It is my opinion that Bett Homes / Gladedale are wasting so much time because I have asked them to do the one thing that they really really don't want to do. That is - I have asked them to tell me, in the form of drawings, specifications and method statements, what they are going to do before they do it. The Scottish Government and Falkirk Council both advise that it is “absolutely essential for individuals to obtain proper independent professional advice, since the temptation to take short cuts and minimise costs can prove extremely expensive in the longer term.” In order to get such professional advice I need to gain drawings, specifications and method statements which of course Bett Homes / Gladedale refuse to provide. Of the drawings they have provided to date all have significant errors in them e.g. the solution for reconstructing the bay window doesn’t have any DPC shown, doesn’t have any wall ties shown and so on. Even Falkirk Council queried the validity of the solution, but it is not up to Falkirk Council to check the solution complies with the Building Regulations, unfortunately it is me!
A situation arose recently where I queried the connection of Gladedale’s proposed garden drainage system into my house drainage. I contacted Scottish Water who immediately said – under no circumstances. I put this to Gladedale, who have now withdrawn this proposal via their solicitor. I say withdrawn because they haven’t provided any other solutions to the drainage problem to date. I believe this is a classic example of “the temptation to take short cuts and minimise costs can prove extremely expensive in the longer term”. Would it cost Gladedale? Oooooh no. It would be me that Scottish Water would come after, had I allowed the work to go ahead.
Some of the defects in my property at 16 Macdonald Court, Larbert directly affect the issue of the Completion Certificate, which I still haven't received from Bett Homes / Gladedale despite numerous requests. All of the defects that have caused the Certificate not to be issued were created during construction. Does this mean that when Bett Homes / Gladedale handed me the keys to my property, they were fully aware that the property did not comply with the Building Regulations or the terms and conditions of the Building Warrant????  |