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Original poster

Builder built the wrong thing

39 replies

beggingforsleep · 26/11/2021 22:35

I really like my builder but i think the team are tired, have a lot on and attention to detail has been a bit off at times. To date I've let things go. Not big things, and I've made them rebuild a window opening once but now I'm really annoyed and would love some advice on next steps.

Our long awaited windows and doors have just gone in downstairs. But as they were going in they looked a bit short. The doors are only just over 6ft with window lights on top but the whole area was supposed to be huge in my mind. So I measured. The door opening was supposed to be 3.5 meters wide by 2.4 meters high. The doors were supposed to be 2.1m with top lights on top (and side lights). But it's not. The opening is only 2.1m total so the doors are much less. It also means that the picture window and kitchen windows are 30cm too short as those openings align.

Was I supposed to measure the holes??? Am I supposed to check the builders work? And what now? I've spent a fortune but the patio doors look squat and anyone over 6ft will have to duck to get through them. I'm also losing light.

This has been a big project. A total renovation and extension. We have no money left. We're on the final stretch. Obviously I'll speak to the builder on Monday but I could cry. What happens in this instance? Is it his fault or is it mine for not checking? He's a main contractor, we're paying over the odds to have him. Can I make him redo it? It's 9k worth of windows and doors and we're finally watertight.

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Stressymcstress · 26/11/2021 22:45

That sounds awful! You must be gutted/ angry/ totally done it by the whole thing!

Who ordered the materials?
Did you have drawings made up?
Did you get a detailed quote or was it an estimate?

Not sure on how many windows/ doors/ patio doors you’re getting fitted, but 9k for supply and fit doesn’t sound “over the odds” for a decent job…obviously far too much for the shoddy job that’s been done tho!

Original poster

beggingforsleep · 26/11/2021 22:55

I am really gutted. I went for aluminium doors that I'd fallen in love with at a show room and I was so excited.

Our builder did the ordering of the windows and doors. The cost for them is fair but I never saw the itemised quote. Or maybe I did. I'll need to check. I had a quote from a different company anyway so I knew the cost of them was fair.

The windows and doors aren't the problem though. They fit the space built perfectly. It's just that the space was built 30cm too short. Any idea what I can do in that instance? Is it all the builders fault and so his cost? I don't want to screw him over. I like him.

I need to check the structural engineers drawings but they don't make much sense to me. And the engineer has sadly died so I can't ask him questions about it. But I check the architects plans and it should have been 2.4m. And on the builders own sketch for the kitchen designer he put 2.4m. But that's not what he built!

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Original poster

beggingforsleep · 26/11/2021 23:11

I signed off the window quote and in there at the end are the measurements. So I guess he'll turn it back on me right. I just didn't think I needed to check that the measurements were right. 😭

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Original poster

beggingforsleep · 26/11/2021 23:11

Can't wait to try and go to sleep now

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CSJobseeker · 26/11/2021 23:18

In my experience, if you sign off measurements it's usually on you unfortunately.

Did nobody at either the window firm or the builder question the fact that they were making/fitting a door that it only 6ft high? It's not a normal door height in the slightest.

Original poster

beggingforsleep · 26/11/2021 23:23

I realised I hadn't seen the door design when the builder ordered them. So I sent the window people a design of what I'd been quoted for by someone else (for a 2.4m opening) and they redid the design to match that but with smaller measurements. No one mentioned it was small. I assumed the opening was what it was supposed to be so I didn't even look at the measurements. Just the overall design.

So it's on me that the doors are small. But not that the opening is small right?

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Original poster

beggingforsleep · 27/11/2021 08:49

Just giving this a bump in case anyone has any advice today. Can I get the builder to redo the openings to spec? And then do I need to swallow the cost of new windows and doors myself?

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RedToothBrush · 27/11/2021 09:03

You should double check everything is to your specifications when its ordered. You will probably find you have signed off on this meaning you don't really have a come back at this stage.

Don't assume that builders will stick to architects plans if it means it saves them a head ache or makes them a bit more profit. Especially when the cost of materials is going up significantly atm (often since quotes were given) and availability of materials is also much more limited than usual due to covid and increased demand.

If you have signed off the window quote liability rests with you for not double checking I'm afraid.

Your options are likely to be put up with it or pay again for it to be redone.

cloudtree · 27/11/2021 09:11

So they’ve taken the 2.1m as the overall measurement including the light at the top?

Adelino · 27/11/2021 09:17

At what point did the measurements get changed?
So on the plan they were bigger. But did you then order smaller windows/ doors and the builder built to those sizes? Or did the builder build smaller and then prompt you to order windows/ doors to fit the smaller space?

