Friday, March 8, 2013

Delayed PCI


Disappointing news:

1. SS has informed us that our PCI has been delayed by a week. It will now be held on the 15th March 13. A week out from now. Our SS hasn't explained why there is the delay, but thankfully we are able to book in our inspector for the 15th March 13. 


2. SS has also resigned from PD. He has been such a great SS. Always very understanding and accommodating. He called today and expressed that he had been very happy with our house so far and that he was regretful that he couldn't finish the entire job. 


I guess it it true that PD's BC and SS seldom stay for the entire term of the build. Its a very sad thing, that we don't get the same person going through with the entire job. I've read many other blogs about how theres always been a change over of BC or SS. Props to my SS tho, he got us very close to the finishing line, too bad he couldn't get us over it! I would be very worried if he left during our frame stage or somewhere in the middle of our build. 

I just hope that our next SS would follow up with the issues I've brought up with our previous SS. 

One of which is the Powder room. In my last post I mentioned that we upgraded our tiles, and paid extra for the tiles in the room to extend up to the mirror height like how the display homes have done theirs. 

When I met with my SS early in the week, I was astound to see that the tiles in my powder room had not been installed the same way as the display homes. As you can see in the photo below, there are THREE cut tiles on the walls, x2 small pieces and x1 large piece. This is NOT how we envisaged the room to look like. We expected that the tiles will be installed like the display homes - x2 Large 600mm pieces. Its the only reason why we upgraded our tiles and paid extra money to have them extend to the mirror height. 

Brought the issue up with our SS and he said that he will get the tiler to call me. Long story short, I met up with the tiler on site, and he explained that different tilers install differently - poor excuse. I told him that I can't accept it and that I expect the tiles to be installed just like how the display homes have done it. It defeated the purpose of having extended tiles and mirror!
The contractors really need to pick their game up! Previous SS says that he will look into the matter for me. This will be a make it or break it deal for my recommendations of PD to others. I really hope the new SS will get it fixed. I know that it will be alot of work, but its a matter of whether PD prides themselves in the quality and assurance they promote themselves to have. 


tiling by contractor
Kitchen / Living area
2nd March 13 - Carpets installed, Door handles, stoppers and Locks installed.
Door Handles on Linen cabinet
Door stoppers are affixed onto the door in tiled areas!
I told the carpenter not to install them on the MAIN ENTRY
and the Powder room.
4th March 13 - Saw some Stegbar guys installing our Shower screens, Clear debris off site.
4th March 13 - cleared debris off site.
Our sloping corner. Dispensation from
council required for retaining/fencing requirements

5th March 13 - Fly screens had been put into all openable windows, and alarm system installed, Kitchen Splashback installed.
Fly Screens installed
Snuggle Pie Kitchen Splashback 
Got to wait for flooring to come in before it'd look great!

7th March 13 - Saw some contractors installing mirrors to the Bathrooms, Gas meter installed.
7th March 13 - Gas Meter installed
Outstanding contract errors:
On the day our SS told us to go see the carpenter to tell him where we wanted the privacy locks installed. We spotted that our Lockwood paradigm 005 square chrome deadbolt had been installed not on our ENTRY door (Pivot door) as per our contract, but rather onto our garage internal door. 
I thought it was rather odd. Spoke to the SS about it and he tells me that a thumb lock - Paradigm 005 cannot be installed on a pivot door. I was shocked! The reason why I paid extra money for the deadbolt is so that I can easily lock the main door without having to use a key. 
The carpenter says that we should just leave the keys on the main door at all times. NO thank you. 
Previous SS says that he will get it fixed for us!
Deadbolt on the garage internal door
Where the deadbolt is suppose to be,
Replacing the key knob
I opted to have internal motion sensors installed in the house. During the build, whenever I was on site with the SS, I noticed that some of the cabling had been left at different locations as per the drawings from our electrical appointment. Now that the detectors had been installed, some of them are in different locations from the drawings. I brought this up to the SS, and he explained that the people at the appointments don't know a thing about where is the best locations for these sensors, and that I should just trust the installers - that the new locations are perfect for the job. 
One of them is in a lounge room - no openable sliding door..Just windows. 
The original location was in the study room - openable sliding door. 
I wasn't happy initially. But I decided that its not worth the battle and hassle, and will just live with the sensor in the lounge room. 

Since our SS has left us with quite a number of things outstanding, I hope he has passed on the information to the subsequent guy taking over. I hope to see the new guy on site next week sometime after the labour day holiday. 


We're also currently trying to look for a washing machine and vented dryers? 
Anyone with recommendations? 
Almost settling with a bosch 7.5kg WAS24460AU front loader washing machine with a 7kg BOSCH WTV74100AU Dryer

Bosch Front Loader Washing Machine

Bosch Vented Dryer



7 comments:

  1. ur SS is a lair, i had the lock installed on my pivot door

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On a mortice rollerbolt system too?

      Delete
    2. We have a lockwood paradigm 005 square deadbolt with a pull handle.

      Delete
  2. Did you ask your SS as to a reason why it can't be installed on a pivot door? The Deadbolt (key or thumblock) wouldn't know it is being installed on a pivot door or on a normal door.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Because the door comes standard with a mortice rollerbolt system. Without this rollerbolt, the door will swing freely.
      The paradigm 005 is a lockwood thumblock deadbolt, and the mortice rollerbolt comes with the door as one unit and has its own deadbolt which is a gainsborough lock.

      The new SS says he'll look into this issue for us. Possibly modify the lock and include the thumblock which I wanted all along.

      Delete
  3. I'm sorry to hear that you have so many issues while building with PD. Although I don't have nearly as problems as you do, I can empathize. I am building the same type of house, a Sandringham 45 and I need to stay observant to ensure that PD corrects all the mistakes they make. I just wish I had found your blog sooner and avoided all the hassle.
    I also have the same problem with the Caesar stone benchtop. They force me to choose at the last minute, between a shorter benchtop or a benchtop with a join in it, completely defeating the purpose of paying a high price for a Caesar stone benchtop!
    One time, I decided to check on my site after dinner. It was night-time when I arrived and noticed that my front door was left open. I heard voices inside and rushed inside to see who it could be. To my surprise I found 3 people from PD working on my house, using an iphone as a flashlight.
    There are these issues and countless more, where I have had to fight with PD to ensure that they fix it properly.
    I find myself often questioning how PD manages to advertise its professional builder awards. When the experiences I and many others, have had with PD are far from it.
    Please keep posting on your blog,
    Your insight is much appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi
    Your house looks amazing. We're you happy with Finalinspect? Did they do a good job for the frame stage? We are planning to get them to inspect our frame stage, they have asked us to settle the payment 2 days before the inspection ? Is this normal procedure? The other inspection company we were interested in said within 24-48 hours after the report delivered to us. Appreciate some info.

    ReplyDelete