4 weeks into build and already delayed; any advice

Hi

We're getting our house renovated and also getting an extension to the kitchen. We're just at the end of week 4 and per the work schedule the builder gave us at the start they should have put the foundations down for the extension, done the blockwork and started on the roof for the extension by now.

In fact they haven't even dug the foundations or put the steel in to hold up the back of the house, so clearly they're behind. We're due to make a payment of 20% of the fee next week and have a meeting with the main man tomorrow to discuss what's happening.

We're scheduled to move back in by the 26th August and as we're renting this delay is costing us time and money.

Any tips on what to do?

Thanks in advance

Streamer: "We're at the end of week 4 and per the work schedule you gave us at the start you should have put the foundations down for the extension, done the blockwork and started on the roof for the extension. In fact you haven't even dug the foundations or put the steel in to hold up the back of the house, so clearly you're way behind. Can you explain the delay plaease, and give us your plans to bring the project back on schedule?"

Builder: "Have you got that 20% cheque?"

Streamer: "Yes, and we'd love to be able to give it to you but unfortunately we won't be able to until we see that the project is back running to your schedule. As you are aware, we are renting and if the project runs over we need to be able to give our landlord notice to accommodate us for longer, and of course then there's the additional cost of renting..."

If you used an Architect, did he not make it a condition of Penalties if the job was to overrun. Where did you get the builder ? They can't be that busy at the moment so if there is problems now what is it going to be like in another four weeks time. What kind of a reputation has this builder got ?? Did you even bother to check him out ??

Friends of ours had a similar situation with their builder - they were also renting during the renovations. The builder was running behind schedule so after a meeting they got real with him and insisted that they were deducting any rent outlaid after the finish date from his final payment. In the end it only over ran by 2 weeks but it was in the builders interest to get them back in. This was about 3 years ago when things weren't that quiet either.

They were straight with the guy from the start when things first appeared to be going pear shaped, good advice from the previous poster though.

Hi, Alarm bells would ring for me.
Im also at the end of the 3rd week, and already we have bedroom extension to roof level plus the carpentry work on it done.
We have the side of house extension up to 25 feet and tommorow the roof comes off.
Mainly with 3 men on the job.
What have your guys been doing for the four weeks?
We made an agreement that we would pay the builder about 3 or 4 grand a week with a ten grand start up.so each week when we see what work is done we hand over the agreed amount.
Id think about having a chat with your guys.Good luck

The first 3/4 weeks of renovations were nerve racking for me also as things weren't running to schedule. Put some pressure on, phone calls, face to face, followed up with emails, and things did get back on track.

Probably they are finishing off a previous project - perhaps a slowish start is inevitable. But agree with other posters advice also.

What is the point of even considering paying 20% of the fee when it seems only a small fraction has been done. The purpose of paying a fee throughout the job is for 'WORK DONE' Get a grip for your own sake.

The stage payments should eqate to work done and not weeks lapsed, just remind the main man of this when he calls. The BEST thing you can do is get TOUGH early, let him know that you are not a soft touch. Having gone through a new build , I learnt this lesson early on and once I stood my ground and let him know who was the boss, absolutley no problems from there on.

Secman

Have you an architect? If you do does he not have to approve every payment?

(Having said that we'd major work done a couple of years ago and the architect turned out to be less than useless. All he seemed to be interested in was getting his stage payments.)

Thanks for all the advice, its very useful.

To answer some of the points raised.

1) we found it impossible to get an architect, obviously the reality of the construction slump hadn't sunk in in Jan/March when we were looking for one 'cos we got lots of "your job's too small to be worth our while". We did get drawings done by an AT though.
2) we got a number of good references from other people who used this builder, went and saw the work he did and it was to a high standard. I think this is the only thing keeping me and the other half sane at the moment.
3) re the payment, I should have made it clearer that when I said the payment was due next week, I meant in principle, we have zero intentions of writing a cheque.

I'll keep you all posted on how the meeting goes today. Fingers crossed for a happy outcome.

Streamer

As Deirdra said they were probably finishing off another job and didn't devote the manhours to your job in the beginning. Nothing like a withheld payment to put a spurt under them though.

pay 10 percent now.

pay nothing now, not until they're back on schedule.