Stewart Milne Snagging - Thornton Grange, Jackton, East Kilbride

jedi260873 · 23rd November 2009, 11:07

Hi there, I'm new to this site, but just looking for anyone with similar problems.
Moved into our Stewart Milne house in May 2008 (18 months ago), Haven't had any major snagging issue, but loads & loads of small ones.. We still have many outstanding items. The current site manager seems barely able to focus on one job at a time, we normally get a job about 80-90% complete, and then don't hear anything from them and i need to start chasing them again to finish. Or, i usually just finish the job myself.
A few months back the bathroom floor was taken up and re-done (excessive creaking and movement led to the floors tiles cracking). When they left the job, the doors hadn't been re-hung and the toilet hadn't been re-sealed back onto the wall. The doors i put back on myself and the toilet was only sealed two weeks ago when they were in doing work on my shower.
The shower has been another nightmare - the door and frame have now been taken off about 4 times due to various leaks and sealing problems. Each time they have attempted to remedy thism they have created another problem. 1st time they removed the wrong shower door (i know! unbelievable! - i came that evening to find the en-suite shower had been removed, and not the main bathroom). Next time they removed it some tiles were damaged, time after that sealing was done wrong and this time (a couple of weeks ago) the shower door frame was damaged beyond repair along with around 6 tiles were damaged. It's all now been repaired, but they have not yet painted the wall adjacent to the shower door which has a damp patch from the leak - i'll end up doing this myself.
I could go on and on about the problems they create each time they come to fix something. I'd be very interested to hear about other similar stories.
Has anyone considered some kind of legal action, perhaps attacking them leagally as a group would yield better results.
I've also written many letters and emails to Alex Goodfellow (M.D.), not once has he replied.
Anyone have ongoing problems with temperature in the room above the garage?
My neighbour has had an independant survey done and there was hardly any insulation installed in the ceilings and walls in the room above the garage. My room above the garage has been very cold (about 4-5 degrees less than rest of upstairs). I've now had garage conversion done, really thought this would eliminate the problem - it hasn't, the room is still much colder than rest of upstairs. This would tell me that inadequate insulation is provided in the walls and ceiling in the room above the garage and not just in the floor between garage and room as i had 1st assumed.

Look forward to hearing from anyone suffering at the hands of Stewart Milne.

Regards,
Derrick

marlyn1 · 23rd November 2009, 14:10

I am currently in the process of a legal battle with Stewart Milne. I am in a site not far from your own . I have had dealings with Mr Goodfellow so much so he was kind enough to leave a folder containing their solicitors letters and their internal emails regarding me. It made interesting reading! It was a large A4 ring binder, however Mr Milne himself was visiting nearby so I returned the folder personally to him stating the contents. Thats the standards of these people.
I would suggest you contact Andy Kerr your local MSP he dealt with us and was very good. He is well aware of the standards of this builder. His surgery is on a friday afternoon at the Civic Centre. Contact the Sunday Mail to the judge, again this will not be news to them. There is another neighbour at the Grange called the "runner" who you may want to email a reply to. It is better in numbers however some people are terrified to be heard.

If you are looking for direction or advice on this i am sure we could arrange a meeting at the Byre pub (situated between both sites) to discuss. As i say we have done the rounds with this mob. Look into your home insurance for legal cover and any union you are a member of who may cover legal assistance.

We had major problems with the cavity trays in the front bay windows, water leaking in. They were supposed to have repaired it but it continued, i had to get an independent surveyor to project manage and watch them step by step. My downstairs with the exception of the kitchen had to be ripped out and replaced. Did they move us out, NO, we had to endure weeks of noise, dust, workmen etc, storing all my downstairs furniture in my kitchen. All they were interested in was gagging us from the Sunday Mail or they wouldn't do the work.The media would appear to be their fear as quoted in one of their emails, "The downside to this, though, is that it will just give the Mail more to write about and make the article bigger so we're maybe better making a short, sharp statement and leaving it be at that."

You maybe interested in the surveyors comment regarding my room above the garage.

