What's so special about 'Park Grange Mount'?

[BertieBasset 10]

Obviously I haven't seen the gable end that you refer to where the brickwork doesn't look very good but I would be surprised if the building inspector passed it if it's a serious problem. Building inspectors need to inspect both at damp course level and then at roof level prior to the roof going on.

 

It may be worthwhile calling Building Control at Sheffield City Council and speaking to the building inspector for the S2 area and mentioning your concerns to him/her.

 

I suspect the problems that the surveyor has raised with respect to the block paving is because Gleesons did the block paving after the damp course was initially inspected and probably after the building inspector had given his certificate for the house. I imagine they could put in a damp course higher up.

 

The problems the surveyor has raised about the flat roof over part of the living room is just a matter of design, so there's nothing you can really do about it.

 

When you have a "scheme 2" Homebuyers Report surveyors like to make themselves be seen to be earning their money, so if I were you I'd be open minded about things until Gleesons give you a response, you may be able to negotiate a discount and have any repairs done.

 

While new builds do have the benefit of modern building regs, etc, nowadays people have much less attention to detail than perhaps they did years ago. I had a look at a new build around Ringinglow that was on the market for £975K and there was some sloppiness there too, not what you'd expect for such a lot of money.

 

I don't think anyone will find a perfectly constructed house, unless they are a high quality builder and have built it themselves, and even then another person will come along and questions this that and the other!!

 

Let me know how you get on please.

 

 

 

 

 

Originally posted by mm93fm

Thanks for your advice BertieBasset, I will wait for the final written report from the surveyor before taking it to the sales agent. If I pull out now, I will lose the £750 deposit.

 

http://parkgrangemount.blogspot.com/

 

I have uploaded a picture of the front of the house. Click on the photo to see it bigger.

 

You can see the damp areas on the left of the door, and the pool of water in front of the garage door due to the paving being wonky.

 

The damp has arisen because the paving has been laid too high, and so there isn't the necessary clearance between it and the damp course.

 

Also, the air brick is very low and so water has entered through it in to the cavity between the outside bricks and the load-bearing bricks inside. Again, this is because the paving is too high.

 

I have examined the other houses in the row, and some have their air brick half covered up because the paving is so high!

 

Yes, this particular surveyor may have been too critical/picky... but if he can criticise the house like this, then another surveyor may also be equally picky in 5-10 years time when I come to sell the property!

[BertieBasset 10]

a bit of an afterthough really, but on valuation reports a surveyor will list anything that affects the lenders "lending decision" as an "essential repair", these are the only ones that would be considered to be serious enough to be addressed immediately.

 

Hope this helps.

[chri5 10]

We had no such problems with our reports and various builders/friends opinions.

 

That report sounds hysterical. When you compare this development to the city center flats I dread to think what he would say about them!!

[Lib1 10]

Originally posted by vidster

Thanks for the constructive comment Lib1

 

Which 'constructive' comment of mine are you questioning? The comment where I recommended that a guarantee to sort out the build problems should be gained... or the comment where I suggested that the apparent poor workmanship of the Norfolk Park dev homes does not provide good value for (quite a lot of!) money? You yourself stated that "With a list like that i think that i would walk away"

 

Genuine question- Why haven't you mentioned the problems of the poor quality of your build to potential buyers that have expressed an interest in the Norfolk Park dev homes on this Forum?

 

Lib1

[BertieBasset 10]

most of the areas mentioned have been caused by careless builders and can be rectified very quickly. As I mentioned previously surveyors like to be "seen to be earning" their fee when you have anything other than the standard report.

 

Originally posted by chri5

We had no such problems with our reports and various builders/friends opinions.

 

That report sounds hysterical. When you compare this development to the city center flats I dread to think what he would say about them!!

[Lib1 10]

mm93fm: "He said the bricks in the outisde wall were not as straight as they ought to be in a brand new house... He said over the years, they would start to erode and weaken the wall"

 

BertieBasset "most of the areas mentioned have been caused by careless builders and can be rectified very quickly."

 

Lib1: The problems listed by the surveyor seem v. serious and cannot be recified "very quickly"- I can't see how the long-term effects that he has listed can be solved without knocking walls/buildings down and starting again (and possibly even changing the flat design of the roof over the living room window). The £750 deposit that mm93fm may lose if he walks away is nothing compared with the costs and hassle that these problems will cause in the future.

