Poor quality Conservatory Build

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Dr Decorator, Sep 30, 2015.

  1. Dr Decorator

    Dr Decorator Active Member

    Hi all,

    My parents have foolishly purchased a Conservatory by one off the big firms (AH).

    Its off appalling quality, from the most laughable Brickwork with joints ranging from 6mm-20mm, a belly and a lot off smudged bricks.

    Sadly part off the walling is on the divide with the neighbour, (hes not impressed).

    The Area manager told me its off reasonable quality and you have to allow a 1/2 " discretion, I said to him, thats bolloxs, its a Dwarf wall (6 courses high) by 3 meters. (He did not know Im in the construction trade).

    They have put in an Aqua Drain which is like a roller coaster and only 25mm below DPC. Is that the correct height?
    On the otherside they have just thrown in pea shingle which is the same height at DPC.

    I believe the have built to high, the paperwork shows 2.9mtrs but when he measured it read 2.75mtrs, slightly below.

    I noticed afte,r he measured from the Door cill which is off the ground.

    Where is the correct place to measure from?

    Also the made the most hideous boxing in to cover pipes.

    Don't these fookers take any pride in there work.

    I will try and post pics when I can work out how to do it.
     
  2. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    Yes, please post some pics. If the pics are on the device you are using to post, use the upload a file button, go to you gallery and click the pic to upload.
     
  3. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Apart from poor craftsmanship is there anything faulty with the construction; does it leak, damp or mold problems, do the windows and doors close properly ? What you have to prove is that it is of not suitable quality or fit for purpose. The area manager saying it of "reasonable" quality doesn't hold any legal or technical ground.

    The issue with the aquadrain and the DPC can be quite a complex one as it depends on the outside ground level and which way it slopes and the inside floor level to maintain a constant floor level across the interior. They have used the pea shingle between the gully drain and the DPC to prevent water build up and tracking over the DPC its is quite a frequently used way of getting water away from the side of a building where the ground surface is too high and there are things like man holes and drains stopping you reducing the overall level.

    Height measurements can vary a lot, it depends on the plans whether they are dimensioned from the inside or from the expected final finish outside or whether they have to fit within an external feature like a window cill or drip line. You have to establish what the impact of not having an 150mm out height on the conservatory will have. As you quite often you have to make onsite adjustments because of the ground or levels etc.

    Sadly poor quality craftsmanship / design is a difficult case to battle.

    Upload your pictures and lets see what its life
     
  4. Dr Decorator

    Dr Decorator Active Member

    Thanks for help
     

    Attached Files:

  5. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    **** brickwork under window, drainage channel wonky, endless other faults.
    A trip to the 'small claims court' I think is necessary.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2015
  6. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    That sure is some sturdy boxing in. Perhaps they will board it with 25mm marine ply, then finish off with hardibacker boards for good measure.

    For a window fitter the brickwork is pretty good.
     
    Tiny01 and CGN like this.
  7. Dr Decorator

    Dr Decorator Active Member

    Metro,

    They covered with horrible cladding with the worst joints and load of silicone
     
  8. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    Well what can I say, I don't know really, apart from its some of the worse brickwork I've ever seen.

    The drainage channel not a problem.

    The boxing in???, good frame, but haven't seen the finish.

    The gravel is ok as well.

    But the best thing is the trainer foot print in the concrete repair!!!!, is that a wheelbarrow tyre mark in it as well????
     
  9. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    [QUOTE="Phil the Paver, post: 1373123,

    But the best thing is the trainer foot print in the concrete repair!!!!, is that a wheelbarrow tyre mark in it as well????[/QUOTE]

    I didn't spot that footprint/wheel tread pattern.:(

    Look more like mortar than concrete, won't last.:eek:
     
  10. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select


    Who took the cladding off? There is still some on top. Well, two bits of different stuff to make the width up!
    Some brickwork/mortar joints - RUBBISH.
    Seal at the far door down wall near the external pipework is disgusting. If that is the sort of sealing used round the inside boxing, I'm not surprised it had to come down.

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  11. Jeepers, Dr - that's bad.

    The brickwork in the first photograph is completely unacceptable - end of. The rest is not good either, but borderline 'acceptable' in some situations.

    What these situations often come down to is 'cost'. Ie, when you go to the County Court and you present your case, the judge will almost certainly ask you how much it cost, what the other quotes were etc. If it becomes clear that you jumped at a 'too good to be true' price and received shoddy work in response, then he will - rightly - say "What did you expect for that little money?"

    So, if this were the case, then I doubt you'd have much come-back from the brickwork in the last three pics.

    But, in any case (other than a talentless friend doing you a 'freebie'...) the brickwork in the first photo is shocking.

    I am guessing that, being a 'big firm', you mean it's a well-known 'national'? And that it wasn't cheap? In which case the standard of all that work is unacceptable.

    I reckon you'd have little struggle getting some recompense for that work. It would likely come down to either having a significant discount (eg - half) to live with it, or else forcing them to redo the work (on the basis that, if they don't, you'll get someone else to do so and sue them for the cost).

    A problem tho' - why did your parents 'accept' that appalling standard of brick work and allow the connie to be built over it? Why didn't they say 'STOP!'?

    It might then be difficult - for the reason stated above - to force them to take it all back down and start afresh - that might be considered 'unreasonable', I don't know.