Look forward to hearing from you.

jedi260873 · 23rd November 2009, 16:04

Many thanks for your reply,

I have just sent an email to 'The Judge' hopefully they can offer assistance. Interesting to hear you have had many similar problems to my own. I also have some leaking at the bay window, apparently this was fixed - twice! After the heavy rain of recent times, it most definitely has not been fixed. The water gathers just under the cill and runs down the wall to the skirting. I'd be interested to hear more about you problems with this.
We also needed most of downstairs re-decorated, finishing was terrible. Most of the plasterboard joints needed re-taped, nail-pops filled, and sanded,etc. it was a very messy two/three weeks for us (we also had to live within this building site environment). Living room, dining room, hallway, wc and kitchen were all re-taped, sanded, etc and then repainted. Also had most of the upstairs floors lifted and re-screwed down as the creaking and squeaking from them was unbearable, they are still very noisy.

A meeting could prove useful to compare notes.. and yes, i'd be very interested in any info about rooms above the garage.

Cheers,

Derrick

marlyn1 · 23rd November 2009, 21:07

The leakage sounds similar to our issue last year. Is your house westerly facing? We had to have to have bricks removed from below the front bedrooms which led them into the cavity trays which were not fitted correctly. Instead of the water going back out the vents, it was overflowing and coming into the walls. Stewart Milne will not fix this problem correctly it is too much work. It was my surveyor who finally had to consult with the manufacturers of the cavity trays to erase the problem. It took them over a week to stop water penetrating into the house. Stewart Milne kept saying their dampness meter readings were normal and on the first attempt at the repair left the exterior brick work a mess. Second time around they delivered the wrong coloured bricks luckily my surveyor was on site and told them to take them back.

Let me know if you want to meet up and i'll let you read the surveyors report. It defo sounds as if your cavity trays are not installed properly. i am surprised more customers haven't complained about this issue, maybe they haven't noticed yet or haven't discovered this handy site.

Dealing with them direct is pointless, they just slander you within internal emails and do a slap dash repair to try and shut you up.

runner · 25th November 2009, 15:13

Hi Derrick - It's Graham here.

I've got loads of pictures that I can show you regarding the insulation (or lack of it) above the garage. When I get a minute I'll drop them in. I'll try uploading them to this site as well. I'm sure your insulation will be no different.
Even after I had them beef up the insulation the rooms above the garage were still 4˚ colder than the rest of the room this morning with the wind blowing (I think this is the problem).

I think the main problem is the specification of the roof - ours feature a thin, membrane sarking. Typically this is know as an 'English Roof', intended for use in less exposed sites.
The NHBC guidelines states that in areas of exposure, and common practice in Scotland a rigid sarking should be used. (I think our site meets both these criteria).

I brought this up with the NHBC inspector who said that this is just a recommendation and not a requirement (this is the case with 99% of the NHBC guidelines).

I've spoke to several other people on the site and our problems appear to be common place. Perhaps it is time that more direct action is taken?

jedi260873 · 25th November 2009, 17:34

Cheers Graham,

We'll have to catch up..

Within hours of posting on this site I had S.M. Construction Director on the phone apologising for all the hassle and insisting that all will be complete to my satisfaction and done promptly. They're putting an additional site manager on site to try and help out the current site manager.
Had very positive chat with him and hopefully all his promises will be fullfilled.

I'll give them one final chance to make good all outstanding matters. Although I do feel that i've been here before, with all the promises, etc that all will be done properly and professionally.

I'll keep this site posted with developments (positive as well as negative).

Note to anyone viewing this site but apprehensive about posting : It's obvious that Stewart Milne view this site regularly, as i'm sure most of the other builders will do also. Get your troubles out in the open - These builders definitely don't want the negative stuff out here in the public domain!!

marlyn1 · 27th November 2009, 00:32

Hope they keep their promise. Be warned although they may attempt to fix what they think is the problem, if you can, get an expert opinion. They maybe fearful of this development as it is larger than the other one they recently built and they probably don't want any more complaints.

It is good you have several other people on your site with similar problems, as they try to isolate you and make you feel as if you are the only person with defects.

If they are reading this site they should be worried! The complaints have risen considerably for this builder on this site over the past few years and i am sure there is more to come.

JJ1 · 15th February 2010, 23:59

Derrick,

I too live in a Stewart Milne house on the Jackton site and would be really keen to know if there has been any improvement with the new site manager dealing with your snagging? Are you seeing any change in attitude, quality of work and general customer service?

