So the houses were just about finished and 2 weeks prior to
the PCI we were getting concerned that things weren’t getting fixed so we fired
off the following email, some issues were raised at electrical inspection and hadn’t
yet been acted upon, others mentioned verbally and some were new. Here’s the
email:
Hi [Supervisor],
In preparation for the Practical Completion Inspection we
spent some time yesterday inspecting the two houses. We found a great number of
issues and feel it’s best to bring these to your attention sooner rather than
later.
House A Exterior:
· Patio: Large chip in concrete · Right Hand Roller Door: Gap at top and bottom against brickwork and damaged on right hand side about 500mm from bottom, beam not square against door
· Left Hand Roller Door: Gap at top and bottom against brickwork, beam not square against door
· Garage: Northern elevation, right hand downpipe not centre to brickwork
· External Hinged Doors: Pine trims used contrary to bushfire specification
· Master Bedroom: Sliding door gaping at top and not square to brickwork
· Pool Room: Downpipe not centre to brickwork
· Pool Room: Left fixed window gaping at top and not square to brickwork, brick sills not consistent to other two windows
· Alfresco: Northern elevation, downpipe not centre to brickwork
· Alfresco: All 3 sliding doors gaping at top and not square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Eaves and alfresco ceiling out of square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Southern elevation, downpipe not centre to brickwork
· Media: Lower window, gap at top
· Media: cracks forming in sills mortar
· Media/Bed 2: Downpipe not square in offset
· Eaves vent: doesn’t sit flush and louvers damaged
· Bathroom: Window gaping at top and not square to brickwork, window bowing in middle
· Bed 3: Downpipe not square in offset
House A Interior:
· About 80% of
all door furniture not flush and/or not square · Laundry: Drain positioned 900mm in from external wall, a special request was made for 1200mm
· Powder room: Cavity slider, cavity not square
· Ensuite: Should be switched for Fan/Heater/Light
· Ensuite: Toilet light should be switched for fan/light
· Media: Powerpoint missing
· Media: HDMI plate not square
· Kitchen: Bench top, marks near pantry, clouding and white spots near alfresco
· Kitchen: Teknobilly tap dripping
· Kitchen: Gas point for cooktop doesn’t have tap and has caused gas leak
· Kitchen: Light above island bench not centre of bench
· Pool Room: Doors rub on frame
House B Exterior:
· External
Hinged Doors: Pine trims used contrary to bushfire specification · Front door: Door out of square to brickwork
· Roller Doors: Out of square to brickwork
· Garage: Western elevation, downpipe not square and not centre to brickwork
· Garage: Southern elevation, left downpipe, not centre to brickwork
· Garage: Southern elevation, right downpipe, a long and inconstant distance from corner
· Garage: Rear door, pine panel used to fill gap
· Master: Sliding door bow in middle
· Pool Room: Right fixed window gaping at top, brick sills not consistent to other two windows
· Alfresco: All 3 sliding doors gaping at top and not square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Eaves and alfresco ceiling out of square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Northern elevation, downpipe not square to brickwork
· Eaves vent: doesn’t sit flush
· Media: Top sill not straight (dips at right side)
· Media: Top window, gap at top and not square to brickwork
· Media: Bottom window, gap at top, not square to brickwork and bow in middle
· Bed 2: Left window gap at top and not square to brickwork
· Bathroom: window, gap at top
· Children’s Activity: Window gaping at top and not square to brickwork
· Bed 3: Downpipe not centre to brickwork
House B Interior:
· About 80% of
all door furniture not flush and/or not square · Laundry: Drain positioned 900mm in from external wall, a special request was made for 1200mm
· Ensuite: Tiles not square to entry
· Ensuite: Wall tile cracked above right hand side of right hand basin
· Ensuite: Shower not square
· Ensuite: Toilet light should be switched for fan/light
· Walk in Robe: damage to shelving
· Linen: single power point instead of double
· Media: Missing speaker terminal points
· Kitchen: Missing soft close doors
· Kitchen: Plasterboard behind fridge cavity broken
· Kitchen: Island bench, blue/black marks on edge of benchtop
· Kitchen: Water damage to cupboards under sink
· Kitchen: Powerpoint under sink not accessible or in a safe location
· Kitchen: Most right hand overhead cupboard inconsistent texture
· Kitchen: Light above island bench not centre of bench
· Kitchen: Sliding door hard to slide
· Poolroom: Cavity slider, cavity not square and doors rub on frame
If you require clarification please call and we can discuss
or I can meet you on site at some stage. Also, please advise if these problems
are likely to impact on the PCI date or handover date.
