Engineer for new build

T

themunsterone

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Hello,

I am hoping to get people's thoughts on this.

I am purchasing a new build in a development in the midlands and the house in being build off plans. All good and I am happy with specs etc.

My solicitor mentioned that I should consider getting my own engineer to inspect the house a few times during the build and then obviously the snag at the end. For example, checking work at foundations, half way and then near completion. He said for piece of mind and that the builders only use their own engineer.

Is this the done thing? The house is part of a new development with some houses already built where people seem happy.
 
Yes!!! Have you not read the stories about the shoddy workmanship that has gone on with houses in this country? Why would you plough hundreds of thousands of euro into something without making sure it is built properly? If you didn't and it turned out to be shoddy, the property would be worth €0 but your debt would still be there. Then there is the snag that is to be completed after the house is built as there will be bits not finished properly that will need to be fixed.
 
If you do engage an Engineer to inspect the house as it's been built, make sure he gives you a written report of the different stages of the build. That way, if you've any problem going forward you'll be able to look back on all the different specifications and how they were met during the build which your engineer oversaw and you have written detail of.
 
themunsterone said:
Ya that's the thing really. Is this normally something people do with a new build in a development?
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A lot didn't during the last boom. Today there's not a lot of building going on and I'm assuming no work has been done on the site you're buying the house in. So, if you've signed contracts and the builder knows you are a contracted buyer I don't believe he would mind, buy if you're thinking of buying with no contract signed I can well imagine what the builder might say. If you want to change a few things in the house he might do it for a price, good option to have. Has the developer a good name, what BER has the house, have a look at other places he's been involved in and have a chat with owners if possible. Never mind what other people do, it's your money and probably 20 times + what you'd pay for a goodish car. If you were paying that price for a car would you get a mechanic to have a look?
 
noproblem said:
A lot didn't during the last boom. Today there's not a lot of building going on and I'm assuming no work has been done on the site you're buying the house in. So, if you've signed contracts and the builder knows you are a contracted buyer I don't believe he would mind, buy if you're thinking of buying with no contract signed I can well imagine what the builder might say. If you want to change a few things in the house he might do it for a price, good option to have. Has the developer a good name, what BER has the house, have a look at other places he's been involved in and have a chat with owners if possible. Never mind what other people do, it's your money and probably 20 times + what you'd pay for a goodish car. If you were paying that price for a car would you get a mechanic to have a look?
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No the development is half done. Phase 2 under way now. No issues from recent buyers and people seem happy. They look well built houses and the engineer has a good name. It will be an A2 house.
 
themunsterone said:
No the development is half done. Phase 2 under way now. No issues from recent buyers and people seem happy. They look well built houses and the engineer has a good name. It will be an A2 house.
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Regardless, you are investing/spending a lot of money. You'd be very foolish to buy without having an engineer looking out for your interests.

Even your solicitor has advised that you employ one.

Follow your solicitor's advice.
 
So, the foundations are done and probably roof on. How good are you with building knowledge yourself? A2 houses are rare items and usually of a high spec. You can check it's got the radon barrier done, and general workmanship. Is the development on a good site, etc. No flooding in the last few years, but from what you're telling us things look good. It's up to yourself really.
 
noproblem said:
So, the foundations are done and probably roof on. How good are you with building knowledge yourself? A2 houses are rare items and usually of a high spec. You can check it's got the radon barrier done, and general workmanship. Is the development on a good site, etc. No flooding in the last few years, but from what you're telling us things look good. It's up to yourself really.
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No the next phase is just a site at this stage. It's a smaller phase with just a few sites. Work due to start in the next few weeks.

Ya site is good, no issues with flooding etc. All looks good there.

My building knowledge would be limited but I can see the show house going up and insulation and block laying looms up to par. So far.

Friend viewed a house in phase one with roof on etc and he was happy with it.

Thanks for all the advice here. Need to have a think.
 
I have never heard of this being done for a house being built as part of a development.

I'm trying to envisage how it would play out if your engineer finds something they're not happy with and how this would be addressed. Knowing developers, they would probably just say to you that if you don't want to buy it they'll sell it to the next person.
 
Alkers86 said:
I have never heard of this being done for a house being built as part of a development.

I'm trying to envisage how it would play out if your engineer finds something they're not happy with and how this would be addressed. Knowing developers, they would probably just say to you that if you don't want to buy it they'll sell it to the next person.
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Back in the day I did when we lived in the States and our new house was being built as part of a development in Ireland. I told the builder I would be engaging a local engineer to visually inspect at various stages. I don't recall any issue but then again it was 1992 and houses were difficult to sell then (I think interest rates hit 15% that year iirc).
One thing I did notice after moving in is that our house had small variations compared to my neighbours such as soffit vents and not one settlement crack!
 
At one stage, I bought a house off a plan in an estate. I employed an engineer to keep an eye on things for me.

I was also allowed on site to do my own inspections.
 
noproblem said:
If you were paying that price for a car would you get a mechanic to have a look?
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Not a great analogy, if the car was new as is the house then, no, I would not ask a mechanic to have a look.

PaddyBloggit said:
I was also allowed on site to do my own inspections.
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Those were the days, different times, try and get 'on site' now and see how far you get.

Alkers86 said:
Knowing developers, they would probably just say to you that if you don't want to buy it they'll sell it to the next person.
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I would suspect that this is not too far off the mark alright.
 
noproblem said:
If you read properly you would have seen, "goodish car" being :cool: mentioned.
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First off, I did read it properly.
Secondly, 'goodish' does not explicitly signify not new, so if indeed you did mean a used car then, as I said, :cool: not a great analogy.
 
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