ᐅ Downpipe Faux Pas...
Created on: 22 Aug 2016 17:48
S
Sgt.Lapdance
Has the final inspection already taken place?
We also had a lot of minor defects corrected afterward.
By the way, your developer (if this is indeed a developer) seems to be aiming at a very low price range.
Here is an example from their brochure:
B. Single-family home of your choice
in Magdeburg
110 m² (1,184 sq ft) living space, 490 m² (5,272 sq ft) plot, high-quality
features, double garage, solar system,
underfloor heating, walk-in shower, and much more
only €179,970.00
INCLUSIVE OF PLOT
We also had a lot of minor defects corrected afterward.
By the way, your developer (if this is indeed a developer) seems to be aiming at a very low price range.
Here is an example from their brochure:
B. Single-family home of your choice
in Magdeburg
110 m² (1,184 sq ft) living space, 490 m² (5,272 sq ft) plot, high-quality
features, double garage, solar system,
underfloor heating, walk-in shower, and much more
only €179,970.00
INCLUSIVE OF PLOT
S
Sebastian7924 Aug 2016 14:40Where did your inspector determine that the shower was not waterproofed? You can’t see that afterward...
But it’s correct—the entire area must be waterproofed: the floor, the floor-to-wall junction, and the walls themselves!
A masonry chimney must never rest directly on the screed (concrete floor layer)... Cables must not run underneath either...
But it’s correct—the entire area must be waterproofed: the floor, the floor-to-wall junction, and the walls themselves!
A masonry chimney must never rest directly on the screed (concrete floor layer)... Cables must not run underneath either...
Sgt.Lapdance24 Aug 2016 14:42No, it’s not.
How a company calculates its prices is up to them.
Whether it’s cheap, low-cost, or high-end to premium.
In Munich, you could even add two zeros to the purchase price.
I don’t want to discuss that here.
I have paid a very, very large amount of money (for my standards).
Why do tiles now have to be broken out again because there is no predetermined breaking point?
I don’t understand the logic.
In my profession, I can’t afford any poor workmanship either.
Regarding the shower: ..... there are photos where you can see that.
How a company calculates its prices is up to them.
Whether it’s cheap, low-cost, or high-end to premium.
In Munich, you could even add two zeros to the purchase price.
I don’t want to discuss that here.
I have paid a very, very large amount of money (for my standards).
Why do tiles now have to be broken out again because there is no predetermined breaking point?
I don’t understand the logic.
In my profession, I can’t afford any poor workmanship either.
Regarding the shower: ..... there are photos where you can see that.
S
Sebastian7924 Aug 2016 14:44Expansion joint or designed breaking point?
I just want to show you that things aren’t as bad as you might perceive and describe them.
I can fully understand, though, that emotions are running high and you have invested a lot of money.
We have been through all this here, and no one can claim their house was built completely free of defects... however, so far nothing major has appeared, only more or less cosmetic issues... (If I told you what kinds of defects showed up with some of our neighbors, it would make your hair stand on end... but nonetheless, everything was fixed, and for the past 5 years we have all been living in the houses without any complaints).
I also understand where your sense of precision and quality workmanship comes from... unfortunately, things on construction sites often run differently than in your line of work. Even the most skilled craftsmen have bad days, and it’s possible that apprentices were involved (which is completely legitimate), but it is not acceptable that the foreman/site manager allowed things to pass like that.
What exactly is out of standard with the windows besides the plaster trims?
For the shower, to protect against moisture, either sealing tapes or waterproof membrane must be installed. Who determined that the waterproofing is missing?
Please share the pictures...
Your general contractor’s price is quite low, which is somewhat concerning...
Having a fireplace installed on screed with electrical wiring underneath is definitely not acceptable... but routing the Katja cable (electrical or heating cable) along the wall instead of embedding it is completely allowed. Since you have a horizontal damp-proof course, the Katja cable then remains dry. You could install a recessed trough, but it is not obligatory.
The tiles need to be removed because you mentioned that your expansion joints are tiled over... so one tile row must be removed and the expansion joint extended to the top. This row should then be retiled, as I described earlier.
I can fully understand, though, that emotions are running high and you have invested a lot of money.
We have been through all this here, and no one can claim their house was built completely free of defects... however, so far nothing major has appeared, only more or less cosmetic issues... (If I told you what kinds of defects showed up with some of our neighbors, it would make your hair stand on end... but nonetheless, everything was fixed, and for the past 5 years we have all been living in the houses without any complaints).
I also understand where your sense of precision and quality workmanship comes from... unfortunately, things on construction sites often run differently than in your line of work. Even the most skilled craftsmen have bad days, and it’s possible that apprentices were involved (which is completely legitimate), but it is not acceptable that the foreman/site manager allowed things to pass like that.