SolasAnla · 27/11/2021 09:18

Pull the building regs for openings
You may get lucky or not if there is a minimum standard opening height for doors (there won't be for windows)

What plans are the builders using?
And has your contract any clauses re building to the regulation and to the plans?

CSJobseeker · 27/11/2021 09:21

Good point re: building regs. The 2.1m opening will definitely be legal, but im not sure whether a 6ft door is.
The assumption is normally that the door takes up the whole 2.1m

Inquisitivearchitect · 27/11/2021 09:22

Oh my goodness what the hell?

The builders will have the drawings in both 2D PDF and a DWG format meaning that they can check the actual measurements of windows and doors and order the right stuff.

Did the person who did the plans / drawings provide a window and door “schedule” and also - was the building contract sent out to tender?

CSJobseeker · 27/11/2021 09:24

Are you living on site? Had you said anything about the opening being smaller than you had been expecting?

When we remodelled our downstairs I literally checked every single day what had been done and whether it was what I was expecting. Prevented lots of issues, as builders definitely do not always stick to the plans (sometimes to save hassle, and sometimes out of genuine confusion if the plans haven't been fully understood).

Inquisitivearchitect · 27/11/2021 09:28

Also if you needed planning permission then Building Control will expect to see the actual build matches the plans that were approved.

Be up front with the builder, get the plans out and discuss it over a cuppa.

Such a stupid question - but is there a scale bar on the drawings?

cloudtree · 27/11/2021 09:29

How tall are your ceilings?

cloudtree · 27/11/2021 09:31

I’d reorder the doors without the transom window so that your doors are the right height.

But it sounds like it might be on you.

CSJobseeker · 27/11/2021 09:31

Also if you needed planning permission then Building Control will expect to see the actual build matches the plans that were approved.

They're not normally bothered about minor departures from the plans. There are very often small changes because issues crop up during the job. The size of an opening isn't going to be considered a big issue provided it meets the regs.

I think building regs for door might be your best bet to address. Worth checking.

cloudtree · 27/11/2021 09:32

When we remodelled our downstairs I literally checked every single day what had been done and whether it was what I was expecting

Agreed. I go in every morning to find out the plan for the day and inspect every evening. All issues noted and fed back the next day

Original poster

beggingforsleep · 27/11/2021 09:37

Ceilings are 2.75m. He knows the door opening was supposed to be 2.4m. It's written on the technical drawings and he wrote it down himself on the sketch for the kitchen plans.

He built the openings and then had the window company come and do the survey. The only reason I ever got visibility of the window measurements was because I questioned what design they were going with.

I hate waste. I don't think I can get him to redo everything and waste everything that's been fitted. Maybe I'll just ask him to split the cost of new doors.

I am on site but the openings looked big when they were covered in plastic. It's not till the doors went in that it all came in to perspective. I just didn't think I needed to measure everything.

I'm not even sure it's the window and door spec I ordered. I went for alitherm heritage. When I saw them in the (other) show room the bars were quite thin. The ones fitted are thicker than I was expecting.

I've just checked and the doors don't meet building regs. They're 8cm short.

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Original poster

beggingforsleep · 27/11/2021 09:38

@cloudtree do you get out a tape measure/laser measurer? Using just sight I missed a 15% height error.

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CSJobseeker · 27/11/2021 09:40

Yep. And when I say "checked" - for example, when they had the floor up and we're laying pipes, I checked that the pipes were going to the locations I had requested radiators, same with the electrics layout we had planned. That's the level of attention detail that is needed.

Checking the above saved me having the radiator installed in the wrong place (which would have ruined our kitchen layout). The mistake wasn't deliberate on the part of the builders, just a genuine mix up as someone had been looking at an older version of the plans.

CSJobseeker · 27/11/2021 09:42

[quote beggingforsleep]@cloudtree do you get out a tape measure/laser measurer? Using just sight I missed a 15% height error. [/quote]
Tape measure, yes. Because at 2.1m I'd have picked up visually that it wasn't going to fit a light above the door.

I'm assuming your ceilings are 2.4m? So you were expecting the gap to be ceiling height?

CSJobseeker · 27/11/2021 09:46

Sorry, just noticed you said 2.75m,

Original poster

beggingforsleep · 27/11/2021 09:47

No 2.75m high. I would have picked up if it wasn't ceiling height.

I've emailed the builder and ruined his weekend. I think just splitting the cost of new doors is the solution.

On the bright side I have a lovely piece of art that I was struggling to find a space for that will go above the doors now.

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