    Unless - can your parents be considered 'vulnerable' in any way? Was there any sense that they felt 'intimidated' by the builders? Found it hard to say anything? If so, that's a huge issue, and one that'll help your case no end.

    What to do about this depends on you - and your parents. If your folks are 'happy' or don't want any hassle, then you're stuffed. It ain't none of your business (unless they are vulnerable and you are 'looking after their welfare'...)

    So, decide what you want to do.


    (There is no secret to good bricklaying - you just need to keep things level! Fast good bricklaying is an art, but any half-competent person can do neat bricklaying by taking it easy and taking care. That job looks as tho' it was handed over to a completely incompetent person - not even a brick-layer.)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 30, 2015
  12. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Yeah ha, the cowboys are back.

    Taking the pictures individually

    Picture 1.
    Bottom left hand corner the bond isn't correct and is could lead to problems.
    There is also something hanging down under the window cill. It may be worth having a look underneath how they sealed it. There is certainly something odd because the second and third bricks have been lifted up from the corner brick.
    They also seem to have made the brick opening too wide as they have had to insert a timber packer on the left and quite bit of mastic on the left hand window
    Between the two paving slabs and the wall have not been finished

    Picture 2

    The brick work isn't the best, some of the perps are aligned Score 4/10

    Picture 3
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2015
  13. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    Looking at the brickwork again in the first picture, the pointing is also unacceptable. There are holes and cracks, some of which have been bodgiliy fixed, but lots of gaps, fallen brick(2 down from window) where the thing hanging from the window-sill looks suspiciously like a brick has been filled with silicone etc etc Bottom left the bricks are going off line within the first few bricks.

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  14. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Picture 1.
    Bottom left hand corner the bond isn't correct and is could lead to problems.
    There is also something hanging down under the window cill. It may be worth having a look underneath how they sealed it. There is certainly something odd because the second and third bricks have been lifted up from the corner brick.
    They also seem to have made the brick opening too wide as they have had to insert a timber packer on the left and quite bit of mastic on the left hand window
    Between the two paving slabs and the wall have not been finished

    Picture 2

    The brick work isn't the best, some of the perps are aligned Score 4/10
    Boot print / tyre marks

    Picture 3
    The thing for me is where does the white pipe go in the bottom left hand corner ? is this for the gully's. Why does the open top point to the window
    The gully tops look uneven is this due to the gullys being uneven or just the grating needs fixing down.
    The gullys themselves will never collect much water as the edges between the pavers and the gully haven't been sealed with cement or mastic so any surface water will trickle down the gap. The same for the edge nearest the wall any surface water will run down the back of the gully.
    The ground slopes away from the gullys, so why were they fitted ?
    It would be interesting to see how they joined the structure to the house wall as they have ran a lot of mastic down there.

    Picture 4

    First time I have seen structural boxing before
    None of it looks plumb or square
    It is a mess


    All in all it is shabby work and it shouldn't need putting right. However, to hide the dodgy brickwork with a skim of plaster and and exterior coating wouldn't be much. sorting out the gullys much the same and the boxing in of the pipes. So they could argue there is 2-3 days work which would be £500-£600 ?

    The problem you have is that in picture 4 the brick work underneath the pipes is not the best and the bond has been broken there as well. Similarly the way the pipes exit the wall in picture 3 have just been foamed in and not finished. I am not being critical of you or whoever did that work but they will use this in their defence that this is the standard that is acceptable there. Whilst I don't agree with what I just wrote the firms legal team will use that argument.

    The problem remains is the conservatory usable ? If it is then at most you could get from them is the £500-£600 and find yourself someone to put it right. I know its harsh but thats the best I can see
     
  15. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    Agree with most of the above, but brickwork finish was requested, so that is what should be. Even looks like some bricks are different style face.

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  16. The main issue that'll make getting recompense tricky is that the guy's parents allowed the connie build to continue after the appalling brick work.

    If they'd stopped them at that stage of the build, forcing them to knock it all down and rebuild would have been easy.

    By not doing this it can be seen as a kind of 'acceptance'. And a lot more work to put right - which the builders can, with some justification, claim is 'unfair'.

    Hang on - this will be a cavity wall? In which case knocking out and rebuilding the outer skin whilst keeping the rest of the connie standing should be little hassle.

    Make the 'stewards do it...
     
  17. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select


    Anglian Home, I believe!

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  18. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    I
    I had their name in the frame as soon as I saw the phrase "Poor Quality" and Conservatory.

    I believe Anglian have featured on Dominic Littlewoods "don't get done get Don" for the same sort of antics. I remember one case where it had been going on for years with the customer getting nowhere. They didn't even take Dom contacting them repeatedly that seriously.
     
  19. If it's really Anglian, then you also have the added pressure of exposure - that first photo is a cracker :).

    It's up to the OP - and particularly his parents - whether to pursue this. But I'd have thought it would in many ways be easier with such a well-known company.
     
  20. Dr Decorator

    Dr Decorator Active Member

    Sorry it's been a while, and thanks for help and tips.

    Well although the managers thought it was acceptable an independent surveyor found more holes in the build then a sive.

    They had no choice other then to pull it down and rebuild (with a new team)

    A lot better, but not worth the money imo
     

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