The CPA and newly built houses

[The_Ogre]

I bought a house a couple of months ago, but there are many issues which haven't been resolved as yet.

To name a few: some of the down-lighters aren't working, the lounge door which is aluminum has clear glass in, this is a headache in that whoever walks up to my house can see straight into my lunge and kitchen.

The extractor fan sounds like a jet engine and it shuts off after a few seconds. One of the plates of the stove is so high that we're scared it might damage something - I'm talking a flame of about 15cm here, even on minimum, the plate is too hot to use. There are also no outside taps, the fittings are in the walls outside for what seems to be for taps on either side of the house. Its almost as if the builders forgot to put in the taps.

The battery of one of the garage door motors is dead, this is a problem because its on the side my wife parks, so when there's loadshedding she cannot open that garage door from the outside and have to open the other door, get out and manually open the door from the inside.

Then the most bizarre of all the problems: the one toilet flushes with hot water! Being the only male in the house, I've been banished from the family bathroom as I leave the seat up whenever I take a leak, thus I never knew about this until today when my youngest asked me why the toilet pot is so warm after she flushed. I flushed and held my hand in the water to feel. I don't know WTF these setups are called, but there arent any cisterns, the water comes straight out of the wall when you flush. In retribution with me being banned from the family bathroom, none of them are allowed to watch reality shows

Now, none of these are issues one would pick up during a viewing (except the lounge door perhaps), but I've brought these things under the transferring attorneys, who informed the construction company. They sent someone out and made a snag-list, but its been more than a month since I saw the guy. I have his number and gave him a call recently and he said there's nothing he can do because the company hasn't given him instructions to get someone to come fix their **** yet. I understand that maybe they've shut down for the festive period, but then they could have at least told me or given me some sort of reassurance.

Anybody here in the building trade? The closest thing around this is from here https://www.nhbrc.org.za/warranty-scheme/ , but I'm not even sure if this would cover me, so I'd appreciate some advice. I don't want to spend my hard-earned money to fix **** which shouldn't have been an issue to begin with.

From here I also see that does come into play

This legislation also apparently applies in exactly the same way to new homes acquired from developers, builders and institutions that sell property in the ‘ordinary course’ of their business.

 

[The_Ogre]

The toilets look like this https://www.rogerseller.com.au/rogerseller-peak-chrome-pneumatic-button-inwall-cistern

 

[R13...]

Did you not have the option to see and sign off the build before moving in? In any case if it is bonded it must be per HRNBC or whatever the acronym so you have a warranty on the build and the builder as a member is obliged to fix any issues.

 

[The_Ogre]

Did you not have the option to see and sign off the build before moving in? In any case if it is bonded it must be per HRNBC or whatever the acronym so you have a warranty on the build and the builder as a member is obliged to fix any issues.

I did, in fact we viewed the house twice during out shortlisting period, but you know these estate agents, they confuse the **** out of you to detract from any issues. The bastard also told me the builder will give me a jojo tank as part of the deal. The lying POS!

I also received the NHBRC certificate after transfer went through, but like I said, a reasonable person wouldn't. for example, go around flushing the toilets during viewing/inspection.

 

[R13...]

I did, in fact we viewed the house twice during out shortlisting period, but you know these estate agents, they confuse the **** out of you to detract from any issues. The bastard also told me the builder will give me a jojo tank as part of the deal. The lying POS!

I also received the NHBRC certificate after transfer went through, but like I said, a reasonable person wouldn't. for example, go around flushing the toilets during viewing/inspection.

Then the builder must fix the issues, it is a requirement of the finance agreement on newly built houses. Even when not financed the reason you buy from NHRBC registered builders is for that "peace" of mind.

 

[mjwitter]

I bought a house a couple of months ago, but there are many issues which haven't been resolved as yet.

To name a few: some of the down-lighters aren't working, the lounge door which is aluminum has clear glass in, this is a headache in that whoever walks up to my house can see straight into my lunge and kitchen.

