advice on building work

ktj

The builders doing our extension have just finished the foundations.
They are 9 weeks into the job and are already 3 weeks behind schedule. Initially work was delayed by all of the rainy weather in March, but subsequent delays have been due to work initially done incorrectly having to be redone and to workers doing shortened days or not turning up on site at all.
Originally we were given a finish date of July 11th. which I now realise is totally unrealistic. Work will definitely continue at least 2 months beyond this or even longer unless they start to properly apply themselves.
Now that the foundations have been completed, we have been presented with the first bill.
My question is do we have the right to withhold a percentage of this payment until it is obvious that the builders are making a proper effort to get back on schedule? I have made it clear that at least the exterior of the extension must be finished by July 11th. because after this date we are out of the country on holiday. If I did withhold any payment I would be happy to release it if they were at least able to accomplish this.
Do you think this is a reasonable/appropriate course of action?
Do you believe it will achieve the desired outcome?
Can anyone suggest any other course of action?
Any advice very gratefully received especially from anyone in the building trade or anyone who has encountered and satisfactorily resolved a similar situation.

Canucklehead

Good evening: What are the terms of your contract?

Canucklehead

P.S. You could post your thread on the House Buying & Selling forum...lots of advice has been given over there on this type of scenario.

ktj

The finish date of July 11th. is on the contract.
Also how do I move this thread to the other forum as you suggest?
Cheers ktj.

Canucklehead

Good evening: You could start a new thread on HB&S and copy then paste the contents of your first post here to the new thread or you could send a request to a moderator of this board eg. Pink-winged or Nile to move the thread.

HTH

Canucklehead

Pink.

Hi ktj,

I've moved the thread across to the House Buying, Renting and Selling board for you.

Pink

Doozergirl

Trying to get work back on schedule will involve working longer hours. What you don't want to do is put pressure on your builders to cut corners as a result of being underpressure to complete something. If the bill is for work that has been completed, then you would be best paying for it. Work yet to be completed perhaps you can negotiate on

But it's taken them nine weeks to lay the foundations? They should be managing the project a bit better than that

I'm so glad we don't have to deal with a main contractor any more. It's like looking after a petulant kid.

chappers

All depends how good the contractor is, but definitely agree if you have agreed to pay them on completion of certain tasks then yes you should pay them in full if they have completed the relevant stage.
I would have a word with them and say that you will be leaving the country on such and such date and that if the next satge is not completed before you leave that they won't be able to get paid until you return.That should jolly them along a bit.

Would agree nine weeks to complete the foundations for an extension is pretty shocking regardless of the weather maybe you should be paying them for what they have done and find another builder.

How big is the extension? I would expect to complete the foundations within a week at the most unless they were something out of the ordinary

SquatNow

Should have got eastern europeans in.

They'de have finished it by now and build you a pool.

poppysarah

How many staged payments do you have?

You need to make sure you pay them as agreed - but ensure you are keeping enough left for sorting out the snagging at the end. £5k would ensure the work gets finished to your satisfaction including getting all appropriate building control certificates.

Does your contract specify any comeback if they are over the target date? It probably doesn't so they have no incentive to get it done quickly.

At each stage of a build you need to make sure the building inspector is coming out to check stuff - you should have a list of when this will be if you've been the one to organise paying for building control.

If you have no trust in the builder you're best taking legal advice on your exact options - but best to do that before they incur further costs etc.

It may be that the weather has just been terrible. You can pour concrete in the rain but it's pretty unpleasant digging trenches in it.
We had some amazing excuses from our builders not being on site - including his mother dying, but as she was a friend of ours we were at the funeral so we believed that one.

SquatNow

best bet is to start by talking with the builders and explaining what is happening. They are probably doing more than one job at once and if they realise you could be going away they may rebalance their workload in order to ensure they get it finished in time to get paid before you go away.

They are human beings.... talk to them.

Debt_Free_Chick

It's going to be pretty near impossible to get back on track. Think of it this way .... they would have to put in two weeks of hours, every week, for the next three weeks. I don't see how it can be done. Surely, the completion date just gets pushed back by three weeks?

Is that such a bad thing? If completion is not until the end of July, won't you have been on holiday and returned by then?

My attitude is that "it takes as long as it takes" - yes, chivvy them along and don't let them take the !!!!!!, but don't nag them to make up three weeks as you run the risk of them cutting corners to shut you up.

Which would you prefer - a quality job that's overrun the original schedule?

Or any old job completed on time?