bendy_House

To answer your specific Q, SoJ, give BC a call. A quick surf suggests a BC approval lasts for three years. But give BC a call.

(Our BCO is a cool guy - he knows the 'good' and the 'dodgy' in the building world around here, and gives short shrift to the latter. Once a builder or homeowner 'tries it on', their cards are marked. There was a fellow near here who dug his foundation trenches just yay deep, realised the soil was pants and he needed to go deeper, but instead covered his trench bottom with a layer of shillet. The BCO knew that this material was unlikely in the 'hood, so stepped into the trench and stuck a stick in the earth. That unfortunate owner not only had to deep yaaaay deeper, but every screw and nail on his build is now scrutinised to within a gnat's crochet).

DanDare999

SoJacob said:

Dear all, 
quick update. Our builder left early today so my husband couldn't see him. He spoke to our builder on the phone. Builder told my husband that he cannot finish the work ready for us to move in as agreed less than a week ago. Also, he told my husband ' I don't want to give you a shock, I would like to discuss finance'. He said he cannot complete the work for the quoted price, and he is not trying to scam. My husband tried to explain the situation that there is no way we can afford and asked how much he is expecting. Our builder is still working out the price and told him that building regs changes, referred to the insulation. If we can't then his solution is, make the house watertight and restart the work when we have money but that is not what we want. 

Can someone please let me know what building reg changes since September 2022? 

Why is September relevant? Hopefully that's when the work started and not when he quoted for the job. 

I would think he's not worked with building control for a bit and they have brought him up to speed with recent changes. 

Its already been said but you must focus on getting the building watertight with the funds you have before this builder walks off the job. 

DanDare999

Bendy_House said:

I am as certain as I can be - and I'm, ahem, sometimes wrong - that your builder is BS-ing you.

What he has completely avoided saying is what, I believe, is the truth - he wants extra money out of you to cover his mess.

I am pretty certain that the submitted-and-approved plans you had with BC are what you will be expected to adhere to. Perhaps, if the build was delayed by a decade, this might not apply, but that is not the case here.

He wants 'more' because BC said the ceiling material was a fire hazard and needed doing anyway? BS. He wants more 'cos BRegs have recently increased the requirement for insulation? BS.

Er, what did your LP say?

Man, this is going to be one awkward conversation with the builder when it happens. You MUST be armed with the 'reality' of this situation.

It's quite clear the builder wants more money, but do you actually have a suggestion for the OP which won't result in the builder walking off the job?

SoJacob

Just to confirm, my husband came around 3ish but our builder was not ready as he have not ready with the receipts. He said he want prove his expenses to us. 

DanDare999

SoJacob said:

Just to confirm, my husband came around 3ish but our builder was not ready as he have not ready with the receipts. He said he want prove his expenses to us. 

So you husband asked him about getting it watertight?

Bendy_House

"...as far as we know they haven't told the builder to make things watertight is a priority."

The builder needs to be 'told' this? Wow.