Builder has gone missing towards the end of the build, hes taken too long and obviously has moved on to something else. Legal action started. They’ve left the last big things (lanterns in roof x 2) on extension not done. I have a good builder who will be able to finish things but the main thing that concerns me, hes disappearing without signing off building regs. Is it difficult to do this myself through another builder given hes a T**T and won’t give the full story to builder number 2?

Advice not trolling please, appreciate i may not have chosen the right builder but they were polished at the outset and gave us a good feeling, you live and learn.

Have Building Control been carrying out inspections throughout? It’s them who will sign it off with regard to Building regs, not the builder.

Is there any money still owed to the original contractor?

Building control have been around and mentioned a few bits regarding rodding hatch and the engineers calcs for the two rsjs. Builder has given me one out of the two engineers calcs that are needed, hes not getting back to me on the other but I know its been done. And if it weren’t i can tell from my experience that its a good job they’ve done on the build, they’ve just run out of money and we’re taking the brunt. I dare say someone else is too. Builder has final payment left as we payed on a weekly basis but essentially, theres a little less work done than whats payed to them.

Speak to the Building Inspector, you are not the first.

“you are not the first”

I hear i’m not from stories from other friends/colleagues’ experiences. Just think its mental we don’t have any options (as i’m finding) other than using legal action and the contract, why aren’t these sort of things regulated/rules applied from council etc?

Another builder should be able to pick it up. The building inspector will be able to just carry on. Worth speaking to them sooner in case an inspection is due or something needs fixing. They are generally helpful to homeowners.

Beggars belief doesn’t it. I hope you get things sorted I really do. When you invest so much time, money and emotion into a project. We’ve jsut finished ours and whilst the only issue was with the electrics, I’m aghast I never signed a single document for contractual purposes. Thankfully we had a great builder and other trades via him. But makes you realise how it can go wrong.

Thanks spud, i will be making it my business that these guys do not do this to other people. By the way, its H&B Property Services from Bristol. Stay away.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/notices/notices/notice_list.asp?ST=N&SN=F&EO=%3D&SF=RID&SV=4288168

Oops.

Sometimes for whatever reason the trust that exists between a builder and their customer fails, its not often, but then makes other builders and customers vary of what might happen.

Lots of things can happen to a small build, shortage of cash flow, trained staff leave, price hikes on materials,bad /poor weather, illness of staff, or just a personality clash betwen customer /family and builder.

Its not an easy world out there for us self employed tradesmen.

Yes wrecker, i found out about that a couple of months ago after they contracted with us. They’re not in a good place. I work for a liquidator. They trade under another name now. 🙂

Ask the engineer who did the first workings on the RSJ if they also did the second.
Might cost you a few quid for another copy but at least you will be in possesion of both sets of workings

Did they take the hitching rail when they left site? Yeehaw!!

“you are not the first”

I hear i’m not from stories from other friends/colleagues’ experiences. Just think its mental we don’t have any options (as i’m finding) other than using legal action and the contract, why aren’t these sort of things regulated/rules applied from council etc?

You have options. Instead of blithely paying weekly you could have agrred to pay only on completion of certain tasks. As you say, you’ve paid for more than has been done. That’s no-one’s fault but your own.

As others have said building control do the sign off.

This type of thing is not unique to the building trade, happens all over business, I just think that for most people builders are the only time they deal with any substantial sized project and the personal nature of it being your home it is a shock.

Any chance of just knocking sevens shades of shit out of him? All they do is lower is further towards estate agents and used car salesman. Dickhead!

paying weekly you could have agrred to pay only on completion of certain tasks. As you say, you’ve paid for more than has been done. That’s no-one’s fault but your own.

I think he knows that Surburbanreuban. The OP is looking for helpful advice not criticism…

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2366897

As said above, phone the engineer and ask for a copy of the calcs. Chances are matey hasn’t paid for them but if he has then they should let you have a copy without too much hassle.

That’s no-one’s fault but your own.

This is STW, after all.

Date of Appointment: 09 July 2015

By whom Appointed: Members and Creditors

They went pop a while ago, how long have they missing for?

They went pop back in July, found out about that in september, we signed the contract may for them to start aug. They kept trading under a different name as you are well allowed to do. Contracts can be moved to the new company(!).

So we have been as accommodating as possible for them since we found out, helped them along in what we thought wasgood faith with certain things like radiators and light fittings which were in the contract. Since xmas they’ve disappearred.

Just think its mental we don’t have any options (as i’m finding) other than using legal action and the contract, why aren’t these sort of things regulated/rules applied from council etc?

The thing is that there’s already plenty of rules/regs around this – it’s existing law on contracts, running a business when insolvent, insolvency rules, etc.

I just think that for most people builders are the only time they deal with any substantial sized project and the personal nature of it being your home it is a shock.

Unfortunately it’s this. Which is of no help to the OP right now.

They went pop back in July, found out about that in september, we signed the contract may for them to start aug. They kept trading under a different name as you are well allowed to do. Contracts can be moved to the new company(!).

Legal action is probably your best bet, although TBH you’ll be in a long queue of creditors for money paid/services not received. I;d suggest an hour of a solcitor’s time would be useful to help you understand if you have a claim and, if you do, which company it’s against – moving contracts from one company to another isn’t quite as simple as you (or your builders!) think.

In practical terms, you need to find someone else to take on the job to complete it.

Good luck – sounds a nightmare!

Just think its mental we don’t have any options (as i’m finding) other than using legal action and the contract, why aren’t these sort of things regulated/rules applied from council etc?

What, you think adding another layer of red-tape (and public sector cost) would help?

Thanks ourmaninthenorth.

Bit of good news just now, engineer has sent over the calcs no hassle. Step closer.

“What, you think adding another layer of red-tape (and public sector cost) would help?”

I have no idea! I would just prefer not to go down the legal route.

Advice not trolling please, appreciate i may not have chosen the right builder but they were polished at the outset and gave us a good feeling, you live and learn.

We had a similar issue with our loft conversion. In our case, it became clear that the builder wasn’t going to finish the job (they barely turned up for about two months) and we had numerous concerns about the quality of the work, so we gave them notice and chose a point in the payment schedule where we lost the least. They went into liquidation shortly afterwards.

We managed to get hold of a couple of the sub contractors directly to do the staircase and electrics, we then employed another general building firm to finish the fit out – bathroom, tiling, heating, fire doors, plastering, decorating. A roofer was employed directly to sort out the mess left by the original firm.

We’re in Bristol too: I can recommend http://www.sgwbuildersbristol.co.uk/

They did the fit out, and to a good standard. We had one issue (leaking shower) which they sorted out quickly.

As for building regs, we spoke to the council, they inspected it, and signed it off. We had the electrical certificate from the electrician and I think the council inspector had already seen the steels go in, earlier in the job.

Great, thanks v much ransos

Any other recommendations for good builders in Bristol?

I know some shocking ones, in Brstol.
The good ones choose their work and are busy in my experience.
I had a full on row with one who will remain nameless, in our drive at 8 in the morning, a few weeks ago.
He had installed the rainwater drains at the wrong level on our drive and refused to correct them.
I showed him the design before he started, insisted he knew what he was doing, dismissed everything I said, then balls’ed it up. 👿