TomCat's new digs!

[rogerkambah]

I don’t even have the words to describe the ineptitude of our builder right now.

Unfortunately I don't think this will be the only time you utter these words.
Welcome to the (un)real world of having a house built.

 

[QF WP]

I wouldn't want to be the builders representative on the phone or face-to-face with @blackcat20 or @TomVexille right about now. They'll find themselves with a new back passage and lots of words ringing in their ears.

This is one reason I have never wanted to build. Ever.

 

[blackcat20]

I wouldn't want to be the builders representative on the phone or face-to-face with @blackcat20 or @TomVexille right about now. They'll find themselves with a new back passage and lots of words ringing in their ears.

This is one reason I have never wanted to build. Ever.

TV is being the bad guy; I've just had enough. Though they were told that I had started to wonder if they'd ever actually built a house before given the stuff ups and delays. It's next week or bust given theyll already be in breach of the contract after tomorrow.

 

[Denali]

You might want to invest in one of these, might assist in communicating with the builder better

Bullshit Button At Gifts Australia - We All Know Someone Who Speaks It

 

[QF WP]

TV is being the bad guy; I've just had enough. Though they were told that I had started to wonder if they'd ever actually built a house before given the stuff ups and delays. It's next week or bust given they'll already be in breach of the contract after tomorrow.

That's what you need to remind them - every day until the starting date and even after that, advise them that you are reserving your rights to invoke that clause at any time in the future

 

[Flying mermaid]

TV is being the bad guy; .

a few years ago we were redoing a vanity and it had a painted glass top. The guy doing the top took months longer to supply it than promised. When he was about to leave after installing it, I made some comment about the delay and he looked at me and said “if I am honest there was really no excuse for the delay - you are nice people and nice people end up being put last....”. So don’t let the stress get to you too much - at the end of the day a bit of a delay is not worth all the agony. On the other hand letting TV be the bad guy will help.

 

[blackcat20]

a few years ago we were redoing a vanity and it had a painted glass top. The guy doing the top took months longer to supply it than promised. When he was about to leave after installing it, I made some comment about the delay and he looked at me and said “if I am honest there was really no excuse for the delay - you are nice people and nice people end up being put last....”. So don’t let the stress get to you too much - at the end of the day a bit of a delay is not worth all the agony. On the other hand letting TV be the bad guy will help.

The problem is it isnt a bit of delay; we moved out of our house last April and we were told we'd be in by this April. Now we'll be lucky to be in by the end of the year...thats a long time to live out of boxes.

 

[Denali]

The problem is it isnt a bit of delay; we moved out of our house last April and we were told we'd be in by this April. Now we'll be lucky to be in by the end of the year...thats a long time to live out of boxes.

Oh, Black. Im sorry but that was never going to happen. I think its going to be a matter of screeching slow and then suddenly one day (without notice) youre going to see fences and pegging and slab on site and its go go go, until it stops again (for roof and internals)

I agree on the squeaky wheel - stupid you have to be that way but yep.

We've been told our build will take 26 weeks, Im budgeting to be in a rental for 12mths because I just dont belive it.

 

[TomVexille]

Oh, Black. Im sorry but that was never going to happen. I think its going to be a matter of screeching slow and then suddenly one day (without notice) youre going to see fences and pegging and slab on site and its go go go, until it stops again (for roof and internals)

I agree on the squeaky wheel - stupid you have to be that way but yep.

We've been told our build will take 26 weeks, Im budgeting to be in a rental for 12mths because I just dont belive it.

Yeah, we knew April was never going to happen. That's just the sales rep selling a pipe dream. We were expecting towards the end of July though.

 

[Flying mermaid]

The problem is it isnt a bit of delay; we moved out of our house last April and we were told we'd be in by this April. Now we'll be lucky to be in by the end of the year...thats a long time to live out of boxes.

totally agree - not trying to minimise the annoyance. However the more you can let it not get to you the better for your health.

Our last build (and we had a terrific builder) took 18 months and we had been told 10 to 11 months. We had sold our house half way through and were able to rent back, so told our builder to give us a realistic date, otherwise we woukd end up homeless. He said end of June absolutely 100%. I added on an extra month, he was finally finished in late October.

 

[blackcat20]

It is what it is...trying not to worry about it too much at this point. Making alternative plans for things we had wanted to do that now cannot happen due to the house still not exisitng, takes a bit of the pressure off.

 

[love_the_life]

It is what it is...trying not to worry about it too much at this point. Making alternative plans for things we had wanted to do that now cannot happen due to the house still not exisitng, takes a bit of the pressure off.

Just think of the book you will be able to write about this process. You might even make it to the best seller lists.
Only kidding - must be soooooo frustrating to be so close to a start after such a long time.