Regards,
Glenn
Of these 68 issues, most have been agreed to and subsequently
handover has been delayed by two weeks, which is disappointing but only for
emotional reasons, I’ll get over it pretty quickly. But some items they are
refusing to repair and I find it very hard to swallow.
It’s time for some background on me, I started my working
life as a roof plumber, my step father started taking me to work from age 15
were I installed downpipes on school holidays and weekends and after I
completed the HSC I took up the tools as a subcontract Fascia and Gutter
Installer, 18 months later I started Sydney Fascia and Gutter Services where by
age 19 I was the principal contractor for Rawson Homes, Merit Homes and
Charleston Homes amongst many others – I was dealing in $1 Million worth of
guttering per year, now, I need not self promote, but believe me when I say I
know shithouse work when I see it. And I see shithouse work.
It doesn’t alarm me that some things don’t go to plan, but
it sure does disappoint when an organisation that promotes a guarantee that the
frame stays true and straight for 50 years and wont repair a window that is out
of square by 20mm or a lintel over the front door out of square by 10mm or a downpipe
that is not centre of the brickwork.
I have agreed to let some issues slide where it was pointed
out to me that I was wrong or the issue was within a reasonable tolerance, McDonald
Jones have agreed to fix some of the issues but the following are the issues
that McDonald Jones is refusing to fix:
House A Exterior:
· Garage:
Northern elevation, right hand downpipe not centre to brickwork · External Hinged Doors: Pine trims used contrary to bushfire specification
· Master Bedroom: Sliding door not square to brickwork
· Pool Room: Downpipe not centre to brickwork
· Pool Room: Left fixed window not square to brickwork, brick sills not consistent to other two windows
· Alfresco: Northern elevation, downpipe not centre to brickwork
· Alfresco: All 3 sliding doors not square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Eaves and alfresco ceiling out of square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Southern elevation, downpipe not centre to brickwork
· Media: cracks forming in sills mortar
· Media/Bed 2: Downpipe not square in offset
· Bathroom: Window not square to brickwork, window bowing in middle
House A Interior:
· Pool Room:
Doors rub on frame
House B Exterior:
· External
Hinged Doors: Pine trims used contrary to bushfire specification · Front door: Door out of square to brickwork
· Garage: Western elevation, downpipe not square and not centre to brickwork
· Garage: Southern elevation, left downpipe, not centre to brickwork
· Garage: Southern elevation, right downpipe, a long and inconstant distance from corner
· Garage: Rear door, pine panel used to fill gap
· Pool Room: Right fixed window gaping at top, brick sills not consistent to other two windows
· Alfresco: Kitchen sliding door not square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Eaves and alfresco ceiling out of square to brickwork
· Alfresco: Northern elevation, downpipe not square to brickwork
· Media: Top sill not straight (dips at right side)
· Media: Top window, not square to brickwork
· Media: Bottom window, not square to brickwork and bow in middle
· Bed 2: Left window not square to brickwork
· Children’s Activity: Window gaping at top and not square to brickwork
· Bed 3: Downpipe not centre to brickwork
House B Interior:
· Poolroom:
Cavity slider, cavity not square and doors rub on frame
I see no sense in showing the issues that they agree to fix. The accompanying photos show the issues that McDonald Jones refuse to fix.
