Bloody builders!!!!

[cfmtb]

Someone help me word a letter/email to my builders who just renovated our garage.
We asked for a quote to renovate our garage into a laundry with a doggy shower (save my hallway from the mud!), and then some extra usable space at the end.
We gave them a rough plan - keeping in mind neither of us are builders and trust the professionals to do their job.
They agreed to and have installed the doggy shower directly below the boiler. Didn't flag a problem. Could have gone on the other side but it wasn't flagged as a need.
Just had someone come round to give us a quote for a new boiler....to find now the boiler is in at at risk location and needs to be fully moved as can't be over any water supply!
Surely the builders should have picked up on this??? Or the building regs approval we got? How can I phrase something to them - am I unreasonable to expect them to possibly pay a bit of the cost of relocating the boiler/doggy shower??
I'm very mad right now so aware I might be being irrational!

well the boiler is going to be replaced anyway so did they give an alternative location for it?

but yes.. it is poor of them

how long ago did you have the doggy shower installed?

and can’t this just be shut off?

Yes, but costing an extra 2.5k to move it on top of the new boiler cost

It is classed as over a water supply so I don't think it would count? Also we paid a significant amount of money to get that in so reluctant to just go 'oh well, now we have a pretty tiled area in our laundry' 😄

how long ago installed?

i’m guessing the “rough plan” you gave them positioned the doggy shower precisely where it currently is?

...and that, boys and girls, is what architects are good for.

exactly

the op scrimped on the design

the builders worked off her rough plan which put the doggy shower where it currently is

Less than 3 months

Yup, and we asked for their input to make sure it would work. Didn't think we'd need an architect to install a doggy shower in a garage...🤦‍♀️

You didn't - you needed a competent builder.

You would think, but our (very well respected) architects plans (which were very detailed) didn’t give us information like where boiler vents and soil pipe vents would have to go, and the impact that this would have on our renovation - they left all that as “stuff for the builders”!

Our builders rolled their eyes and said that they find this happens a lot with architects!

I think builders usually work from the plan provided and don’t do checks on regulations…if boilers / gas safety is not their area of expertise then they probably wouldn’t have a clue what is or isn’t allowed.

I think it is a pain that the builder didn't know / mention it, but I don't think there is any obligation on them to do so despite it being a good idea.

I think a good builder might have pointed out that there was a potential problem, but I am finding more and more that there is no such thing as a good builder.

Have you spoken to the builders about the issue? If it's against regs for a new boiler now, should they have fitted the 'water' where they did then? Wouldn't that be against regs?

@sbplanet haven't spoken to them yet, wanted to get some opinions as to whether I was just being a complete arse being mad about it 🙈
Will be getting in touch with them tomorrow. Problem is, don't really know what we want to ask them to do to rectify it, and need to go into the call with a plan!

Thank you! The problem is that they flat out won't install the new boiler we need. Will attached a photo of the area, we have also thought this re the enclosure but British Gas have said no, the boiler just needs to be moved.

Yes, we find that a lot too, plus we always uncover numerous errors in their drawings as they are often woefully lacking in attention to detail. I'm not surprised there are endless complaints about the quality of their work on numerous internet forums. Even well respected, highly recommended architects cannot be relied upon to meet expectations.

A builder, a plumber and an architect are all very different trades. They built what you wanted - your problem!

Our trusted builders would and they're amazing at flagging all of the errors made by the architect and also at suggesting much better ways to do things and solve potential issues - they're absolutely worth their weight in gold.

They’re builders not gas engineers, you wouldn’t ask the gas engineer to build a wall!

I'm sorry OP, but I don't think you're likely to get anywhere with the builders. They will just say it's your responsibility.

Did you get building regulations approval for your rough plan? I'm thinking that as you were converting the garage into a bathroom (effectively) that this probably should have happened, even if you didn't use an architect.

It might be worth getting a second opinion from another gas engineer on moving the boiler though, in case there is a way around it.

@hannahcolobus unfortunately this is what I thought too, thank you!
Soul destroying is the right word 😄
Don't think I'll be using them for my kitchen 🤣