The extractor fan sounds like a jet engine and it shuts off after a few seconds. One of the plates of the stove is so high that we're scared it might damage something - I'm talking a flame of about 15cm here, even on minimum, the plate is too hot to use. There are also no outside taps, the fittings are in the walls outside for what seems to be for taps on either side of the house. Its almost as if the builders forgot to put in the taps.

The battery of one of the garage door motors is dead, this is a problem because its on the side my wife parks, so when there's loadshedding she cannot open that garage door from the outside and have to open the other door, get out and manually open the door from the inside.

Then the most bizarre of all the problems: the one toilet flushes with hot water! Being the only male in the house, I've been banished from the family bathroom as I leave the seat up whenever I take a leak, thus I never knew about this until today when my youngest asked me why the toilet pot is so warm after she flushed. I flushed and held my hand in the water to feel. I don't know WTF these setups are called, but there arent any cisterns, the water comes straight out of the wall when you flush. In retribution with me being banned from the family bathroom, none of them are allowed to watch reality shows

Now, none of these are issues one would pick up during a viewing (except the lounge door perhaps), but I've brought these things under the transferring attorneys, who informed the construction company. They sent someone out and made a snag-list, but its been more than a month since I saw the guy. I have his number and gave him a call recently and he said there's nothing he can do because the company hasn't given him instructions to get someone to come fix their **** yet. I understand that maybe they've shut down for the festive period, but then they could have at least told me or given me some sort of reassurance.

Anybody here in the building trade? The closest thing around this is from here https://www.nhbrc.org.za/warranty-scheme/ , but I'm not even sure if this would cover me, so I'd appreciate some advice. I don't want to spend my hard-earned money to fix **** which shouldn't have been an issue to begin with.

From here I also see that does come into play

In your sale agreement with the developer there should be various periods laid out for different defects, eg xx days for submitting a list of snags, xx period for certain defects etc.

It is likely that the builders are closed right now. They usually close for about a month from mid December to mid January. Though as you say, they should have let you know about this. It may vary, but they will probably be back at work around the 14th.

I hope you manage to get everything sorted!

 

[The_Ogre]

In your sale agreement with the developer there should be various periods laid out for different defects, eg xx days for submitting a list of snags, xx period for certain defects etc.

It is likely that the builders are closed right now. They usually close for about a month from mid December to mid January. Though as you say, they should have let you know about this. It may vary, but they will probably be back at work around the 14th.

I hope you manage to get everything sorted!

Thanks, bud! Appreciate the input.

edit: Whoopsie, forgot to address the question. The house was only advertised once the building was "complete" so I don't have any building "amortisation", per se.

 

[Lupus]

Honestly the battery is something you cannot really moan at them for. Get a new one, I've had new batteries fail after a week, the rest report it to the managing agent and get the builders to sort out the snag list.

 

[The_Ogre]

Honestly the battery is something you cannot really moan at them for. Get a new one, I've had new batteries fail after a week, the rest report it to the managing agent and get the builders to sort out the snag list.

Yea, a battery is cheap, so I don't mind paying for that, besides, I'm trying to realise my 1Kwh per day plan that I've planned so that is going onto the solar charge controller and battery bank anyway.

 

[tRoN]

/subs. Moving into a newly built house soon

 

[XPD]

For all the major stuff get it on the snag list and let them sort it out, even report them to the NHBRC (useless POS organisation) if needed. For the minor stuff just buy What you need to fix, and hire a guy for a few weekends to sort it out and it will be done right and the way you want. Unfortunately most builders/contractors are useless POS and this is the only way to go to keep your sanity. Good luck.

 

[Willy Strong]

Good luck bra. The problem with me was that I hate complaining and would rather sort it out myself.

We moved in, almost a year later the lounge tiles lifted from the floor. I thought someone was in my house or trying to break in through the sliding door, because of the knocking/cracking sounds. This was at 3:00am. That experience still haunts me.