Like you I have a long list of snagging outstanding - almost 2 years now. The quality of the finish from day one was not good and Stewart Milne have only added to the problems whenever they send tradesmen (I use the term loosely) to deal with my issues e.g. shower tray been removed 4 times and now the door and wall are damaged; spots hanging from the ceiling after replacements fitted; tapes on ceilings and walls not finished properly; doors cut excessively to allow them to shut etc etc etc. The mess that is created is excessive and I really do believe their approach is to make a mess so you give up and just accept what you have.

I have taken 4 days off work to meet site managers (6th site manager now I think??) and I have yet to meet one who is true to their word. They all tell you they will get your snagging completed, but after a flurry of activity they disappear and you are left with jobs unfinished and the snagging's are in a worse state than when your started. In order to get my snagging completed I have been asked again to meet the site manager to go over the same items that I have already discussed on many occasions to date. I really am not prepared to go round the loop again so would be very interested to know if you have had any success. If not I would be really keen to discuss what action we can take collectively to hold SM to account. I say collectively as I know I am not alone.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

jedi260873 · 22nd February 2010, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ1

Derrick,

I too live in a Stewart Milne house on the Jackton site and would be really keen to know if there has been any improvement with the new site manager dealing with your snagging? Are you seeing any change in attitude, quality of work and general customer service?

Like you I have a long list of snagging outstanding - almost 2 years now. The quality of the finish from day one was not good and Stewart Milne have only added to the problems whenever they send tradesmen (I use the term loosely) to deal with my issues e.g. shower tray been removed 4 times and now the door and wall are damaged; spots hanging from the ceiling after replacements fitted; tapes on ceilings and walls not finished properly; doors cut excessively to allow them to shut etc etc etc. The mess that is created is excessive and I really do believe their approach is to make a mess so you give up and just accept what you have.

I have taken 4 days off work to meet site managers (6th site manager now I think??) and I have yet to meet one who is true to their word. They all tell you they will get your snagging completed, but after a flurry of activity they disappear and you are left with jobs unfinished and the snagging's are in a worse state than when your started. In order to get my snagging completed I have been asked again to meet the site manager to go over the same items that I have already discussed on many occasions to date. I really am not prepared to go round the loop again so would be very interested to know if you have had any success. If not I would be really keen to discuss what action we can take collectively to hold SM to account. I say collectively as I know I am not alone.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

Hi there, apologies for delay in replying.

Yes, there was a big improvement with the new site manager. Problem is that he was just on site for a few months to sort out snagging issues and he is now on another site. He was very good, he was present during the snagging works, even done a lot of the work himself. He obviously took a personal interest in ensuring the work was done properly. Unlike our other "site manager", who was very rarely present during snagging works and almost always never came at the end of the day to check the work which had been done.

All of my issues were attended to with this other site manager, and so far all have been satisfactory.

Today they are back in my house to rip out the shower in the main bathroom and start again. A few weeks ago i noticed some loose tiles (yet again), and there was a small water mark developing on the ceiling below. When reporting this to Stewart Milne I insisted that this time they remove all tiles, plasterboard, etc and start again from scratch. No arguments from them regarding this, as this must be the 5th or 6th time i've had leaks from this shower and the 3rd time some tiles have come loose. The other leaks have come from door/frame not being installed/sealed properly. I requested this other site manager oversee the works, but he is unavailable, so the area manager is dealing with this as we have no confidence in current site manager dealing with it.

I have been told from two sources (one contractor and one direct from Stewart Milne), that they are not ruling our the possibility that the tiles may be porous. Find this hard to believe, but nothing would suprise me now. It would appear that shower problems are very commonplace on Strewart Milne new homes, I've been told that it is not only on Thornton Grange, but the site at Inverkip (and others) also have many similar problems.

We've had identical issues to yourself regarding Stewart Milne with respect to quality of finishing thoughout the house, and also with the constant promises that contractors will appear to carry out work and they never show up. We have recently completed a garage conversion and this room is the best finished in the whole house, surprisingly enough Stewart Milne were not involved in this work.

Good luck in getting your problems sorted, if I can be of any further help please let me know.

Regards.

malcolm22 · 22nd February 2010, 22:21

I thought you had a new residents association on your site? If you read through any of these posts for Stewart Milne you will find the same things over and over again. Us mugs just keep buying them anyway, and some pay over the odds for the privilege!
I wondered about an association foe SM Home holders - but folks interest just seems to wane. Would help if somone would start the ball rolling.
Try to keep smiling, and reading some of the posts for the other developers can be amusing - some people find concrete splashes on their brickwork totally unacceptable.......