 

[straitman]

I really mean this in the nicest possible way.

When you had the concrete dumping issue I said something along the lines of 'it will get worse before it gets better'.

I'm just trying to be realistic and I'm sorry to say but I think the same still applies. Building a house has got to be the most frustrating thing that you can ever be involved in.

 

[Pushka]

I really mean this in the nicest possible way.

When you had the concrete dumping issue I said something along the lines of 'it will get worse before it gets better'.

I'm just trying to be realistic and I'm sorry to say but I think the same still applies. Building a house has got to be the most frustrating thing that you can ever be involved in.

It’s also a two step forward and one step backward thing. From when we did Reno’s you’d think that everything was going along smoothly. Then another trade would come in and seemingly destroy all the work the previous tradie had done. Cycling back and forth.

 

[TomVexille]

It’s also a two step forward and one step backward thing. From when we did Reno’s you’d think that everything was going along smoothly. Then another trade would come in and seemingly destroy all the work the previous tradie had done. Cycling back and forth.

Sounds like me at work today. Had to make another group undo their work so I could make some customer requested modifications

 

[Hvr]

It’s also a two step forward and one step backward thing. From when we did Reno’s you’d think that everything was going along smoothly. Then another trade would come in and seemingly destroy all the work the previous tradie had done. Cycling back and forth.

I recently had my bathroom and toilet totally renovated, as in stripped back and completely replaced. Started on the due date and completed on the due date 12 days later. The secret, the plumber organised all the other tradies and as project manager she was responsible for them turning up on time and doing all of their work properly.

She ran a tight ship and there were occasional terse phone calls I was never meant to hear but that was always her problem to fix.

I will never organise tradies to work together again.

 

[Pushka]

I recently had my bathroom and toilet totally renovated, as in stripped back and completely replaced. Started on the due date and completed on the due date 12 days later. The secret, the plumber organised all the other tradies and as project manager she was responsible for them turning up on time and doing all of their work properly.

She ran a tight ship and there were occasional terse phone calls I was never meant to hear but that was always her problem to fix.

I will never organise tradies to work together again.

The tradies were fine for this. Given one of them was me. Plumber and cabinet maker arrived on time both times. Airtasker let me down though. Never again.

 

[rogerkambah]

She ran a tight ship (my italics) and there were occasional terse phone calls I was never meant to hear but that was always her problem to fix.

I think this is the crux of the matter: organising tradies to appear on time and complete the job properly in a timely fashion.

We signed a contract in mid March 1975 with a large SA building firm for completion in mid October.
Our building progressed in a series of fits and starts. First the siteworks occurred, then a break of weeks with BS being given as to why no trenching or formwork. Then trenching happened, but no slab or trench filling. It rained and the trenches collapsed. etc etc and so on.
It seemed like the supervisor could only organise one trade at a time and then the project ceased until I got on to him to ask what next.
Finally in the 4 weeks of November we progressed from lock-up to completion with carpenters/electrical/plumbing/tilers, gyprock fixers and painters managing to do their work. Only stuffup was the plumber coughing up the hot and cold taps above the kitchen sink. I said we could live with it as I was (well and truly) over the whole process, and just wanted possession.

Its my belief that if building supervisors cared, or could properly organise themselves and trades a house could be erected in 4 months max.

I don't think many would know what a Gantt chart is (although they may be out of fashion by now).

(Edit: By 'many' I meant building supervisors at that time)

 

[Pushka]

I think this is the crux of the matter: organising tradies to appear on time and complete the job properly in a timely fashion.

We signed a contract in mid March 1975 with a large SA building firm for completion in mid October.
Our building progressed in a series of fits and starts. First the siteworks occurred, then a break of weeks with BS being given as to why no trenching or formwork. Then trenching happened, but no slab or trench filling. It rained and the trenches collapsed. etc etc and so on.
It seemed like the supervisor could only organise one trade at a time and then the project ceased until I got on to him to ask what next.
Finally in the 4 weeks of November we progressed from lock-up to completion with carpenters/electrical/plumbing/tilers, gyprock fixers and painters managing to do their work. Only stuffup was the plumber coughing up the hot and cold taps above the kitchen sink. I said we could live with it as I was (well and truly) over the whole process, and just wanted possession.

Its my belief that if building supervisors cared, or could properly organise themselves and trades a house could be erected in 4 months max.

I don't think many would know what a Gantt chart is (although they may be out of fashion by now).

I worked in my first job with a systems analyst. Worked with Gantt charts all the time.

 

[rogerkambah]

I worked in my first job with a systems analyst. Worked with Gantt charts all the time.

As a project manager I did too. (Sorry but I think I've hijacked TC's thread)