New House Build - A cautionary tale

[BJSLIV]

The building company handled all that

So you will need to ask them for the owners copies of the opening and closing forms. Strangely enough the owners copies normally come to the owner , unless you buy off the peg from a spec project initiated by the builder.Our builder held our hand through the paperwork, permission, opening,closing etc,but the paperwork always "originated" from us from our UK address.

 

[retread]

Only my second post so here is my Rant........................

 

Should I cut my wrists now? In the Autumn of 2005 I signed a contract with a well respected and researched builder in the Dordogne. We had a game plan including sale of our existing home finishing with a total removal to Thiviers in April 2007.

We rec'd the permis in mid Feb and complied with all other requirements and sat back believing work would start within the contracted two months, silly people.

In March 2006 we visited the site, still as we left it three months ago with the exception that SODEGO had provided a water meter as per devis.

Had a meeting with the builder the same week agreed positions of light switches etc.Having finished the meeting with our master Builder and, careful of builders easily bruised feelings, enquired if they would be starting work.

"Soon" they said.

"Great" we replied. And went home.

At home we checked our mail and Lo! there was a document entitled 'Assurance "Dommages ouvrage" ' which I know is important as they cannot go on site without it. Unfortunatly the start date was given as September 2006 not March so when is soon?

Furious E mails and threats to withdraw from the contract eventually drew a promise of machines on site at the start of next month i,e May. Now I am usually fairly gullible but surely they cannot start work without a valid Dommage Ouvrage?

As for the guy who claimed this was a new build knock, I would love to hear from any one with a different experience. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

.

[Harley]

Hi Retread,

Sorry to hear about your problems.  We signed our contract last September and were told time and time again that our house would be finished by October this year (by the salesman).  When we got to the begining of March and they still hadn't started, we knew it wasn't going to happen.  We are also with a reputable regional building company.  Your insurance apparently dictates the date of the opening of the works.  On the date this is issued the building company may start, but our builders had written into the contract a two month delay after this date had been set.  The insurance company, it seems, also dictate the length of time the company may take to complete the build.  We were furious when we were told delivery would be end of April next year.  I kicked up one hell of a stink.  The salesman is now no longer talking to us but we have had a meeting with the MD of the company.  He was very apologetic and assures us that all the stops will be pulled out to get our house finished before Christmas (this year).  It's easier for us to keep an eye on things as we are living just around the corner from our build.  They have now started - we have the foundations and the beginings of the ground floor - but I wouldn't say as yet that they are "pulling out all the stops".  I am currently witholding any payment until I see some real work being done.  I have informed them also that I am covering their progress ( for the benefit of others) on an Internet Forum about living in France - see Harleys Blog.  Will be updating that later today.  Best of luck with yours - try not to get too stressed with it all - if you fancy a good old moan about it - stick another post on here - good for stress relief[Www]

[Floodfamilyagain]

Hi

We too are having problems over our new build property which is near completion although it has been nothing but a fiasco from the day the builders went on site last September.

The first day on site,  they rang to say our land was the wrong size...?! They had measured from the wrong boundary marker. They marked the house out 3 times, dug foundations, dug them up again and redid them when they realised after 3 months that they were too big. We still have the first set of foundations left showing at the moment.

We are dealing with a solicitor at the moment over an issue of them delivering what they advertise on their website and within their brochure .Only time will tell if we get anywhere with it.

The latest call this week was telling us that the bath we had supplied , which they had fit had been broken by 'someone' and we would need to claim off our insurance which does not cover interior items until we are living in the property.....and so it goes on..........

I think the company will be glad to finish our property . We are not popular at the office and they are 'surpised' that we are not happy. They made the mistake of giving us a key so we have seen exactly the comedy of errors that has been played out on site. We have seen more than their project manager which is where the problems stem from. We had a technical day to discuss exactly what we wanted inside, what would be extra etc... which was a complete waste of a day as the project manager does not communicate with his subcontractors nor do they read the information they have been given.

We are now withholding the next payment of 20% until things are sorted out favourably as there are now just too many things wrong to leave it until the final 'snag' list with the last payment of 5%. 

Our only saving grace is that we do not have to move out of where we are living by a particular date. Time is on our side if nothing else! 

[retread]

Hello fellow house builders

Thanks for your interest. Some more news on my project, I recieved today by e-mail a document called <<Ordre de service>> which seems to confirm their intention to start on site on May 2nd and complete by 2 May 2007. provided that all the documentation is in place -which it is- so we shall see.

On a further note. We cannot be the first brits to go down this path. I have been an avid reader of 'France' , 'Living France'  and also 'Total France' but have yet to see any articles on true new build projects from either publisher, I have seen articles on purchase off plan on developments -but I'm not moving to France to live on a Wimpey estate- and purchase of new property for investment/lease back. Perhaps there is a collusion between the publishers and the advertisers ie Immo's ? Or are the articles published prepared by businesses with a product to sell. The continuing series on French Taxes certainly bears all the hallmarks of a thinly veiled advertisment.  I would have thought that this type of advermag should be given away free   

 Heres over to you mister editor. have you ignored a market segment?

Retread

 

[Monika]

There was a very interesting extensive cover story of the Ward family in the November issue titled:

New Build, 3 years, 2 disputes....

In the December issue was a further cover story "Dealing with Builders"

You might be able to order back copies.

[retread]

Thanks Monika.

 

Which magazine ?

[Monika]

Oh sorry: It is "Living France"

[retread]

Sorry , my wife is now sure I'm suffering from old timers. I put it down to the stress of the build, sale etc. If any one is interested I've just had an E-Mail from my Voisins saying the builders have turned up , set out the site, erected the sign and disappeared. At least I now have a true commencement date backed up by the <<declaration de ouverture de chantier>> lodged with the mairie. so perhaps in under 12 months time I should be under cover in France.

any way it was a good excuse to open a bottle.

 

June 2006

Well I'm now the proud possessor of a huge hole in the ground and several 10's of tonne of rochers which they say will be used or carted away, a new driveway onto the site covered in calcaire and one less ulcer as they have actually started yipppeeeee!!!!!