rebuilding after floods

[flooded out]

I am rebuilding after Christmas Day floods, 2011, in Melbourne. Had generous insurance. Insurance company handed the rebuild to a large building company who have been DISGUSTING. Their work is so shoddy they have done more damage to my home than the floods!!!! They claim to have done work when it is clear they have not. They claim to have resealed my slate floors - nonsense - they washed them. I got 2 independent reports from other slate companies, putting in writing, the floors were not resealed - still the builders argue. My roof still leaks - after 18 months. The builders said I had no flashing, although photographs by myself, the assessor, and even their Project manager show original flashing in place. Insurance company finally paid another roof company to fix problem. The painter, the electrician, the plumber, all did substandard work. My kitchen and laundry bear no resemblance to the original - different cupboards, configuration, etc etc - all now substandard and totally unworkable. How do I get the builders to fix their work, or can I insist the insurance company appoint another builder to redo the work???

 

[ugotadollar4me]

The way I look at it,
You basically pay your insurance company for a service, your insurance company then engages subcontractors to do your job, so it goes back to the company you paid and did business with which is the insurance company.
they then pay for repair and can do what they like with there suby to claim what they loose.

 

[wylie]

I'd be straight onto the insurance ombudsman. You need to have tried to work it out with the insurer first, but once you've made that attempt, I'd cut straight to someone who might be able to help you.

(But I don't understand how you can have allowed the kitchen to be configured differently... or were you not there when it was installed?)

 

[willair]

The painter, the electrician, the plumber, all did substandard work. My kitchen and laundry bear no resemblance to the original - different cupboards, configuration, etc etc - all now substandard and totally unworkable. How do I get the builders to fix their work, or can I insist the insurance company appoint another builder to redo the work???

If the work was done then the plumbing and elec would have had to be passed why is it substandard work?,and did you have a plan of what was going to happen before you commissioned the kitchen layout?

 

[flooded out]

I met the kitchen cabinet maker several times, but I had to leave a key for the builder and the tradesmen would come and go, even though I tried to be there as much as possible - I was in rented accommodation for over 12 months as the house was unliveable. I made them reinstall the kitchen, laundry and both bathrooms, twice, but the builder kept insisting his way was better. He absolutely refused to listen, and the Project Manager was the "invisible man". The cabinetmaker then walked away as he said the builder had screwed him on price.

I complained to the insurance company who told the builder it all had to conform to the original - still no result!!! The tradesmen thought they could ride shipshod over an elderly widow. I have refused to sign off with the builder but they don't care anyway - they get their progress payments from the insurance company - even though the insurers are aware I do not accept the work.

The plumbing would probably pass an inspection - it is things like the tiling behind the laundry taps is on very thick mortar - amateurish - and now the tap spindles are too short and the taps cannot be used.

The electricians work would also probably pass an inspection, but that is because services I had, like the security survelliance system, top-of-the-range digital tv antennaes, have all been disconnected, therefore now non-existent, etc etc - of course it passes when half the stuff is not connected!!

The slate flooring was washed over with diluted sealer and the builder claimed the job was done. I got 2 independent written reports from slate floor specialists who both stated the floor had not been professionally sealed. I submitted those to the insurance company who said they would pay me out for the job. To have the work done now, I have to arrange for my furniture to be packed and stored again, the animals into kennels, myself back into short-term rental as it takes a week, the floor cannot be walked on between coats and the fumes are nasty. If it had have been done as per the Scope of Works, whilst the house was empty, instead of the builder just skimming over the top, it would have been much easier.

It is just such a battle to get each thing done. the builder count on you just giving up and accepting rubbish. The longer they draw it out, the more they count on wearing you out. However this house was the culmination of my late husband's and my work. I refuse to let the builder devalue it and ruin it. I fight on. All suggestions would be appreciated as to where to take the battle next.

 

[wylie]

All suggestions would be appreciated as to where to take the battle next.

What about my suggestion of taking it to the Insurance Ombudsman? I would think that will get things moving much quicker than what you've been doing already, which clearly is not working. They are all passing the buck and hoping you will give in.

Go to the Ombudsman, Do not pass Go... Do not give them any more chance to wear you down.

Good luck, and please let us know how you get on.