What exactly is out of standard with the windows besides the plaster trims?
For the shower, to protect against moisture, either sealing tapes or waterproof membrane must be installed. Who determined that the waterproofing is missing?
Please share the pictures...
Your general contractor’s price is quite low, which is somewhat concerning...
Having a fireplace installed on screed with electrical wiring underneath is definitely not acceptable... but routing the Katja cable (electrical or heating cable) along the wall instead of embedding it is completely allowed. Since you have a horizontal damp-proof course, the Katja cable then remains dry. You could install a recessed trough, but it is not obligatory.
The tiles need to be removed because you mentioned that your expansion joints are tiled over... so one tile row must be removed and the expansion joint extended to the top. This row should then be retiled, as I described earlier.
I also come from the metalworking industry and can understand your frustration. We have never dared to treat one of our customers the way companies do that deceive homeowners. On construction sites, according to metalworking standards, there is mostly just botched work and dishonesty. If a craftsman speaks up about a justified defect found by the homeowner, he will lie. As an engineer in planning, I always tell myself that this must be how craftsmen are, they simply can’t think ahead.
Most of the work is actually done correctly about 80-90% of the time, and overall, the project would get a “B” grade. However, it lacks that certain “finishing touch” that would make the product really good. As a lathe operator, it’s like using a regular drill with an H7 tolerance instead of an H7 reamer.
The minimum requirement in construction is always that everything is technically flawless. That means the vapor barrier is sealed, the windows are airtight, rainwater can drain properly from the outside, and so on. After that comes the appearance, which is what most homeowners complain about. For example, your crooked downspout is just an optical issue. It can be easily fixed, but don’t expect anyone to properly close the hole in the plaster without a formal complaint. Thinking ahead just isn’t part of the job, and the craftsmen don’t care about it either.
I had to report and have a leaking spot repaired three times on my carport. I don’t know if it’s watertight yet because it hasn’t rained since. The cross braces are 60cm (24 inches) long and have glued wedge joints 5cm (2 inches) from the end of the wood. That could be done better or at least installed somewhere less visible. Instead, it’s placed right in the sightline of the covered terrace. That’s exactly what I mean by the lack of foresight. “They’re just craftsmen,” is what you always hear...
Furthermore, the homeowner is often just a one-time customer who probably won’t come back. In the metal industry, you only have a handful of customers, but they always return – if the quality is right. That rarely happens in construction. Have you already planned a second house? Warned relatives? Others are no better...
After a few months, you tend to stop noticing some of the cosmetic issues and just “look past it.” Technically, everything still needs to be flawless, especially when it comes to sealing (water damage is bad), so you really have to be picky. But a saying from an expert like “in 2-3 years everything will be moldy” is not a well-founded statement. Why, how, and what? People can claim a lot. Either it’s not sealed already and won’t hold for two days (because water runs out of the power sockets on the ground floor), or it fits. Floor-level showers with tiles are an extremely special case anyway.
Most of the work is actually done correctly about 80-90% of the time, and overall, the project would get a “B” grade. However, it lacks that certain “finishing touch” that would make the product really good. As a lathe operator, it’s like using a regular drill with an H7 tolerance instead of an H7 reamer.
The minimum requirement in construction is always that everything is technically flawless. That means the vapor barrier is sealed, the windows are airtight, rainwater can drain properly from the outside, and so on. After that comes the appearance, which is what most homeowners complain about. For example, your crooked downspout is just an optical issue. It can be easily fixed, but don’t expect anyone to properly close the hole in the plaster without a formal complaint. Thinking ahead just isn’t part of the job, and the craftsmen don’t care about it either.
I had to report and have a leaking spot repaired three times on my carport. I don’t know if it’s watertight yet because it hasn’t rained since. The cross braces are 60cm (24 inches) long and have glued wedge joints 5cm (2 inches) from the end of the wood. That could be done better or at least installed somewhere less visible. Instead, it’s placed right in the sightline of the covered terrace. That’s exactly what I mean by the lack of foresight. “They’re just craftsmen,” is what you always hear...
Furthermore, the homeowner is often just a one-time customer who probably won’t come back. In the metal industry, you only have a handful of customers, but they always return – if the quality is right. That rarely happens in construction. Have you already planned a second house? Warned relatives? Others are no better...
After a few months, you tend to stop noticing some of the cosmetic issues and just “look past it.” Technically, everything still needs to be flawless, especially when it comes to sealing (water damage is bad), so you really have to be picky. But a saying from an expert like “in 2-3 years everything will be moldy” is not a well-founded statement. Why, how, and what? People can claim a lot. Either it’s not sealed already and won’t hold for two days (because water runs out of the power sockets on the ground floor), or it fits. Floor-level showers with tiles are an extremely special case anyway.
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