ᐅ Walls of New Single-Family House Ground Floor Are Crooked – Defect Correction and Remediation
Created on: 9 Jun 2014 21:06
M
Markusch
Hello dear forum community,
We are approaching completion and readiness for occupancy with our general contractor (GC), who built us a single-family house without a basement. Only the final payment remains after acceptance.
However, we have identified a significant defect in the GC’s workmanship. This defect can no longer be corrected due to the complexity and costs involved.
The walls on the ground floor are crooked, which is clearly visible from the alignment of the tile joints. The grout line of the living room tiles on the west side is not parallel to the wall. The deviation is 3 cm (1.2 inches) over a house width of 7.99 m (26.2 feet). According to DIN 18202, for a wall length of 10 meters, a maximum deviation of 1.6 cm (0.6 inches) is permitted. The tile grout line in the entrance area is also not parallel to the wall, with a deviation of 0.6 cm (0.2 inches) over a length of 1.85 m (6.1 feet).
These errors occurred during the masonry work of the walls in the shell construction phase. The GC’s bricklayer (subcontractor) has admitted the fault and offered us €500 for compensation. The GC is also trying to downplay the defect. They have proposed a price reduction, but we have not yet made a counteroffer. We are considering claiming several thousand euros. (The total construction cost of the house was about €190,000 (excluding the land).)
Now we wonder: How much money can be withheld from the final payment for such a defect? What steps can we take? Should we involve a technical expert from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or hire a lawyer to determine the price reduction with the GC? We want to be treated fairly, and this defect is also emotionally distressing for us. We welcome your advice. Thank you very much for your help!
Best regards,
Markusch
We are approaching completion and readiness for occupancy with our general contractor (GC), who built us a single-family house without a basement. Only the final payment remains after acceptance.
However, we have identified a significant defect in the GC’s workmanship. This defect can no longer be corrected due to the complexity and costs involved.
The walls on the ground floor are crooked, which is clearly visible from the alignment of the tile joints. The grout line of the living room tiles on the west side is not parallel to the wall. The deviation is 3 cm (1.2 inches) over a house width of 7.99 m (26.2 feet). According to DIN 18202, for a wall length of 10 meters, a maximum deviation of 1.6 cm (0.6 inches) is permitted. The tile grout line in the entrance area is also not parallel to the wall, with a deviation of 0.6 cm (0.2 inches) over a length of 1.85 m (6.1 feet).
These errors occurred during the masonry work of the walls in the shell construction phase. The GC’s bricklayer (subcontractor) has admitted the fault and offered us €500 for compensation. The GC is also trying to downplay the defect. They have proposed a price reduction, but we have not yet made a counteroffer. We are considering claiming several thousand euros. (The total construction cost of the house was about €190,000 (excluding the land).)
Now we wonder: How much money can be withheld from the final payment for such a defect? What steps can we take? Should we involve a technical expert from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or hire a lawyer to determine the price reduction with the GC? We want to be treated fairly, and this defect is also emotionally distressing for us. We welcome your advice. Thank you very much for your help!
Best regards,
Markusch
The structural builder has already admitted the mistake. To repeat: It is definitely not the tile installers’ fault. The unevenness was only noticed by me after the tiles had been laid.
To give a better sense of the room, I have attached the ground floor plan. The walls marked in green are uneven and are the cause of everything.
Hopefully, this helps you understand the situation a little better. Without an image, I might not have been able to explain it properly.
To give a better sense of the room, I have attached the ground floor plan. The walls marked in green are uneven and are the cause of everything.
Hopefully, this helps you understand the situation a little better. Without an image, I might not have been able to explain it properly.
Markusch schrieb:
The shell builder has already admitted the mistake. Once again: it is definitely not the tilers’ fault. I only noticed the unevenness after the tiles were laid.Yes, but why couldn’t the tiler have noticed that beforehand? Didn’t they have a tape measure? In my opinion, they just started blindly in the corner and assumed (!) that all rooms were square—which they should have checked beforehand, especially with the large surfaces.
Regards
Dirk Grafe
B
Bauexperte12 Jun 2014 09:53Hello Dirk
Regards, Bauexperte
Dirk Grafe schrieb:Everything fits together ... two people perfectly complementing each other I am fairly sure we won’t hear anything about the outcome here in the forum if the original poster actually hires an expert or lawyer ....
Yes, and why couldn’t the tiler have checked that beforehand? Didn’t he have a tape measure with him? In my opinion, he simply started in the corner assuming (!) that all rooms are square – which he really should have verified beforehand, especially with such large surfaces.
Regards, Bauexperte
In the photo, the planarity is actually quite well done, at least at the front (camera facing the floor surface). What is off is the storage room. You are highlighting the stair area in color, which then has nothing to do with the 7.99-meter (26.2-foot) measurement.
Of course, it could also be an uneven plaster finish, which is not uncommon.
I wonder why the bricklayer admitted to an 8-meter (26.2-foot) length discrepancy when only the stairwell is out of alignment.
Perhaps you should show four photos of the storage room, including the hallway area.
Yes, and I expect a tiler, if there is any difference, to mediate or at least favor straight and parallel grout lines in the visible areas (here: door frame)!
Of course, it could also be an uneven plaster finish, which is not uncommon.
I wonder why the bricklayer admitted to an 8-meter (26.2-foot) length discrepancy when only the stairwell is out of alignment.
Perhaps you should show four photos of the storage room, including the hallway area.
Yes, and I expect a tiler, if there is any difference, to mediate or at least favor straight and parallel grout lines in the visible areas (here: door frame)!
Bauexperte schrieb:
Hello Dirk
It all fits together ... two parties have clearly found each other and complement one another perfectly. I am fairly certain that we won’t hear anything about the outcome here on the forum if the original poster actually hires an expert or a lawyer ....
Regards, BauexperteWell, a slightly awkwardly tiled transition in the storage room wouldn’t personally keep me awake, but if the entire entrance area is poorly finished, the tiler should have considered that beforehand. I can’t imagine there’s no better solution—am I mistaken?
Best regards,
Dirk Grafe
B
Bauexperte12 Jun 2014 10:22Hello Dirk,
No, you’re not wrong. If the tiler had measured properly, they would have noticed the difference and should have proposed a different installation method to the original poster, one where the wall alignment wouldn’t have mattered; a larger tile size would probably have been enough, in my opinion. By the way, I would also like to see the pictures around the stairwell.
Regards, Bauexperte
Dirk Grafe schrieb:
Well, personally, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over a slightly awkward tile transition in the storage room, but if the entire entrance area is poorly finished, the tiler should have planned that better in advance. I can’t imagine there’s no other solution, or am I wrong?
No, you’re not wrong. If the tiler had measured properly, they would have noticed the difference and should have proposed a different installation method to the original poster, one where the wall alignment wouldn’t have mattered; a larger tile size would probably have been enough, in my opinion. By the way, I would also like to see the pictures around the stairwell.
Regards, Bauexperte
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