 

I know that you are very proud of your beloved Norfolk Park dev, but I think that with this particular property, the risks of continuing with the purchase are much too high.

 

To mm93fm: Are any of the other houses on the row that are unspoken for? If so, if there are less problems with them, maybe you could arrange a deal to swap the deopsit that you have put down on your build for an alternative home. Bellway allowed me to do this on the Parklands dev (I made the change due to personal preferences, not build quality issues)

 

Lib1

[BertieBasset 10]

The main weight on that gable wall will be carried by the inner skin of blockwork, the wall ties between the outer and inner skin further strengthen the wall, the brick work may look untidy but I would be surprised if it would cause you any structural problems. See what he lists as "essential repairs" and work off that.

 

Lib1 is as ignorant with construction as she is with everything else.....

 

Wouldn't it be fun to see what the surveyor would say about Parklands.......

 

Originally posted by Lib1

mm93fm: "He said the bricks in the outisde wall were not as straight as they ought to be in a brand new house... He said over the years, they would start to erode and weaken the wall"

 

BertieBasset "most of the areas mentioned have been caused by careless builders and can be rectified very quickly."

 

Lib1: The problems listed by the surveyor seem v. serious and cannot be recified "very quickly"- I can't see how the long-term effects that he has listed can be solved without knocking walls/buildings down and starting again (and possibly even changing the flat design of the roof over the living room window). The £750 deposit that mm93fm may lose if he walks away is nothing compared with the costs and hassle that these problems will cause in the future.

 

I know that you are very proud of your beloved Norfolk Park dev, but I think that with this particular property, the risks of continuing with the purchase are much too high.

 

To mm93fm: Are any of the other houses on the row that are unspoken for? If so, if there are less problems with them, maybe you could arrange a deal to swap the deopsit that you have put down on your build for an alternative home. Bellway allowed me to do this on the Parklands dev (I made the change due to personal preferences, not build quality issues)

 

Lib1

[Lib1 10]

A QUALIFIED surveyor said that the slanted walls would mean that: "over the years, they would start to erode and weaken the wall". I would take his word over your totally biased and blind opinions any day! There is a serious amount of money at stake here- put your pride aside and advise mm93mm with more caution.

 

Think about it- if this many problems are in existence now- God knows what future problems will crop up in a couple of years time. Even your fellow resident Vidster said that if he were in the same position, he would walk away from the build.

 

What makes you assume that the build quality at Parklands would be as bad or poorer than that of the Norfolk Park dev? Even if problems did crop up- at least we didn't pay out stupid amounts for our homes.

 

The original qu for this thread was "what's so special about 'Park Grange Mount' " ... I'm now less convinced by the Norfolk Park dev than I was before...

 

Lib1

[BertieBasset 10]

everyone knows that you don't know your @rse from your elbow, the best advice to the prospective purchaser is to look at what features on the list of "essential repairs" and not to follow any of your prejudiced contorted "advice" from someone who lives on an estate that gets letterbombs....

[Lib1 10]

Better than living on an over-priced, over-hyped estate with crap build quality, honey!

 

 

mm93mm- I hope that everything works out well for you, but please remember to heed the advice of the INDEPENDENT/NEUTRAL surveryor.

 

 

Lib1

[jordan 10]

nowt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol.

[jordan 10]

Originally posted by Lib1

A QUALIFIED surveyor said that the slanted walls would mean that: "over the years, they would start to erode and weaken the wall". I would take his word over your totally biased and blind opinions any day! There is a serious amount of money at stake here- put your pride aside and advise mm93mm with more caution.

 

Think about it- if this many problems are in existence now- God knows what future problems will crop up in a couple of years time. Even your fellow resident Vidster said that if he were in the same position, he would walk away from the build.

 

What makes you assume that the build quality at Parklands would be as bad or poorer than that of the Norfolk Park dev? Even if problems did crop up- at least we didn't pay out stupid amounts for our homes.

 

The original qu for this thread was "what's so special about 'Park Grange Mount' " ... I'm now less convinced by the Norfolk Park dev than I was before...

 

 

they should have thought of that before they buit them.

Lib1