I fixed the cracks, planed the doors, fixed 2 window handles, etc...

Luckily they were still busy building in the "security complex" and after my wife complained to the sh. itty director they came and replaced all the floor tiles.

Few months after that the the wall tiles behind the toilet cistern lifted and they replaced those as well.

Much complaining helped.

 

[Swa]

You have a case with the stove (I assume this is a permanent gas stove that you can't replace yourself) and the toilet as that's a breakout job. Door and taps you'd have to do yourself as the problem would have been visible to you before purchase, unless it was stipulated that the build isn't finished. The door I'd just give a coat of paint, white if you want light to come through.

Not sure about the fan as that can be seen as personal preference and not a defect. By extractor fan do you mean a cooker hood?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Escalate back to the estate Agent/construction company itself and be relatively firm that you will involve the NHBRC as well as the bank who granted the loan unless the issues are rectified shortly. The garage motor battery if its a new house is something they need to replace, the toilet needs to be fixed (its been hooked onto the wrong line obviously so its a break out job given you seem to have an inwall cistern), the aluminium door though is something that you will need to sort out yourself... get in touch with a company like Solyx and get some of their film and you can sort that door out quick sticks yourself, the taps outside should be in place if the fittings are there (maybe a photo of what you talk about would help).
The gas stove sounds faulty as well, so I would be wary of using it, it needs to be replaced as wel.

 

[Barbarian Conan]

Then the most bizarre of all the problems: the one toilet flushes with hot water!

Using the toilet at Dubai Airport, the water was also hot enough to give my nether regions a nice steam spa.
Quite an interesting experience.

 

[I.am.Sam]

OP could have asked a friend for help to fix ..but we know how that ended

 

[The_Ogre]

You have a case with the stove (I assume this is a permanent gas stove that you can't replace yourself) and the toilet as that's a breakout job. Door and taps you'd have to do yourself as the problem would have been visible to you before purchase, unless it was stipulated that the build isn't finished. The door I'd just give a coat of paint, white if you want light to come through.

Not sure about the fan as that can be seen as personal preference and not a defect. By extractor fan do you mean a cooker hood?

Yes, cooker hood.

Using the toilet at Dubai Airport, the water was also hot enough to give my nether regions a nice steam spa.
Quite an interesting experience.

While I was talking to my wife this morning she mentioned to me that the clothes seem warm after a wash.

I then unscrewed the pipes from the connection points and let some water into a bucket.

Yup, you've guessed it, both the washing machine and the dishwasher are also being fed from the hotwater line. I'm pretty sure my washing machine wasn't designed to use warm/water for washing (it has only one inlet) and I'm going to hold these people responsible if it damages the machine in some way - yesterday geyserwise got a reading of 75 degrees Celsius from the solar alone.

 

[Lupus]

Yes, cooker hood.
While I was talking to my wife this morning she mentioned to me that the clothes seem warm after a wash.

I then unscrewed the pipes from the connection points and let some water into a bucket.

Yup, you've guessed it, both the washing machine and the dishwasher are also being fed from the hotwater line. I'm pretty sure my washing machine wasn't designed to use warm/water for washing (it has only one inlet) and I'm going to hold these people responsible if it damages the machine in some way - yesterday geyserwise got a reading of 75 degrees Celsius from the solar alone.

Your washing machine will warm the water to the desired temp.

 

[The_Ogre]

Your washing machine will warm the water to the desired temp.

I suspected that, so she was probably referring to something else. It still bugs me that I've got hot water almost everywhere where there's supposed to be cold water

 

[Lupus]

I suspected that, so she was probably referring to something else. It still bugs me that I've got hot water almost everywhere where there's supposed to be cold water

Some of the older houses did have a hot and cold water tape for the washing machines, but I'd still get that checked out if it's not supposed to.