We are officially at the roof cover stage. In fact, we have been at that stage since April, when we were asked to provide payment for a roof that was at least partially completed. When I was running IT projects, we had to claim various stages throughout the life of any project, so that we could get paid. These always had very precise definitions of the meaning ‘complete’ and the items that were to be included in any ‘complete’ stage. Claiming of stages does not seem to be nearly as rigorous in the building industry as I exepcted.
Fortunately for taxpayers that have chosen to work with builders, the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety have defined ‘completeness’ for each of the common progress stages. Unfortunately for taxpayers those definitions have been created by a government department.
I would define a lot of the Building Commission’s definitions as gibberish, jibber-jabber or gobbledygook, but those terms are not vague enough. Vagueness and ambiguity are friends of our builder, who seems to have issued our Construction ‘Consultant’ with a handbook containing most of the best terminology.
Our builder, and I would say most builders, would obviously take advantage of phrases such as, the item “may be incomplete”, which does seem to contradict the very definition of ‘complete’. Here’s another couple of pearlers from our wonderful government regulators: “internal walls should have been constructed”, and “works are completed except for any omissions or defects…” And they get paid for that!
Still, we do seem to have been delivered a roof, and what a roof! Who could not love the sweeping lines of the corrugation, the silky finish of the steel, the raking charm of the guttering, the symmetry of the ship’s portal?
We also got some windows installed, by the same guy who did our bricklaying. Stevie’s cousin. Although they look OK from a distance, we managed to inherit a number of digs and bends that the preceding tradesmen had left us. I’m sure the windows were fitted into the obviously defective frames just so that the new impending stage payment can be claimed. Get the money first, fix the defects later.
The next stage they will be claiming soon is ‘Lock-Up’. Partly defined as “Generally the structure is ready internally for the finishing trades such as carpenters, electricians, cabinet makers, tilers, plumbers and painters.” Great word, ‘generally’. Beautifully vague, like a breeze among flowers. At least I’ll be able to get another inspection going when they issue the bill.
That’s shocking. Steve Wonder , yes would notice those defects.
Longest build in history . Hope in internal trades do a better job.
@ThePasswordQueen yes I agree – long build. Yours will probably be a lot better!
A generally complete post, sufficient for payment
@NovelDominator_69 Thanks! Let me give you my PayID details…
A post that’s Shakespearean in scope.
Wonderful effort.
Unfortunately the builder won’t understand the ironies in the text.
One thing my daughter has found in her build ( which is also interminable) is that builders operate on the same line as journalists…..”Never let the facts get in the way of a good story”
@Manny Ah, the Bard and Mark Twain in the same post – ’tis rare indeed. Send good luck to your daughter, I’m hoping she isn’t building with a BGC Company!
She is !
Ah “should” , that takes me back , I loved reading that in deliverables.
Still I have been wondering how you’re progressing, but that roof looks fine, (excluding errors and omissions), nah it does really
I’m trying to get 26 sheets of corrugated iron lifted, silation replaced and the sheets reinstated, it has taken 45 days to get the quote, to which I said “yes when?” within the hour ,now 20 days later I still don’t know when
@Ross Yes, I can still remember getting the red pen out for the first ‘should’ circle of the specification. 45 days for a quote? They obviously don’t want the work. You probably surprised them by saying yes!
Still, at least your quotes are probably free. If I raise a variation, they want $500 before they even quote for the labour and materials. And the quote is always higher than that of any builder after the house has been handed over.
Builders have been given too much leeway in the past. I’m hoping that after this mad rush to build houses is over, natural competition and supply/demand will weed out the inferior service offerings. But, maybe that’s like me waiting to have my vertical guttering completed – it’s just a pipe dream.