Any advice warmly welcomed – new development flooding

Thanks so much for your reply and advice.

It is the same in WA and I did chase down that work completion cert post completion in January.

My thoughts were exactly the same as you have posted however when approaching the Builder and the Plumber, they are telling me that the responsibility is with survey/ draftee etc. The Builder and Plumber both clam they have undertaken works according to the plan.

What confuses me is if the levels/plans are wrong, how to they get though certification, council, builder, plumber etc in order for us to be left with a flooding property?

I will try the Building Commission as you suggest and will post if there is any substantial information that may help anyone else in the future.

Thanks again

 

Have they told you what's actually wrong?

If the survey and drafty got it wrong the plumber would have known when putting pipes in. As a plumber he should know water needs to fall from a to b, plus it has to "work" for him to sign off on it. If there's a mistake or blocked pipe due to his work it needs to be fixed

 

Absolutely concur with Bob.

The plumber and builder would have cursed the engineer/drafter if there was anything wrong with the plumbing design and would have charged the developer for variations. Since the plumber did not find anything unusual when laying the plumbing, most likely there is nothing wrong with the design.

If plumber is still not willing to repair it send an email to the builder and plumber with a copy to the building dispute resolution's email id. Written correspondence with a copy to the regulator should provide suitable encouragement and you will have a written record, should matter escalate.

Good luck.

 

Thank you heaps Skilled_Migrant and Bob.

All of your points above are what led me to post the question here.

Apparently no pipes are broken, I am told it is due to Unit A being lower than B and C to the rear and the road to the front.

Again my argument to the Builder and Plumber is how is this my responsibility and not theirs? They do not budge from the argument that the error is prior to their involvement and all they can do is follow the plans. ( Again what Bob posted is what I thought - their responsibility to ensure it doesn't flood).

I think also I may be getting the run around as they are aware I have recently had surgery and not my firey self. On the mend though and will be following both of your advice above. Already corresponding as much as I can in email to cover thy behind should it escalate further.

Just got an email Unit C want to break lease 4 months early.... A grubby landlords job is never done

Thank you again for your input and advice.

 

It's all happy families till the contacts come out!

You may need some more "official" advice as it is appears there are a few people involved.
Also you may need someone in to check the levels of what's been built and work out a plan how to rectify and parties responsible to cover costs

 

It's difficult to comment/advise in the absence of documentation.

From your OP it looks like there are two problems:

1. Storm water: It appears to be an unusual situation. The slope will either fall or rise consistently, but from what you (plumber's interpretation I presume) are conveying, it appears that unit A is in a valley. If it is indeed the situation a pump/pit might have been required if the slope is too drastic. Was a level survey done and did an engineer sign off on the plumbing design ? It should be a part of engineering documents that you submitted to the building surveyor.
   As Bob has suggested, it would be worthwhile seeking "official"advice and take the plumbing plans with you to building commission to affix responsibility between engineer / plumber.
   
   
2. Sewerage: Irrespective of the slope of natural surface, the fall of sewerage line appears to be ok, because the sewerage is flooding only when it rains. Somehow storm-water is finding its way into sewerage line. Get a second opinion from another plumber and you will know the cause. My money is on damaged or faulty plumbing.

Unfortunately it will take some time before the issue is resolved, but on the bright side responsibility will be either with the engineer or plumber.

 

Thank you both Bob and Skilled_Migrant so very very much.

Your advice is greatly appreciated and gives information to follow through with.

I am yet to call the Building Commission (still feeling poorly) but I hope to do this tomorrow.

Once again I thank you for your time and advice, the wealth of knowledge on this forum just cannot be taken for granted.

 

Just an update... The Building Commission could not give advice but suggested if I am not happy with the Builder's response and resolution, I send him a complaint (form available on their website) and he has 14 days to respond. If I am still not happy then I lodge a formal complaint.

I will see if their Plumber goes there this week. If they resolve it and provide me a certificate for work done then I will leave it be. If I do not receive a certificate or if the work is not done by this Friday then I will be going down the formal complaint route.

Thanks again for all of the advice and just helping me have the strength to say "no, this isn't right".

 

You have / had a contract with the builder. Not the builders plumber. So you tell the builder to get what ever trade he needs to rectify the problem and you don't care if it's the frikin electrician who has to fix it but get it fixed or you will be suing for any loss of rental income.

At the end of the day once constructed a building has to be fit for its purpose and if it's flooding that is not the case.

 

Don't wait, just lodge the form with the builder. If they fix it, great. If not, you have already served written notice and can take things from there. If you wait another two weeks to serve the notice you will just put t yourself further behind if they keep stalling.

 

Hi Chomp and Shorty,

Thanks so much for your comments - Chomp - your response helps confirm what I thought.

Shorty - I waited and shouldn't have - I hear ya! Hitting my palm to my head as I type.

Update - Emailed them last weekend saying I had the Building Commission form completed ready to go - giving them one last chance to do this nicely. Received an email from the office (not the Builder) saying that the plumbing had been fixed on that Monday and they will send photos later. They also said this was not an admission of liability but a favour???

I said - great - however I will require a certificate saying what was wrong and what has been fixed and the issue of the carpets having water damage needed to be addressed. Should I receive all that by Friday just gone then all is honky dory and it is over.

Guess what - yet again nothing. So I emailed the Building Commission complaint to them yesterday and posting it today.