so how long are we responsible for the new house?
- Thread starter Mamaof3
- Start date
The normal warranty period is 6 months for minor defects and 6 years for structural.
Paver movement would be covered in the 6 month warranty. Therefore, you can refer the new owner to the contractor involved for rectification.
Paver movement would be covered in the 6 month warranty. Therefore, you can refer the new owner to the contractor involved for rectification.
Hey, my husband honours his warranties
. He's not here now for me to check, but his is for a few years.He rarely ever has to go back though, and if he does it's for something minor, or because the client suffers from OCD and sees minute irregularities (often still fixes these). Bricks don't generally move if you do the job properly.
The last he was called because of movement was because the soil had expanded, but the people knew that and accepted it. It was more advice they were seeking.
Minor defects for the building works, sure, howeveer the OP advised that this work was not done by the builder therefore zero recourse on their behalf, and probably not much from the paving contractor either (although they might be lucky if they tried it on)
On a side note, you will find that in most cases, the minor defect period is non-transferable to a new owner too, however the good buildiers will do the right thing and honour their warranty...moot point in this case though IMHO.
Boods
Sailesh said:
As I read it, the original poster had a house built and sold it "new". He engaged a builder for the structure, someone else for the paving and, I'm sure, others for cabinets, tiling etc. In my mind this makes him the prime contractor and is ultimately responsible to the buyer. Hopefully he can call on the sub-contractors to correct all defects. I know that in the real world this isn't always possible but that is not the buyer's problem. It is the vendor's.
In Qld there is a "fit for purpose" measure, and a path that buckled within weeks would fail that test so the FINAL seller is the bunny.
If I had been the subject of the responses here I would be moded for my response.
That's not what Sailesh said.
As I read it, the original poster had a house built and sold it "new". He engaged a builder for the structure, someone else for the paving and, I'm sure, others for cabinets, tiling etc. In my mind this makes him the prime contractor and is ultimately responsible to the buyer. Hopefully he can call on the sub-contractors to correct all defects. I know that in the real world this isn't always possible but that is not the buyer's problem. It is the vendor's.
In Qld there is a "fit for purpose" measure, and a path that buckled within weeks would fail that test so the FINAL seller is the bunny.
If I had been the subject of the responses here I would be moded for my response.
I assume you mean with some sort of warranty?
This is the same as if they had bought a car from you, new or used.
The only way any repairs would be your responsibility, is if both you and the buyer have signed a warranty contract.
If you just feel like being nice, and/or are just really happy with the price you sold it for, or whatever, then feel free to repair the pavers for them.
Just don't think that you have to however, know that you would be doing it out of the kindness of your heart.
And I too will be sure to buy any more houses through you from now on
Sailesh said:
That's not what Sailesh said.
As I read it, the original poster had a house built and sold it "new". He engaged a builder for the structure, someone else for the paving and, I'm sure, others for cabinets, tiling etc. In my mind this makes him the prime contractor and is ultimately responsible to the buyer. Hopefully he can call on the sub-contractors to correct all defects. I know that in the real world this isn't always possible but that is not the buyer's problem. It is the vendor's.
In Qld there is a "fit for purpose" measure, and a path that buckled within weeks would fail that test so the FINAL seller is the bunny.
If I had been the subject of the responses here I would be moded for my response.
cabinets tiling etc are usually done by the builder - the structure of this building is coverd by the structural warranty (for what it is worth) and the builder may be nice enough to warrant some of the other features of the house. the poster just did a bit of fluff outside.
well, paving is covered under the building and contractors work (don't know name of Act exactly but have written down somewhere and skimmed through it) and it is covered under the 5 year warranty meaning if it wasn't laid properly to start with then the owners could have a claim against it.
well paving guy came out to have a look at it today and he said he's done everything properly and that the movement appears to be due to natural movement in the soil because the soil consists mainly of clay. I have no idea whether he's telling the truth or not but he did about half a dozen paving jobs for us at new home sites last year and this one appears to be the only one that has moved...he said he can rip the ones that have moved up and when he does the base again mix the sand with fine concrete which will help stop them moving again but if the soil is crap and there's naturally going to be alot of movement then he can't stop it and we may be in the same position again in 12mths time......so i rang Consumer Affairs back and told them what our Paving guy said and Consumer Affairs said pavers that have moved can only be due to the compaction not being done properly, they cannot blame it on the soil!!!
Anyone know anything about paving????
Bottom line is we're not legally responsible, its really the new owners who have to put a claim in against the Paving Contractors but i feel kinda bad because he was the only Paver that actually rocked up to our appointments and started and finished a job when he said he would...we had a really good business relationship happening and wanted to keep that going....arghhhh, thats my super soft side coming out again
well paving guy came out to have a look at it today and he said he's done everything properly and that the movement appears to be due to natural movement in the soil because the soil consists mainly of clay
. I have no idea whether he's telling the truth or not but he did about half a dozen paving jobs for us at new home sites last year and this one appears to be the only one that has moved...he said he can rip the ones that have moved up and when he does the base again mix the sand with fine concrete which will help stop them moving again but if the soil is crap and there's naturally going to be alot of movement then he can't stop it and we may be in the same position again in 12mths time......so i rang Consumer Affairs back and told them what our Paving guy said and Consumer Affairs said pavers that have moved can only be due to the compaction not being done properly, they cannot blame it on the soil!!! Anyone know anything about paving????
Bottom line is we're not legally responsible, its really the new owners who have to put a claim in against the Paving Contractors but i feel kinda bad because he was the only Paver that actually rocked up to our appointments and started and finished a job when he said he would...we had a really good business relationship happening and wanted to keep that going....arghhhh, thats my super soft side coming out again
Bottom line is we're not legally responsible, its really the new owners who have to put a claim in against the Paving Contractors but i feel kinda bad because he was the only Paver that actually rocked up to our appointments and started and finished a job when he said he would...we had a really good business relationship happening and wanted to keep that going....arghhhh, thats my super soft side coming out again
And that is why (as per the other posters) you shouldn't have been involved. If you had simply passed on the Pavers info and left it at that then your relationship with the Paver guy would be intact and the new owners the bad guys.
Cheers
your paving guy is right - if the pavers are laid over a soil of clay then no bedding he puts down, except lay a thick cement slab underneath, will stop them from moving.
natural science at work - wet clay expands, dry clay contracts. this can be up to cm's in some cases. only have to look at the dried out dams on the news to see extreme cases or such.
natural science at work - wet clay expands, dry clay contracts. this can be up to cm's in some cases. only have to look at the dried out dams on the news to see extreme cases or such.
...so then he should have laid a slab and explained all this before starting the job. Will cost a bit extra but not too much depending upon the site...
As a paving contractor that is what I do....in good soils it's compacted material...... in clay, it's a thin(min 65mm) slab of poured wet concrete with 15mm bedding sand over....then the pavers. Cement in all the borders and nothing moves.
IMHO it's up to the contractor to inspect the soils and recommend/do accordingly....
Just my opinion with 15 years exp...
